Our Summer Adventure Part 5: Cape Cod National Seashore

We left Bar Harbor early in the morning, partly because a water mane had broken and the whole area was left without water. That meant no teeth brushing or showers, so we just packed up and hit the road early. We didn’t have much of a plan (I’m a Type A planner and was trying to be a little spontaneous), but we knew we wanted to hit some of the other New England States. We decided to check out the Cape Cod National Seashore, so we drove through Boston (which had TERRIBLE traffic), and made it to Cape Cod in the early afternoon. We quickly stopped in to the visitor center to get a map and our passport stamped, and then drove to the parking lot to catch a shuttle to the seashore. In the national seashore, you are not allowed to drive, but must take the shuttle from the parking area. It’s a couple of miles away, but the shuttle was nice and it wasn’t too busy. When we got to the beach, we couldn’t believe how beautiful it was! Our shuttle driver told us that the Cape Cod National Seashore is frequently ranked as one of the best five beaches in the country, and I can understand why. The beach is clean and natural (there wasn’t any commercialization close to the beach, which is a big plus for being protected by the National Parks Department). We could also see lots of seals bobbing in the water. 

​We had a great time playing in the sand and the waves and pointing out the seals as they came up. We only stayed a few hours, and then drove through Rhode Island and stopped for Chick fil a and ice cream and then booked a hotel from our phones in New Haven, Connecticut. In the morning, we decided to check out the Yale campus. It was pretty underwhelming, and they didn’t allow visitors in any of the buildings or museums, so we wished we would have skipped New Haven and visited some of the National Park sites in the area. Next time we know!

​We drove through Connecticut and New York and then hit New Jersey. For our first break to stretch our legs, we stopped at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area that is right between New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It was a good place to walk around for a few minutes and take in the beautiful mountains. New Jersey really is beautiful (in some areas at least). This was our last National Park site of our trip, and although we debated about taking a detour to Gettysburg, we decided that we should head home. It was a wonderful trip, and we were so proud of our little travelers who did so well in the car and we always ready for a new adventure. Besides movies in the car, the kids had no electronics for over a week and instead experienced two countries, 11 states, and 2,919 miles. This trip was so unforgettable for our family to bond and step away from real life for a while and be together. And next summer, our trip will take us west, so stay tuned!