Learn the history of the Chatham Railroad Museum – A New England and Cape Cod attraction

Even if you’re not crazy about railroads, a trip to this beautiful 1887 Victorian building filled of “Railroad Gothic” work of wooden art and tapering turrets. Inside you’ll find volunteers revealing the lore and historic artifacts featuring the “walk-through” 1918 New York caboose. This only 7-mile long railroad once connected Chatham, MA with the Old Colony Railroad main line in Harwich, MA. What’s stunning is the depot construction was begun in June; it and the neighboring engine house (with turntable), car house, work shed, and water tower (with well and windmill) were completed just 6 months later on November 22, 1887. The property of the Town, the Museum is run by an unpaid director and a group of volunteers and is welcome for donations. There’s a playground across the street which is perfect for a picnic lunch. They’re open from mid-June to mid-Sept Tuesday through Saturday 10am-4pm and located on 153 Depot Road off Main St. (1 block N of the rotary) in Chatham, MA. Being not so up to date, there’s no phone number or website to contact this New England attraction

Going northeast up Old Harbor Road for just about a half a mile is the Captain’s House Inn. The most distinctive Cape Cod bed and breakfast, the Captain’s House Inn is regarded by many respected lodging reviewers as “The Cape’s” finest smal inn. This four-diamond sea captina’s estate on two acres in Chatham, Massachusetts is the perfect choice for an affordable romantic getaway. There are four distinct facilities – the Main House, an 1839 Greek-Revival style mansion, the attached Carriage House, the luxurious Stables and the 200-year-old “bow roof cape” called the Captain’s Cottage. Find the right accommodation and check out their specials and packages to make your romantic getaway weekend perfectly fit for you.

Chatham Railroad Museum

Aquarium and animal petting zoo in Cape Cod, MA

For 40 years now, the ZooQuarium in West Yarmouth, Massachusetts has provided a fun-filled family adventure for you to explore and discover the marvelous creatures that live close by to the busy roads of Cape Cod. At the Petting Zoo you can get right up close and feed the farm animals while learning how they came to be such an important part of human life. At the Aquarium, you’ll see up close the creatures that lurk the Cape Cod waters from Stripers to Lobsters, Frogs to Turtles. You can even pick up and touch the little critters that inhibit the shoreline at the Tidal Touch Pool. You may see hermit crabs, horseshoe crabs, mussels, sea stars, urchins, clams, fiddler crabs, and much more. At the Zoorific Theater, the naturalists present and will teach you about the animals that you may have never gotten close to like skunks, alligators, or even hedgehogs. In one upcoming event (July 18 & 19, September 5 &6), the Rainforest Reptile Show from Beverly, MA will demonstrate why reptiles are so important to the planet and will let you get up close and personal with many different type of reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. About 25 minutes east down Route 28, is a four-diamond sea captain’s estate nestled on two acres of Cape Cod soil now called the Captain’s House Inn. Check out their many specials and packages and enjoy a luxurious weekend in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Cape Cod, MA Spring Town Fair Festival – Brewster in Bloom

Welcome to the 23rd Annual Brewster in Bloom

May 1, 2, 3, 2009

An exciting Cape Cod town festival, Brewster in Bloom, organized by The Brewster Chamber of Commerce Board of Trade and The Brewster in Bloom Committee is coming just around the corner for you and your family to enjoy. There will be plenty of events to attend such as: golf contests, antique exhibits, art and craft shops, historical tours, clothes sales, raffles, anniversary celebrations, beer and wine tastings, band concerts, Kidsfest, and plenty more! The fun will run for three days from 10am until 5pm and end with the Brewster in Bloom Parade starting at 1pm on May 3rd. Each day features several different activities for all ages so make a whole weekend vacation out of Brewster in Bloom. To accommodate your stay, the Captain’s House Inn lies just 20 minutes away with spectacular views of the south coast of Cape Cod. Before you begin your days of festival fun, Chef Kevin and Claude will prepare an absolutely delectable breakfast to start your day right. With the Captain’s House Inn’s luxurious amenities and comfortable atmosphere, you won’t want to go back to reality after your weekend getaway vacation.

Cape Cod Spa in Chatham, Massachusetts

Treat your mind and body with a mellowing massage and aesthetic remedies provided by Sol Spa. Stimulate your day of therapy, or perhaps a week, with a tonic massage suited for you. Having at least twelve different choices from Deep Tissue to Swedish Strokes, you’ll be able to attend to your body type. Despite Sol Spa’s such up-scale character, the assumed high prices are not to be expected. For only $25, try the Sitting in the Garden massage for soothing relief. Next, pamper the most precious part of your body; your face. See your face glow with the Oxygenating Facial that cleanses, stimulates, and rebuilds your deepest skin cells. Then, spoil yourself some more and revitalize your hands, feet, and skin where needed most. Make your therapeutic vacation worthwhile and check out the packages offered to get everything at one valued price. E-mail info@solspachatham.com to make reservations or answer any questions you may have.

Stay at the Captain’s House Inn for an experience as concilitating as Sol Spa. Back in 1839, Captain Hiram Harding built a home with a charming Greek ambiance for his wife of one year. What now is the Captain’s House Inn, provides 16 quarters and two acres of scenery and garden with outbuildings and swimming pools. 

“The Captain’s House Inn is the consummate romantic getaway. It makes you dream of coming back.”

— Jill Rigby, Travel Editor, Toronto Sun

With many special packages from a Babymoon to a three-night New Year’s Eve premium, The Captain’s House Inn endues the perfect elopement accommodations. Avoid stress and enjoy you and your partner’s quite memorable day while The Captain’s House Inn will do all the work to ensure a graceful ceremony. 

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Chatham, Massachusetts

Located in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, Chatham is a beautiful town that is perfect for a summer vacation. Chatham is home to the Chatham Lighthouse, which was established in 1808 by Thomas Jefferson to protect the ships circling the Cape. Main Street Chatham has a provincial feel with its numerous family owned and operated shops and restaurants, including the Captain’s House Inn – great for a gourmet breakfast before you start your busy day.

Chatham is also home to the Cape’s second oldest theatre, Monomoy Theatre. Open for fifty-one years, the theatre offers a summer theatre program for college students. Each summer the students perform eight plays with the mentoring help of seasoned visiting artists, actors and directors.

Gain up to $400 off from Innsiders Club

Guests of the Distinctive Inns of New England (DINE) save significantly when they become members of the DINE Innsiders Club. All they need to do to enjoy the Innsider benefits is to pick up a DINE brochure during any stay at a DINE inn and use it to keep track of their visits.

Each time Innsiders stay at four different DINE inns, they receive $100 off their next DINE visit of two nights or more. They can do this up to four times, for a total off of $400. This allows Innsiders to explore new inns while also returning to inns they enjoy particularly well.

All DINE inns offer all the services of the finest bed and breakfasts and luxury inns. Their guests enjoy opulent accommodations and a wide variety of recreational activities. The inns themselves are located in historic buildings set in lovely New England settings.

DINE Innsiders already get their money’s worth in comfort and relaxation, plus the inns offer getaway specials, romantic packages, and other lodging discounts. The Innsiders Club provides a bonus savings to recognize Innsiders’ loyalty to the 10 DINE inns.

The inns are (in Rhode Island) Cliffside Inn, (in Vermont) Windham Hill Inn and Rabbit Hill Inn, (in New Hampshire) Chesterfield Inn, Manor on Golden Pond and Inn at Thorn Hill and Spa, (in Massachusetts) Captain’s House Inn, Gateways Inn and Deerfield Inn, and (in Maine) Camden Maine Stay Inn.

The fine print to the Innsider offer is minimal. Some blackout periods and restrictions may be applied by the individual inns. Only $100 DINE dollars can be redeemed at a time. Innsiders need to present their DINE Innsider Card, which is part of the brochure, and have it stamped when they visit inns. There’s no cash value to this offer, and the card expires two years after its issue date.

Innsiders who already use their Innsiders Club card find it an easy process and rewarding too. That extra hundred dollars can buy a special bottle of wine, an afternoon of spa treatments, or some other treat that will make their time away particularly memorable.

Youth is no deterrent for good innkeeping

James and Jill Meyer of the Captain’s House Inn are not your usual innkeepers. They did not spend long years in other careers before their dream of owning an inn came true.

Since dating in high school in New Jersey, Jill and James vacationed with James’ family in Chatham on Cape Cod, where the idea of becoming innkeepers took hold. But first there was college, with James majoring in hospitality management and Jill entrepreneurial studies and marketing.

James went to work for the prestigious Boston Harbor Hotel, becoming the manager of three departments. Jill held corporate positions, sharpening her skills in Internet marketing, a key to today’s innkeeping.

Four years ago, when James was only 27 and Jill only 25, they bought a small inn. Jill says, “We worried that guests would be apprehensive about booking because of our ages, but luckily that wasn’t the case.” Last year, they were able to sell their first inn and buy the four-diamond Captain’s House Inn, located in their beloved Chatham.

Although they are young, they know the age-old key to good innkeeping — great hospitality. Says James, “Customer service is what the Captain’s House Inn is built on. We provide twice daily housekeeping, gourmet breakfasts, and afternoon cream tea. Our concierge services include booking day trips and dinner reservations. Our rooms are well-appointed and include everything we can think of to make our guests’ stays as comfortable as possible.”

The previous owners of the Captain’s House had joined DINE, and the young couple continued the membership. “When we went to our first meeting,” Jill says, “we saw that it was a good network of innkeepers to be a part of.”