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Day 1 — Sat, Sep 5
Drive down and settle in Mid-Cape
Beat the Labour Day traffic by leaving Boston early (about 1h45 to Hyannis). Settle in around Hyannis or Dennis, walk a bay beach, and ease into Cape time with a seafood dinner on the water.
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Cape Cod Labour Day Long Weekend
A four-day Labour Day escape to Cape Cod — National Seashore beaches, a Provincetown day, fresh lobster and the golden last weekend of a New England summer, timed to the Sep 7 holiday.
4 days Sep 5 - 8 Cape Cod, Massachusetts
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Why this idea works
- Cape Cod National Seashore dunes and beaches
- Provincetown's harbour, galleries and whale-watching
- A fresh lobster roll on a working wharf
- Sunset over Cape Cod Bay from a bike trail
Day-by-day itinerary
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Day 2 — Sun, Sep 6
The Outer Cape and the National Seashore
Drive Route 6 to the Cape Cod National Seashore. Walk Coast Guard or Nauset Light Beach, climb the dunes, and stop at a clam shack for lunch. Cool off with an afternoon swim before the water turns.
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Day 3 — Mon, Sep 7 (Labour Day)
Provincetown by day
Head to the tip of the Cape for Provincetown — harbour, Commercial Street galleries and a whale-watching cruise out of MacMillan Pier. Lobster roll on the wharf, then catch the light on the way back along the dunes.
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Day 4 — Tue, Sep 8
Bike trail and slow drive home
A relaxed morning on the Cape Cod Rail Trail or a last bay swim, coffee in a village centre, then the drive back to Boston ahead of the holiday-evening rush.
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Practical tips
Transport: A car is essential for the Cape; leave Boston early on Saturday and mid-morning on Tuesday to dodge the Sagamore/Bourne Bridge backups. Bring bikes or rent locally for the Rail Trail.
Stay area: Base in the Mid-Cape (Hyannis/Dennis) for the shortest drives to both the Seashore and Provincetown; book far ahead — Labour Day is the Cape's busiest weekend.
Booking: Labour Day is peak season — lock in lodging and any whale-watch tickets weeks in advance, and reserve dinner tables. Take Fri, Sep 4 off to turn it into a five-day break.
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