Relax & Renew Day Spa
Five years after opening her quaint, cottagelike spa, owner Andrea Winget has hit her stride, welcoming returning patrons by name and securing exclusive rights to upscale skin-care lines like DDF and Phytomer. Summer residents of the posh Falmouths swear by Relax & Renew's personalized facials, deep-tissue massages, and creative body treatments (try the West Falmouth Wrapture, a detoxifying algae wrap that's perfect for sun-toasted skin). 635 Rte. 28A, West Falmouth, MA 2540, .
Hangar B Eatery
Enter this unassuming restaurant inside the tiny Chatham Municipal Airport, and questions abound: Should I order the croissant breakfast sandwich or the poached eggs with beet-and-sweet-potato hash? Is it appropriate to spoon the house-made blackberry-lemon jam directly into my mouth? Whatever you end up choosing (or spooning), one thing’s for certain: Chef Brian Erskine’s interesting and infinitely satisfying dishes take brunch to new heights. 240 George Ryder Rd., Chatham, MA 2633, hangarbcapecod.com.
Chatham Bars Inn
Everything at this posh spa is understated yet high-end. The outdoor relaxation pool has private cabanas nearby for al fresco massages; the locker rooms feature private steam showers. And body treatments like the Healing Sea Cocoon? Lovely, and mind-blowingly restorative. 297 Shore Rd., Chatham, MA 2633, chathambarsinn.com.
Añejo Mexican Bistro
During peak season, this bustling Mexican restaurant always has a crowd and not just for the Taco Tuesday specials. Tequila lovers will enjoy the extensive bar menu offering everything from guava-jalapeño and strawberry-ginger margaritas to palomas to tequila and mezcal flights though you’ll need to employ the staff’s help to choose from more than 100 varieties. The Hyannis location’s moody Tequila Lounge has the best nightlife ambiance, but Falmouth’s sunny patio is our pick for warmer evenings. Hyannis and Falmouth, MA anejo.cc.
Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club
Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club While it’s hard to unwind these days, this luxe resort is making it a little easier to get some much-needed R & R. Extra pre- cautions—including contactless golf-cart pickup, grocery-delivery service, and reduced capacity at pools and at Ocean Edge’s private beach—provide peace of mind, while new private experiences such as beach yoga and oyster tours make it easy to practice social distancing while giving the kiddos an unforgettable adven- ture. So go ahead, book that luxurious mansion suite. Boozy mudslides delivered straight to your beach chair await. 2907 Main St., Brewster, MA 02631, oceanedge.com.
Sesuit Harbor Cafe
Brian Samuels Photography We wait all year to dig into Sesuit Harbor’s lobster roll dripping with butter, crisp fried scallops with slaw, and mountains of succu- lent Barnstable Harbor littlenecks. But it’s not just the food that brings us back to this buoy-festooned clapboard shack—it’s the feeling we get after ordering from the takeout window and then unloading our fresh catch on a picnic table at water’s edge—the very definition of summer. 357 Sesuit Neck Rd., Dennis, MA 02638, sesuit-harbor-cafe.com.
Café Chew
Warm, comfortable, and blessed with a private garden, Café Chew is the sort of place that makes newcomers feel like regulars. Many ingredients, including the coffee and honey, are locally sourced; the pastries are made fresh by the in-house pastry chef; and the fare itself is exceptionally satisfying, despite—or perhaps because of—its simplicity. 4 Merchants Rd., Sandwich, MA 2563, cafechew.com.
Hot Locks
The Hot Locks staff knows hair—the salon's been at the mane game for nearly 20 years. Well-trained by co-owner Sonny Rapozo, the seven stylists deliver flattering cuts, natural color, and enticing extras like scalp massages and deep conditioning treatments (and after a week at the beach, who doesn't need one of those?). Go in for the works or a basic blowout that will leave your locks looking, well, hot. 580-B North Falmouth Highway (Rte. 28A), North Falmouth, MA 2556, hotlockssalon.com.
Ceraldi
A seven-course chef’s tasting — in Wellfleet, you say? Yes, it’s here, and yes, it’s 100 percent worth springing for. Chef Michael Ceraldi’s menu changes daily based on what’s available from the food purveyors surrounding him: That means one night you might find black-licorice ravioli with P-town diver lobster; another night monk-liver torchon with seaweed bagna cauda. Ceraldi, meanwhile, holds court at the center of this nightly dinner party, explaining each dish to diners at two seatings per evening as the consummate host. 15 Kendrick Ave., Wellfleet, MA 02667, ceraldicapecod.com.
Dan'l Webster Inn
Some resort-town spas tend to get a little hectic at times, making relaxation a nail-biting endeavor. The Dan'l Webster offers complete serenity, along with uninterrupted pampering in the form of Chakra massage, hot lava pedicures, and, for those who forgot their SPF 45, a sunburn body treatment. Because the last thing you want to need after a day at the spa is another day at the spa. 149 Main St., Sandwich, MA 2563, danlwebsterinn.com.
Four Seas
It doesn't get sweeter than Four Seas, where flavor favorites include lemon crisp and peach, and homemade toppings range from Melba sauce to crème de menthe. Best of all: You can eat your treat knowing your tips are put toward college funds for employees, all of whom are required by the owner to maintain good grades. 360 South Main St., Centerville, MA fourseasicecream.com.
Persy's Place
Bring your reading glasses and a couple of hours to spare: The Persy's brunch menu lays out more than 100 possible orders, ranging from the expected (three eggs any style) to the bizarre (haddock poached in milk). You may need a few cups of joe just to power through the list of choices, but once you do, the payoff is sweet—especially if you decide to go for the yummy French toast made with fresh-baked bread, creamy crab Benedict, or above-par banana-walnut crepes. 52 Falmouth Road (Route 28), Mashpee, MA 2649, .
Hangar B Eatery
At most municipal airports, you'd be hard-pressed to find a soda machine, let alone a full-service restaurant. Defying all logic, however, this sweet little spot—located right off the runway in Chatham—serves up scratch-made specialties like beet, potato, and bacon hash and buttermilk-potato doughnuts with strawberry-balsamic vinegar jam. It's the kind of late-morning meal that'll leave you flying high. 240 George Ryder Road, Chatham, MA 2633, hangarbcapecod.com.
Pain d'Avignon
This may be Hyannis, not Honfleur, but for a few hours at least, you can pretend you’ve teleported to France’s shoreline with a late-morning meal at this boulangerie/bistro, which celebrates its 30th birthday this year. Here, les oeufs are served every which way; crêpes get spiked with Grand Marnier; and the French onion soup is an exemplar of the form. The pristine oysters, though? Those are Wellfleet, naturally. 15 Hinckley Rd., Hyannis, MA 02601, paindavignon.com.
Race Point Beach
Who needs dinner and a show when you can simply spread out a picnic blanket on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and watch the sky turn vibrant shades of red and orange? The sunset is beautiful anywhere along the expansive shoreline, which can be accessed by foot, bike, or, if you’re feeling adventurous, permitted over-sand vehicle. Only the dolphins that swim nearby could make the view even more breathtaking. Provincetown, MA 02657, nps.gov/caco/planyourvisit/race-point-beach.htm.