Lightening Up in P-Town

I’m on a “dune tour” in Provincetown, Massachusetts, on the tip of Cape Cod—a geographic fishhook of land, surrounded on one side by the Atlantic, and on the other by Cape Cod Bay. This narrow strip of land allows me to take in the sinking sun over the ocean before me while a full moon sinks into the bay behind me. I’ve come to Provincetown, better known as “P-town,” mostly to take in its colorful LGBTQ+ community with my daughter, who identifies as such. What I was not expecting to find was such uniquely gorgeous natural beauty and history.

Rob Costa, who’s leading our dune tour, lets out his Suburban tires to about 11 psi in order to navigate trails among 4,000 acres of terrain. I’d imagined something akin to the Hamptons’ beaches: a bit of bluff and dunes leading to a couple hundred yards of beach. What I encounter is something entirely different, the “outback of P-town,” as Rob calls it. At points, it resembles a sandy moonscape with a vast sea of rolling hills, pinnacles, and canyons spanning as far as the eye can see, speckled with seagrass, wildflowers, and the occasional dune shack. These shacks were frequented long ago by artists and writers like Jackson Pollock and Eugene O’Neill. It’s no wonder this place so inspired generations of artists, given the austere beauty and serenity of the dune-scape.

Anything Goes

Back in town on Commercial Street, the heart of P-town, the scene is rich with far different colors. There are art galleries, souvenir stores, fudge shops, and t-shirt stalls with rainbow spectrums. And, of course, there’s drag shows. I take a seat to watch my first ever, at the restaurant Crown & Anchor, called “Divas by the Sea.” A “Barbie” struts the red carpet, telling the crowd (post-Covid), “It’s been a year and a half since I’ve been in front of an audience.” Barbie and her fellow drag divas have lost none of their style or wit. The crowd is thrilled to have things back to “normal” in P-town—normal meaning anything goes.

“Here, it’s all love,” says a guest that I chat with, Danny, aka Sparkle, who is well-dressed in a banana-yellow outfit bedecked with big yellow flowers and pom-poms. “You can dress half-naked on Commercial Street, and no one cares.”

In actuality, visitors from all walks of life seem to enjoy the laissez-faire atmosphere of P-town. I see families strolling the streets with young children; groups of gay gals and guys relishing long weekend getaways; and I meet heterosexual couples planning nuptials in the area. As Sparkle said, it’s all about love—and P-town has plenty of that to offer.

Daytime Diversions

Oceangoing whaling tours are a big attraction here, though my daughter and I opt instead for kayaks. Paddling the bay, we count seal sightings. A favorite of seals, the area’s rich marine life also attracts Great Whites on the ocean side. I take note of the shark warning signs along Herring Cove, a pretty windswept beach that’s an easy bike ride from town. Further on, ambitious bikers/hikers can reach the historic Race Point Lighthouse.

With almost no parking available, rental bikes seem a must around town. Most visitors arriving by car park in B&B-designated lots and walk and bike from there. Gabriel’s, A Provincetown hotel, is where we lay our head. And I could not imagine a more convenient central location—a block from Commercial Street—but yet peacefully quiet without the din of nearby activity. Gabriel’s is a quaint collection of historic cottages reminiscent of a miniature Victorian village. Cottages boast modern amenities, including one of the most amazing spa showers ever. Some include full kitchens.

Directly adjacent to Gabriel’s is a funicular that brings guests up to a historic highlight of P-town—Pilgrim’s Monument. While many may think of Plymouth as where the Pilgrims set foot in America, in fact, they first anchored in Provincetown dispatching small boats to investigate sources of fresh water and tillable land. For 35 days, the Pilgrims remained in the bay, during that time drafting their form of a constitution addressing independence. I climb the 252-foot monument for spectacular 360-views of P-town and the Cape.  At the foot is a charming museum dedicated to the history of the area.

America’s Oldest Art Colony

Situated on the quiet east end of Commercial Street, in the gallery district, The Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM) offers another good diversion. P-town boasts itself as the “oldest continuous art colony in the US.” I question a museum employee, “Why?” The answer: “It’s the light, baby.” Just as I’d noticed the sun sinking and moon rising simultaneously over the water, artists too are said to be moved by the incredible diffusion of light spanning the landscape of Cape Cod National Seashore here in P-town. Especially beautiful on display are examples of abstract expressionism popular among artists on Cape Cod in the 1950s.

Not far from the museum, I find one of the best culinary experiences in town at Fanizzi’s Restaurant By the Sea, where my daughter and I sit at a waterside table to enjoy New England clam chowder (naturally) and scrumptious cod (of course.)

As we wrap up our three-day visit—the perfect amount of time in P-town—I leave thinking what a fun spot this is. It’s a contrast of colors, and characters, and “love” in town, balanced with the serenity of the outback, and wildflowers, and seals at sunset. No matter what strikes a visitor’s fancy, it’s easy to be lifted by the allure of P-town.

www.ptowntourism.com