Provincetown

Points of Interest
Commercial Street, MacMillan Wharf, Provincetown Art Association & Museum, Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum.

• More info below: About, History, Beaches, Places of Worship

About Provincetown
No one forgets the first time they visit Provincetown. The narrow and vibrant streets of Provincetown offer a cosmopolitan mix of people, restaurants and stores; the Harbor is bustling with fishing boats and whale watches; and the dunes and beaches beckon the adventurous with bike trails and romantic sunsets. The Pilgrims landed here first, then left for Plymouth in search of fresh water. Later, "P-town", as it known today, was settled by early colonial settlers, and later, Portuguese immigrants, who came here in large numbers to work in the fishing industry. Still later, Provincetown became, and still is, an artist's colony. The thriving gay and lesbian community of Provincetown is a cornerstone of this town's vibrant culture. Many visitors to the Cape make a day trip to Provincetown to go on whale watch and to see the Pilgrim Monument; others show up after sunset for the nightlife. Day or night, Provincetown is a very popular destination for many different kinds of people.

History
Provincetown (pop. 3,953) is where the Pilgrims first touched ground in 1620 and wrote America's first constitution, the "Mayflower Compact". After staying for 5 weeks they decided to travel on and ended up in Plymouth. The principal industries were whaling and deep-water fishing and it was called "Helltown"by locals. By 1921 the whaling industry came to an end. Today this offbeat town is a haven for artists and alternative culture. It has over 100 motels and inns and in the summer, its population swells to over 30,000.

Beaches
Over 30 miles of beach front include Herring Cove, Race Point, Harbor Beach on Commercial Street and Long Point which is accessible by boat or, if amibitious, a 2 hour walk.

Drive "Up-Cape" (Truro)

Cape Cod Town Menu