I think it'll be cheaper to stay this side of the canal than the other....but I could be wrong.
I would try to find be a little cottage to rent on the beach for a week....mainly because I don't think they will rent something like that by the day.
Save money by eating in....you can buy the freshest lobster and scoop up some sea water and steam it....and steamers and of course cod.
From north Jersey you can make the boston area in about 5 hours...maybe 6. get a motel and spend the next day doing the North Church etc, then move on to the cape....stay a week and spend another day in Boston on the way back.
To do Nantucket and Martha's Vinyardw ill involve fwerry rides and at high season it won't be as easy as it might be in September.
But if you don't want to spend much time just vegging out on the beach, in a week you could see a lot. Stuff like Plymouth, Sturbridge, Concord etc....but I'd rather do more of the beach thing!
Linda C

Tim and I did Boston, Cape Cod and Nantucket in 7 days back in 1995. It was fabulous!

We stayed a couple of nights in Boston and that gave us plenty of time to see what we wanted to see, the USS Constitution, Faneuil Hall, the Freedom Trail, Old North Church, Paul Revere's house and the Bull & Finch Pub (Cheers). Plus lots of time to sample some very good chowda!

On the cape we stayed at a bed & breakfast right across the street from the waterfront. Did a little touring and a little beachcombing.

Then a couple of days at a B&B on Nantucket. Did some shopping, rented mopeds and toured the entire island. I would definitely recommend Nantucket.

Being a travel agent, I never throw travel stuff away. I still have several tour books and maps I'd be happy to lend you if you're interested. Just e-mail me if you'd like me to pop them in the mail to you.

Linda

I spend a week in Chatham every year. It's such a darling town and also centrally located to visit the rest of the Cape. I also think the beaches are among the nicest.

I would recommend spending at least one night in Boston if you want to visit there. It's just a little too far from the Cape for a day trip and you'd waste most of your day traveling.

Provincetown is kind of "I don't know." I love the drive there. It feels like you're driving to the end of the earth, which you kind of are! However the town has gotten sooo touristy.

Be sure to spend some time in the town of Sandwich and visit the Glass Museum. There really is a lot to see in that area, especially if you enjoy history.

I love the drive along 6A. There are charming shops and lovely old homes. The town of Brewster is nice, although their beaches aren't as nice as Chatham's.

I guess I would spend a couple nights in Boston, a few on the Cape and then go and stay on Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard. That way you will spend less time getting where you're going and more time sightseeing -- and eating and relaxing.

Enjoy!

After doing a little research, we're going to take dedtired's advice and book 4-5 nights in Boston and the rest on the Cape and/or Nantucket.

I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I'm clueless regarding the hotel discounters like Priceline, etc. I know lots of people use them, but I'm worried about getting stuck with a penalty for canceling or changing dates. Can anyone advise? I'd love to book places now since we'll be traveling in season but prices could change too.

Goldgirl, I live about 20 minutes south of Boston and we visit Provincetown every summer. If there is anything I can help you with, please let me know.

Most, if not all the nicer B & Bs and hotels in Provincetown have 3-5 night minimums and can be pricey. If you are planning your visit during carnival week (aug. 16th-22nd), things book up very, very quickly. We like the Crowne Point Inn - the standard rooms are very small, we usually book the upgraded rooms. The Carriage House and Carpe Diem are wonderful and a bit less pricey. All have great locations.

Front Street (expensive) and Bayside Betsys (moderate) are our favorite places to eat. There are many fabulous restaurants and shops run the gamut from artsy boutiques and galleries to tee shirt shops.

In Chatham, the Chatham Bars use to be the place to stay - friends have given it mixed reviews lately. If you want to treat yourself, the Wequassett Inn Resort is top notch. Great shops and restaurants there as well.

In Boston, try to get to the North End (little Italy). On summer weekends there's a really fun farmers market. Transit is fairly easy once in town. I can't recommend a particular hotel, but I'd be happy to do some legwork for you - let me know what you're hoping to see and some idea of your budget!

Try craigslist for local rentals. You'll love the cape.

Here is a link that might be useful: craigs list rentals

If you are on the Cape for a week you may find it is more economical to rent a cottage. There are a lot of darling places available. I found mine through Kinlin Grover Real Estate in Chatham.

I'm not a B&B kind of person. I like my privacy. It's nice to come home after a day of sightseeing and flop on the sofa in your own place. I like to sit on the deck in my bathrobe to read the paper and drink my coffee in the morning.

We stay in Truro, a beautiful, rural town just before Provincetown for 2 weeks each summer. I recommend cyberrental.com if you decide to rent a house somewhere along the Cape and then do day trips from there. Wellfleet is nice too. Get a travel book and identify spots you'd like to visit and plan from there. If you stay somewhere central, you can drive up & down 6 to get there. It does get quite busy on parts of route 6 during the summer months. Provincetwon is funky and fun, half mom/dad families w/kids, and many mom/mom or dad/dad families and then lots of eccentric folks around. We love it. We do a whale watch each summer from there and it's fantastic, so many whales the past few years and if you go from 5-7 pm it's not too hot. Cafe Edwige is a great place to have breakfast in P-town. We cook in most nights and spend most days at the ocean or bay beaches. There are hikes you can do, and the Audubon walk in Wellfleet is great. The cape is about 90 miles long, so plan your days carefully so you aren't spending too much time traveling. To enjoy the real beauty of the cape you need to get off the beaten path and route 6. A campfire on the beach in Truro was a hightlight of last years trip.

Rosecmd, thanks for the tip about the Audubon walk. I'll try that next year.

I also enjoyed a seal watch from Chatham. I'm worried about going on a whale watch because I get seasick so easily. It's such a pain.

A couple of years ago we were planning a trip back east and asked about Boston sites here on GW. someone suggested we go to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and have their bread pudding. It was the best day! It is a beautiful place and my husband, who is retired law enforcement, was fascinated with the history of the stolen art work, done by men dressed in police uniforms. Don't forget to have the bread pudding! A short walk away is the Museum of Fine Art (I think that's the name). Also do the Trolley tour and get off to see as many sites as you have time for. Join a walking tour group to get lots of fun information especially in the cemeteries. Makes me want to go again. What fun!!!

Thanks for the tips!

We've decided against splitting our trip up so we can plop down in one place and just do day trips around the Cape. (We'll devote a separate trip to Boston.) Staying at the same B&B in Hyannis Port we visited previously; they gave a generous discount for returning and staying 10 days. I was shocked to get a reduced rate for in-season travel, but I guess everyone is hurting for business.

I can't wait! Please post any other suggestions you have!

One of my favorite places to visit on the Cape is the Atlantic Spice Company. You can find all sort of exotic herbs and spices, cooking gadgets etc. I usually go and putter for an hour or more. We love having dinner at mac's seafood on the dock in Wellfleet. You order at the counter and sit outside at picnic tables, often with other people. They make the best striped bass when it is in season.

-Robin

A cook's tip for next year's visitors: there's a great kitchen equipment store on 6A, just before you're about to enter Dennis from the north. They also have plenty of gourmet jarred items. And next door is a fine pottery shop featuring the work of many potters--for the spouse who isn't thrilled by looking at kitchen gadgets for over an hour.