This itinerary was created for first-time visitors to Cape Cod and the islands, and focuses on can’t-miss famous spots, sprinkled with some off-the-beaten-path destinations, too.

It’s designed for people who have 4-7 days total to spend in the area, with the first and last day being half days to allow for travel.

I’ve also included options to allow beach days for those visiting in the summer who have a full 6-7 days to explore.

You’ll need to make your own reservations, including flights (if applicable), a rental car, tours, and dining. And, of course, pack. However, I’ve put together checklists for you so you know exactly what to book, and when. You’ll have to select from short, curated lists of my favorite hotels and restaurants to decide where to stay and dine, and also, if you want to book any of the recommended tours.

Other than that, all you need to do is show up.

This itinerary is sent to you via email as a PDF document immediately after purchasing it. It’s intended to be read as soon as you begin planning your trip to get an understanding of the destinations, and the flow of the trip. After reading through the itinerary, you’ll set your specific travel dates, and begin to make your own reservations.

You’ll also want to think about the optional excursions, and if you want to change anything. You can use the included checklists to make all your travel arrangements to save you a lot of time, and make things easier.

Once you’ve read through the itinerary, made your travel arrangements, decided on the optional excursions, and made any adjustments (if necessary, based on your own travel style), you just need to sit back, relax, pack, and show up!

This itinerary follows a moderately busy pace, and each day is fully-loaded with things to do. It doesn’t offer a lot of downtime, unless you choose some of the optional beach days. However, everything is customizable, and you’re welcome to skip some activities if you need to travel at a slower pace.

There are two days trips to both Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, and you should know that those days are longer days, since that’s simply the nature of a day trip to an island.

New England is an expensive destination, especially along the coast. I provide hotel recommendations at luxury to moderate price points, but you can also do your own research if you need a budget option. I also include some paid excursions, like a whale watch tour, and you’ll need to buy your ferry tickets to the islands. Additionally, there will be fees to park at the beaches in the summer season. These costs can add up, however, I only included ones I think are very much worth the money. You always have the option to cut back on costs by skipping some of the paid activities, and doing free things instead.

However, I would go into the trip knowing that this region is more expensive, comparatively.

Yes. Having a car is necessary for New England travel, as the public transit infrastructure in this region is not conducive to tourism. You will have to rent a car, and be comfortable driving in order to use this itinerary.

It’s not necessary to follow certain dates, but I would recommend traveling in late spring through early fall, as this is when all the seasonal businesses and restaurants in this area will be open, and when you’ll have the most options for ferries to the island. In the itinerary, I recommend traveling June through mid-October at the latest.

You could still use this itinerary by choosing one or both day trips to the islands, and then choosing one day from the itinerary on Cape Cod (or cherry-picking my suggested Cape Cod activities to create your own day). There’s still a lot of great information in here to make it valuable even with three days, but that decision is up to you.

You can easily juggle around your days, if needed. I do set-up the itinerary in the ideal progression, meaning I pick what days to go to the islands, and when to stay on the Cape. But weather really factors into that, so if you were planning to go to Nantucket, and it calls for rain all day, you can see if you’re able to reschedule your ferry, and stay on the Cape instead. I do have some suggestions at the end of the itinerary for rainy day activities. I can’t make any guarantees on being able to successfully reschedule your ferry, though.

I recommend options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the itinerary. Most lunch and dinner options will have seafood options, as this is what the area is known for. If you don’t eat seafood, there is usually something else on the menu you can have. But I do also suggest other cuisines on some days, like Italian, for example. I always offer a choice of restaurants, so you can pick which suits your preferences the best.

You just need to know how to receive, download, and open a PDF document, and also use Google Maps on your phone for navigation while on the actual road trip. I also recommend that you offline maps to your phone because service can be spotty along the coast.

However, if this sounds challenging to you, don’t worry! I have a section in the itinerary that explains how to download/offline Google Maps to your phone, which will help you. This itinerary does not include turn-by-turn directions, so using Google Maps, or another navigation device, is necessary.

Think of this itinerary as a premium, upgraded option that saves you a lot of time. Rather than combing through the many articles on my website about specific things, this itinerary pieces all the information together for you, and tells you exactly what to do, and how to plan each day. It’s designed for those who don’t like to do their own planning, and makes it as easy and stress-free as possible.

Due to the nature of digital downloads, I have no way to cancel your access to the information once you’ve received it, and therefore, cannot offer refunds for any reason, even if it was purchased by mistake, or if you immediately changed your mind and didn’t read it. No exceptions will be made for any reason, and I highly recommend that you’re ready to buy when you make your purchase.

That said, these Premium Done-For-You Itineraries are based on years of personal experience, and building my career writing about the New England area. I’m not just someone who’s been once or twice, and I’ve made them as affordable as I can for folks who don’t have the budget for customized travel planning services. I fully believe in the value they will add to your trip. I’ve also downloaded and used many other content creator’s digital eBooks, travel guides, and itineraries before planning my own trips to other destinations around the world, and I’ve included far more information in these itineraries than any of the ones I’ve personally ever purchased. I hope that helps you decide!