Cape Cod Guide 2010: Provincetown
Photograph by Christian Kozowyk
FRIDAY
4 p.m. Unpack your bags at the Land’s End Inn, a jaw-dropping genie’s bottle of art nouveau furnishings that sits high atop the town’s West End. Doubles from $315, 22 Commercial St., 508-487-0706.
5 p.m. Zip across the street to the Red Inn right as the bar opens: Its tiny deck is an insider favorite for drinks with a harbor view. Or just head straight into the dining room, where that same romantic seascape vies for attention with the gourmet seafood. 15 Commercial St., 508-487-7334, theredinn.com.
SATURDAY
9 a.m. Settle in for coffee and a fresh-baked scone at the newly relocated and expanded Joe, a gourmet java shop beloved among locals. 170 Commercial St., 508-487-6656.
10 a.m. Though whales can often be spotted from shore — the big guys come closer to the coast here than anywhere else in the U.S. — go out on a Dolphin Fleet cruise to see them frolicking up close. 305 Commercial St., 508-240-3636.
Noon Skip the crush at the MacMillan Pier eateries in favor of Café Maria’s down the adjacent block, where the linguiça roll, made with sausage direct from New Bedford’s Portuguese community, tastes like God’s own hot dog. 277 Commercial St., 508-487-9116.
1 p.m. Party town gives way to arty town in the quieter East End, a stronghold of galleries anchored by the world-class Provincetown Art Association and Museum. 460 Commercial St., 508-487-1750,.
4 p.m. The tip of Cape Cod, a slender peninsula known as Long Point, may look teasingly remote, but a sea kayak rental from Flyer’s puts it in (relatively) easy reach. Or cruise out on the Flyer’s shuttle instead, and hike the 1.2-mile breakwater back into the West End. 131A Commercial St., 508-487-0898.
7 p.m. Since coming aboard as head chef last fall, Michael Mishkin has amped up the food at two-year-old Victor’s to match the restaurant’s considerable buzz. His flavorful creations (like sake-marinated pork with Asian pear slaw) leave diners at a loss for superlatives. 175 Bradford St. Ext., 508-487-1777,.
10 p.m. In the mood to have your timbers shivered? Visit the Shipwreck Lounge for upscale cocktails potent enough to topple a pirate. 67 Bradford St., 508-487-9005.
SUNDAY
9 a.m. After an unhurried breakfast on the inn’s lovely porch, greet the day — and see if you can spy Boston in the distance — from the top of the 252-foot Pilgrim Monument. High Pole Hill Road, 508-487-1310.
10 a.m. For shopping, there should be plenty on Commercial Street to catch your eye. Highlights include Wa, which houses a gorgeous, museumlike collection of Far East artifacts; Roots, a longtime home-goods store under new, funkier-minded ownership; and the just-opened booze mecca Drinkx, purveyor of “swanky swigs and badass barware.” 220 Commercial St., 508-487-6355; 193 Commercial St., 508-487-2500, shoproots.com; 306 Commercial St., 774-538-2606.
1 p.m. On the way to Race Point Beach, stop off at the hands-down best bakery in town, Connie’s, for lunch provisions and the mile-high brownies. At the beach, tourists and locals mingle on a broad, eight-mile stretch of sand that boasts frequent seal sightings and more untamed beauty than nearby Herring Cove. 43 Race Point Rd., 508-487-2167.