Upon leaving New York, we drove to the base of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. It is a rarity for us to camp at a privately-owned campground. In our experience, they tend to be expensive, due to having lots of amenities geared toward families with children. But the location was very convenient and we enjoyed daily afternoon swims in one of their three pools. Conveniently, they also had a poolside ice cream shop, so we could replenish any calories we may have lost swimming.
The camp hosts recommended a nearby restaurant, Lobster Trap, where we had an amazing swordfish prepared Jamaican-jerk style. The clam chowder was epically good. The lump crab cake was too heavily breaded for our taste.
A big downside of our campground – the whole state of Massachusetts for that matter – was that dogs are not allowed off-leash on any of the beaches in the state during the summer. We had to drive 23 miles to a dog park with a fresh-water pond for Charlie’s swims. She can barely walk right now, due to arthritis in her shoulders, so we prioritize her daily swims to keep her as healthy and fit as possible. Her swimming conditioning is noticeably better since we started this trip May 19.
Because the dog park was on the way to the tip of the Cape (Race Point Beach and Provincetown, affectionately called P-town), Charlie got to spend a day with us. She was able to get in the water briefly, while on leash, at both places. Also, Charlie was welcomed at a waterfront restaurant and a separate waterfront bar we visited in Provincetown. It was a hot day, so the cool breeze from Cape Cod Bay harbor felt wonderful.
P-town was quaint but crowded. Upon arriving, the directions to the restaurant steered us down a narrow, one-way street on the waterfront that was swarming with pedestrians – some with strollers walking down the middle of the street. We somehow weaved our way through the crowd without incident. Our elevated, off-road model GMC AT4X felt like a tank picking its way through infantry in an alley. I guess they have to keep the road open for delivery trucks like the ones that caused us to zig and zag a couple times.
There are many restaurants and bars. We had no trouble getting seated and served at both places we stopped.The streets were quite narrow all around town with some one-way streets and dead ends. It took Hank a while to get back to where Angie and Charlie were waiting. Charlie was in such obvious pain during the walk back to the parking lot, Angie suggested we let her rest and wait.
The next day we made a day-trip to Newport, RI, without Charlie. During itinerary planning, Angie unsuccessfully tried to find an available campground in Rhode Island. Most campgrounds don’t accept reservations longer than six months in advance. But in Rhode Island, campsites are reserved a year in advance. Nothing was available six-months out.
We really enjoyed Newport and would love to return to spend more time in the area. It was polar opposite of Provincetown. Newport had a four-lane, divided avenue along the harbor. And there were many large mansions that had been built during the gilded age as summer homes for New York City’s wealthiest families. We visited the Vanderbilt’s summer home – The Breakers – and found it to be as opulent and grand as any European palace, though at a smaller physical size.
The Breakers was built by America’s pre-eminent architect for one of the richest families in the world. In keeping with the Italian Renaissance style, classical Roman influences are seen in the exterior columns and arches. The breathtaking central Great Hall, with its 50-foot-high ceiling, was inspired by the open-air courtyards of Italy but exudes the grandeur of the Gilded Age. The exquisite tile mosaics in the Billiard Room and double loggia were hand-set by European artisans. The Music Room was constructed by Allard & Sons in France then disassembled and shipped to the United States for reassembly inside the house. The Breakers décor includes the finest materials in the world, including Baccarat crystal for the chandeliers in the Dining Room and platinum leaf in the Morning Room.
The next morning, Hank repeated the 46-mile round trip for Charlie’s final swim at Fresh Pond, while Angie slept in.
