dan&
lavinia
hope you will save our date:
september
six, seven, eight
hope you will save our date:
Join us in beautiful Barnstable Village on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and help celebrate our transition into mutual indentured servitude. It's gonna be great!
Barnstable is a classic old village on Cape Cod's "north shore," tucked into the edges of Barnstable Harbor. It's walkable, rich in history, and loaded with intact original homes mostly owned by families who've lived there for generations, including a healthy dose of proudly native Cape Codders. Weather in early September is as warm as in June, yet the crowds are gone, the beaches peaceful, and local food still available. This is a great time to experience a very special part of the world. Why not come and share it with us?
One special note: we love kids, and we love your kids (and we want to meet the ones we haven't)... but this is an adults-only weekend.
If you're coming from out of state, you'll probably want to simply fly into Boston, rent a car, and drive to the Cape. But here are the details:
Boston Logan ( BOS) is the nearest major airport, a 90 minute (73 mile) drive to Barnstable. Plymouth & Brockton runs regular buses directly from outside baggage claim at Logan Airport to the Park & Ride bus stop in Barnstable, where cabs are usually available.
T.F. Green airport ( PVD) services Providence, RI but is only 81 miles from Barnstable. There is no bus service from there to Cape Cod, so you would likely need to rent a car.
The town of Barnstable also has its own small airport, the Barnstable Municipal Airport ( HYA) with Cape Air running daily puddle-jumper flights to and from Boston. However, unless your closest airport is Boston, a round-trip flight to the Cape is very likely to cost more than renting a car at either of the above airports and driving in.
Most of the bed and breakfasts we recommend below are a reasonable walk to nice beaches on Barnstable Harbor, but there's so much else to do that will require wheels (fried clams and ice cream, anyone?) and there's basically no public transportation. Consider renting a car (or at least going in on one with another couple) to make the most of your time on the Cape. It's not much more than the cost of two round-trip bus rides, and rental cars are available at all three airports mentioned above.
If you do decide to drive, please be aware that there is a TOWN called Barnstable and a VILLAGE called Barnstable. Barnstable Village is within the town of Barnstable. We will be in Barnstable Village. There's also a Route 6 (the Cape's central traffic artery) and a Route 6A (a rambling two-lane road nearer the coast that has been called one of America's Top Ten Scenic Roads). Much of our activity will be just off Route 6A (also known as Old Kings Highway).
Note: rental car prices from Boston Logan airport can be surprisingly expensive, but we've had good luck with hotwire.com. You will have to pay up front (and agree to their no refund policy), but the savings may be well worth it.
A list of nearby bed and breakfasts and inns along beautiful Route 6A (and hotels a short drive away) is below; we've also assembled a map of the area marked with these options. Regardless of what you choose, we recommend (er, beg) that you make your reservations immediately.
Dan grew up on the Cape, and his parents still live there (right in Barnstable village) so we haven't actually stayed at any of these places ourselves, but they all look great, get good reviews, and seem to offer a decent dose of authentic small-town Cape Cod. And we do want to steer you away from anonymous hotels and tourist traps!
We've picked a wedding date just past peak summer season, so everything is more affordable than the week before. Still, Barnstable is a quiet village with little competition and no motels (let alone hotels), so the few local places are more expensive than some of the other options. Still, these are professionally run businesses in historic houses (not cat-obsessed ladies renting out spare rooms), and they include breakfast.
If you'll have a car and are willing to do a little driving back and forth, consider Sandy Neck Motel. It's a classic motel for casual people who want to explore the stunningly beautiful dunes of Sandy Neck beach and wander back with sandy feet. Not fancy, maybe a little funky (and no breakfast) but relaxed and sweet (and rooms start at just $79/night).
If you're thinking of staying for more than a few days (and want the comforts of a kitchen and private yard), consider connecting with other guests and splitting one of many charming two- and three-bedroom short-term house rentals available through vrbo.com (like this or this). We can help connect people who are interested in sharing, and possibly arrange for a 2-bedroom beach cottage rental through friends; let us know and we can help set the wheels in motion.
| Beechwood Inn | $175 – 189 | 1853 Victorian; verandah, lawn, antiques | .7 mi |
| Lamb & Lion Inn | $199 – 295 | pool, spa; off-site Yarmouthport Cottage is $150 | .8 mi |
| Ashley Manor | $215 – 285 | built in 1699; top rated by NY Times | 2.2 mi |
| Acworth Inn | $159 – 235 | historic house; deck, gardens | 3.6 mi |
| Honeysuckle Hill Inn | $198 – 235 | 1810 farmhouse; gardens, porch | 4.4 mi |
| Colonial House Inn | $150 | 1730 inn; incl. breakfast & dinner; $140 for breakfast only | 4.9 mi |
| Sandy Neck Motel | $79 – 99 | close to Sandy Neck; ask about AAA discount | 5.8 mi |
Invitations will be mailed out as soon as possible. Please send us your mailing address, even if you're sure we have it!
Ready to RSVP? Need to know more? Email us!