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No ground crews here; it’s all hands on deck. And what’s that smell in the distance? Ah yes, of course: hot dogs on the grill and popcorn in the snack bar.

FUN FACT: Cotuit, Yarmouth-Dennis, and Brewster play home games at twilight with first pitch usually at 5 p.m. The remaining teams—Wareham, Falmouth, Bourne, Hyannis, Harwich, Chatham, and Orleans—play games under the lights between 6 and 7 p.m.

7. DAYS OF OUR LIVES.

The manicured lawn of Lowell Park is home to the Cotuit Kettleers and one of the best day game venues anywhere. The field is carved out of a forest and insulated from traffic and noise other than the crack of bats and the hometown cry of “Have a hit!”

FUN FACT: According to legend, Native Americans bartered with early settlers for the current land more than 300 years ago. Terms of the sale included a brass kettle, thus the nickname Kettleers.

8. NIGHT TIME, BEST TIME.

If you’re looking for a quintessential evening experience, try Eldredge Park in Orleans or Veterans Field in Chatham. In Orleans, the banking down the right field line is so popular fans arrive during the day to hold their place with a chair or blanket. Chatham’s field is a picturesque amphitheater bowl where you’re often treated to a brilliant sunset—or the infamous “Fifth Inning Fog,” which can roll in without warning and interrupt or postpone games.

FUN FACTS: An Eldredge Park portrait by renowned photographer

Joel Meyerowitz was included in the book Baseball in America. The 2001 romantic comedy Summer Catch, starring Jessica Biel, Freddie Prinze Jr., and Brian Dennehy, fictionalized a Chatham season in the Cape League.

9. STARRY, STARRY NIGHT.

After the 2020 season was cancelled due to COVID-19 and 2021’s schedule was compacted, the league’s All-Star Game returns this summer. Hosted by the Wareham Gatemen at Spillane Field, the showcase is scheduled for Saturday, July 23.

FUN FACT: Some of the more prominent Wareham grads who have gone on to star in the big leagues include Matt Barnes, George Springer, Max Muncy, Kyle Schwarber, Mo Vaughn, Barry Zito, and Dallas Keuchel.

BY LISA CAVANAUGH

ummer is upon us and everyone on the Cape is looking to be near the water. What could be more agreeable than setting up camp, relaxing with friends and family, and watching the boats and wildlife along the Cape Cod Canal?

The idea for connecting the two tidal rivers that snaked inward onto a narrow isthmus at the western edge of the Cape Cod peninsula began with Myles Standish in 1623. Nearly three centuries later, the concept finally came to fruition when, in 1914, the Cape Cod Canal officially opened.

This 17.4-mile navigable waterway is operated and maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, and is an important seagoing route for thousands of commercial vessels as well as a popular location for recreational boating and fishing. The canal is also home to seals, striped and black sea bass, squid, jellyfish, and bluefish. Most species of whales that can be found in the region, including right whales, minkes, and humpbacks, have traversed it on occasion.

With more than a thousand acres of federal lands surrounding the canal on both sides, there is an amazing variety of recreational opportunities, such as hiking, fishing, biking, picnicking, and ship watching, available in every season.

The Bourne Scenic Park, located on the western shore of the canal, is owned and operated by the Bourne Recreation Authority on land leased from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It offers more than four hundred camping sites for tents and RVs plus cabins and lodges for rent from April to October each year.

Located on the Scenic Highway just below the Bourne Bridge, Bourne Scenic Park is a snap to get to from either on Cape or off. And there is no better way to arrive for your canal-side adventure than in one of the new 2022 GMC trucks and SUVs.

The popular Terrain is a mid-sized SUV and the smallest made by GMC. “It can fit everything folks need for a great day of outdoor adventure or longer camping trip,” says salesman Andrew Robertson of Robertson’s GMC in Wareham. “It is a five-seater with plenty of room in the back for luggage, and the standard included roof rack can hold all your gear.”

Additional features include a dual sunroof, keyless ignition, and a “Heads Up” visual display that pops up in the driver’s line of sight to allow them to stay attuned to their route.

The 2022 GMC Sierra with the black diamond package is a great truck. It has the Duramax 6.6L V-8 turbo-diesel paired up with the 10-speed, fully automatic Allison Transmission for effortless trailering and hauling.

The AT4 off-road trim package adds to the overall appeal of the Terrain, with its black detailing, deep black rims and mirror covers, and pewter/steel color for the grill itself. “It has a more assertive look overall but is still a great family vehicle,” says Robertson.

If bringing along bikes and kayaks or even pulling a camper is part of the game plan, then you might consider the best-selling Sierra 2500 with the Denali package. “The 2022 GMC Sierra with the black diamond package is a great truck,“ says Robertson. “It has the Duramax 6.6L V-8 turbo-diesel paired up with the 10-speed, fully automatic Allison Transmission for effortless trailering and hauling.” The “Heads Up” display in the Sierra projects onto the windshield, making it easy to see vital driving information and still keep one’s eyes on the road.

The Denali package offers similar black finish details and includes automatic power running boards and a MultiPro Tailgate that can be configured and positioned to function in several ways. “As in most of your GMC trucks you have an outlet in the rear; if you did need to charge anything you are all set,“ says Robertson. “The Denali also has speakers in the tailgate, so you can bring your music with you to the campground.”

The 2500 can tow up to 18,500 pounds and is perfect for when you might want to bring a travel trailer or fifth wheel and stay for a while. Luckily, the Bourne Scenic Park offers longer-term camping, allowing you to spend a few weeks or more gazing at the engineering marvel and picturesque waterway that is the Cape Cod Canal.

BY PATRICK FLANARY

he moment you descend on the paradise that is Provincetown, ditch the car at MacMillan Pier and drop the itinerary. Provincetown is a walking town—and a blast on an electric scooter.

Perhaps the perfect introduction is from above. Once you take in the astonishing landscape from atop the Pilgrim Monument, you’ll crave a stroll up the strip or a hike through the dunes. The monument towers 25 stories above Commercial Street, where it all happens, including the Pride (June 4) and Carnival (August 18) Parades

“Aside from Provincetown being a gay mecca, I think the idea of it being more of a creative place has always been what stands out,” says Chris McCarthy, CEO of the Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM). “I think that legacy is what separates us from other coastal communities.”

Fishermen, writers, and artists all found their way to the Cape’s fingertip, where Portuguese culture prospered and LGBTQIA identity flourished. Today, Provincetown doubles as America’s oldest escape destination and quintessential party spot. Time to explore.

American art and theater are rooted in Provincetown, dating back to 1899 when the Cape Cod School of Art held its first outdoor painting class here. PAAM preserves the country’s oldest art colony with year-round workshops and classes for kids and adults. Summer exhibitions include Rowland Scherman, who photographed Bobby Kennedy and Bob Dylan. Rediscovered paintings by the late local artist Edith Lake Wilkinson are also on view.

Dozens of art galleries line almost every street. Join the Friday Night Gallery Stroll for a bit of everything: provocative sculptures, paintings, mixed media, and more. Carolyn Kramer Gallery (21 Pleasant St., carolynkramergallery.com) features oil portraits of revolutionary women by the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod’s “Artist of the Year” Jo Hay. Egeli Gallery (382 Commercial St., egeligallery. com) represents contemporary impressionist painters. Also, replicas of the 13 paintings stolen from Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (painted by local artists as movie props) reside at Egeli as well.

The Provincetown International Film Festival (June 15-19) is a treat for movie buffs to catch features they won’t see anywhere else. The 75th Portuguese Festival (June 23-26) culminates with the Blessing of the Fleet boat parade. Bear Week (July 9-17), Girl Splash (July 20-23), and Family Week (July 23-30) also party hard with inclusive spirit.

Womencrafts

“The safe space that the town provides is still something that’s desperately necessary,” says Michelle Axelson, owner of Womencrafts. One of Provincetown’s oldest shops, this destination promotes the work of female artisans, authors, and musicians and is one of the country’s few remaining feminist bookstores.

The Art House (214 Commercial St., ptownarthouse.com) hosts a nightly lineup bursting with comedy and cabaret. And you must witness the absurd brilliance of Dina Martina, back for another residency at Crown & Anchor (247 Commercial St., onlyatthecrown.com)

Provincetown is mostly pet friendly. Bring your furry friend(s) along for a sunrise cruise aboard Dog Gone Sailing Charters (10 MacMillan Pier, doggonesailingcharters.com). Biology buffs can see the skeleton of a humpback whale inside the Center for Coastal Studies (5 Holway Ave., coastalstudies.org)

Each season brings crowds, but even at the height of summer, Herring Cove and Race Point Beaches are big enough to find a private spot. The latter even allows hiking access to the Dune Shacks Trail. Wheels are easy to come by, and you’ll need them for the five-mile Province Lands Bike Trail. Or, for a true getaway, hop the short shuttle from MacMillan Pier to Long Point to visit the Cape’s most remote lighthouse. No concessions, no restrooms— just peace and quiet.

Provincetown Portuguese Bakery 299 Commercial St., provincetownportuguesebakery.com

Far Land Provisions 150 Bradford St., farlandprovisions.com

Reservations are key. Restaurants are often packed during the season, but you can satiate with a cone from Lewis Brothers Ice Cream (310 Commercial St., lewisbrothersicecream.com) or the finest fried dough of your life at Provincetown Portuguese Bakery.

Scrap a sit-down meal altogether and grab sandwiches for the day at Far Land Provisions and venture beyond the bustle. “It’s easy to stay downtown, but there’s really another layer of community,” says co-owner Tom Boland of exploring beyond Commercial

Street. His other location at Herring Cove Beach hosts live music on Wednesdays and Sundays at sunset. That brings us to dinner on the waterfront. The Red Inn (15 Commercial St., theredinn.com), Ross’ Grill (237 Commercial St., rossgrillptown.com), and the upper deck of Pepe’s Wharf (371 Commercial St., pepeswharf.com) are a few serving up cocktails with a view and great spins on seafood, too.

Lands End Inn 22 Commercial St., landsendinn.com

You could go luxury, shabby chic, or pick the cheapest place in town and it’ll still cost you. This is Provincetown in summer. But some experiences are priceless.

The cozy Revere Guest House (14 Court St., reverehouse.com) offers a quiet evening around the courtyard fire pit. Watership Inn (7 Winthrop St., watershipinn.com) is another gem tucked away on a side street but still in the heart of town.

Provincetown Marina

With 100 slips accommodating vessels up to 300’. ptownmarina.com

Reasonable rates can also be found at Gabriel’s (102 Bradford St., provincetownhotel.com), which boasts four buildings surrounding a garden courtyard right next to the Pilgrim Monument. And the luxurious Lands End Inn (22 Commercial St., landsendinn.com) sits high on Gull Hill in the West End and delivers commanding ocean views.

We know there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all. That’s why we focus on providing a senior living experience that’s truly personal, with concierge services, housekeeping, and assistance tailored to each resident’s lifestyle preferences and needs. Be as active or involved as you like. With endless avenues for enrichment and connection, each day at Maplewood brings new opportunities to thrive.

SCHEDULE A TOUR AT ONE OF OUR CAPE COMMUNITIES BELOW AND SEE FOR YOURSELF.

INDEPENDENT LIVING. ASSISTED LIVING. MEMORY CARE. SKILLED NURSING & REHABILITATION.

Each side of this home responds to the site with its own distinct character. The result is a unique, shifting silhouette.