Cape Cod is rather big (hours of driving distance)--where on Cape Cod will you be? Congrats on the graduation!

Yes, where on the Cape?

The party is in Barnstable, but we will have about 6 hours beforehand. We have a car, so we are flexible.

Thank you tibbrix, my husband is googling them now!

For something rather different (British), Dunbar Tea shop, Sandwich (tibbrix already said a bunch of the ones I would).
Real french bakery in Falmouth, in the city center, not a sit-down mean, though. But a place we stop every time we come remotely near...think it's Maison Vilatte (the sign I remember is Boulangerie, but that's not the name!)

Since you only have an afternoon, I would spend the day in Chatham. Chatham Bars Inn is where my sister goes for cocktails out on the lawn. I don't know about the food. I would be happy with a lobster roll! Traffic can be tedious so you don't want to drive further than Orleans.

Let us know where you decide to go. If you go all the way to Ptown, be sure to go to the Visitors Center and walk up on the catwalk for the view.

You should be okay traffic-wise. The following weekend, Memorial Day, is tough, and then once kids are out of school and the summer really gets going it can be tough going, but you'll be fine next weekend.

Also check out Fort Hill in Eastham, also for the view. Signs for it are on Rt. 6 and are brown in color. It's on the North side of 6.

If it's a nice day and you want to get your feet in some sand, try to find a parking spot in the little parking area at Coast Guard Beach (also near Fort Hill). Beautiful beach and surf. (In the summer which is Memorial Day through Labor Day, you have to park at the Visitors Center and take a bus to Coast Guard Beach).

Another beautiful view is from Long Nook Beach in Truro. Also north side of 6, look for Long Nook Rd. and take it all the way to the end. Gorgeous, and you may well see some whales migrating in the distance.

Might want to call the restaurant you choose to see if they take reservations. If they do, make one! Barnstable is 45 minutes from Ptown, so you'll have plenty of time to explore the Cape, at least Rt. 6. The Falmouth Area makes it somewhat more awkward.

Megan, thanks for the reference to the Dunbar Tea House. I was unaware and am going to check it out, being a bit of an Anglophile.

I think Tibbrix missed that you are driving in from Boston and having a party in the evening. That will make for an exhausting day.

Sandwich is an interesting town too. We had a nice lunch at the historic Dan'l Webster Inn, if you're just looking for lunch and not a gourmet experience.

No, didn't miss that. She said they'll have six hours to spend on the Cape. Cape is an hour from Boston, giving them five hours on Cape Cod, which is plenty of time to get from one end of Rt. 6 to the other and back to Barnstable for the party. Bridge to Ptown is @ 1.25 hours. Ptown to Barnstable is @ 1 hour. Plenty of time for lunch wherever they want and some casual sightseeing.