The Yarmouth Seaside Festival, currently celebrating its 36th anniversary also coincides with Yarmouth's 375th anniversary. It is held annually on Columbus Day weekend. This family oriented festival has grown into a weekend full of events such as: craft fair of more than 125 crafters from all over the country, a giant parade, continual musical entertainment, high-quality children’s events, kayak and canoe race, 5K road race, greased pole contests, pie-eating contests, fireworks display, to name just a few.

It's a fun weekend for the whole family. The big bonfire on the beach is a favorite along with the fireworks. Call the Tidewater and take advantage of our special of $89 per night in our economy rooms. For a list of events visit their website:
http://www.yarmouthseasidefestival.com/about/

 

Golf on Cape Cod

I booked four golf groups for spring this week. Golfers must dreaming of Golf this time of year! Cape Cod has been named one of the top ten golf destinations in the Northeast with more than 50 courses between Plymouth and Provincetown. With the mild Cape winters, the golf courses are usually open year-round. Throughout the winter and early spring, the courses remain playable and free of crowds and are more budget friendly. Many courses offer breathtaking views of Cape Cod Bay, the Atlantic, cranberry bogs, sand dunes and beaches.

The Tidewater has been hosting golf groups, both large and small, for over 20 years and is close to some of the best golf courses and walking distance to local restaurants. We can customize your golf vacation or use our local favorites.

So stop dreaming about golf and call us to plan your golf getaway! With our picnic and BBQ grills, heated pool, hot tub, and our 50's style diner, golfers enjoy getting together at the Tidewater, before and after golf. We have many groups who have already booked for April and May. Some of the golf groups have been coming for more than 20 years!

Call us at 508-775-6322 and ask for Voula. We'll take care of all the details.

Family Fun Package at the Tidewater

Bring the family to the Cape during the off season for an affordable and fun break from the routine. Spend quality time with the kids around our indoor heated pool and then a night of bowling and fun at Ryan Family Amusement. Come back to the hotel and order a large pizza with 2 toppings. This is all for the low price of $225 inclusive of taxes! The Tidewater Inn is perfect for families with its oversized heated pool, hot tub, diner and beautiful landscaped picnic area with a playground overlooking Mill Pond. There's always a lot to do for the kids and now we're adding the Family Fun Package. This package is a partnership between the Tidewater Inn and Ryan Family Amusements. The package includes the following:

2 nights stay for 2 adults and 2 children at the Tidewater
8 games of bowling
4 shoe rentals
40 game room tokens for Ryan Family Amusements.
one large pizza with 2 toppings delivered to your room.

It's a great  deal! Call us at 508-775-6322 to book or for more information. This package is valid until  March 30, 2014, including school vacation week!ryanfamily.com

April School Vacation at the Tidewater Inn.

April School Vacation for Massachusetts schools is here and, hopefully, spring has finally arrived. The Tidewater is an affordable option for Cape Cod and perfect for families with its oversized indoor pool, picnic area, playground and breakfast diner. Vacation week marks the official opening for most of the businesses that closed during the off season. Favorite waterfront restaurants, mini golf, ice cream shops and many others will be opening for the season. This week is a very popular time for the Cape. The weather is usually mild, the hotel rates are still low, and there's much to do on the Cape. There's many child oriented activities during vacation week and the Cape is geared to family fun.
Cape Cod Children's Museum has a full week of fun and educational activities for kids. Visit their website,
http://www.capecodchildrensmuseum.org/

Cape Cod Musuem of Natural History is a wonderful place to visit with the family and offers a program for kids Monday through Friday at 1pm during school vacation week. http://www.ccmnh.org/

The Wellfleet Wildlife Sanctuary is another wonderful way to spend the day with the children during vacation week. It's a 1,100 acre retreat that showcases the Cape's diverse habitats, beaches, woods, salt marshes and ponds. They offer bird walks led by a naturalist, educational programs, and guided tours of the Cape Cod National Seashore. There are even evening lectures and camping facilities. During vacation they offer additional children's activities. Check out their website, www.massaudubon.org/ for more information. The trails are open every day from 8am to dusk and the Nature Center is open 8:30 to 5pm daily. 508-349-2615.

The right whales are returning to the Cape and the Whale Watch out of Provincetown has already started. Spend the day exploring the National  Seashore and enjoy some of the scenic vistas along the way or hike one of the scenic trails and proceed to Provincetown and the whale watch. After the whale watch enjoy dinner in one of the many wonderful resaurants that Provincetown has to offer. This is one of my favorite ways to spend the day on the Cape.

And of course, all of the mini golfs open for the season during this week. Two of the largest, Pirates Cove and Skull Island, are in Yarmouth. There's lots more to do...bike trail, hiking, walks on the beach...this is just a sampling. At the end of the day just relax in our hot tub while the kids enjoy the pool.

Our breakfast diner, Helen's Diner, will be open all week so that you can enjoy a hearty home style breakfast before beginning your day. Our special for the week is $69.99, Sunday - Thursday and $79.99 Friday and Saturday in our standard rooms. Waterview rooms are $10 extra per night. Give us a call at 508-775-6322 if you have any questions.

Barnstable County Fair

The very popular Barnstable County Fair is coming to the Barnstable Fairgrounds from July 17 to the 24th. This is fun place to bring the family for a day and/or evening of fun. The daily attractions include three roller coaster, a giant midway, Aussie Kingdom kangaroos, petting zoo, birds of prey, music (remember the Village People!), monster trucks, FMX Motocross and the Cape Cod Summer Star Finals. It opens every day from noon to 10pm. For more information visit their website at http://www.barnstablecountyfair.org/.

We'd love to have you stay at the Tidewater if you're coming to the Cape. Call us at 508-775-6322 for more information.

July 4th Fireworks on Cape Cod

As promised, following is a list of fireworks for July 4th:

July 1, 2010 - Mashpee Family Picnic Fireworks ~ Mashpee High School, Mashpee

July 2, 2010 - Orleans July 4th Fireworks over Rock Harbor ~ Rock Harbor, Orleans
July 3, 2010 - Fireworks Over Onset Bay ~ Onset Bay
July 4, 2010 - Falmouth July 4th Fireworks ~ Falmouth Heights Beach, Vineyard Sound, Falmouth

July 4, 2010 - Edgartown 4th of July Fireworks ~ Edgartown Harbor, Edgartown

July 4, 2010 - Nantucket 4th of July Fireworks ~ Jetties Beach, Nantucket

July 4, 2010 - Town of Barnstable 4th of July Fireworks ~ Lewis Bay, Hyannis

July 4, 2010 - Plymouth's Fourth of July Fireworks ~ Plymouth Harbor

July 4, 2010 - Provincetown Fourth of July Fireworks ~ Provincetown Harbor, Provincetown

July 5, 2010 - Orleans Fireworks RAINDATE ~ Rock Harbor Orleans

July 9, 2010 - Sandwich Town Fair Fireworks ~ Sandwich High School, Quaker Meetinghouse Rd, Sandwich

St. Patrick's Day on Cape Cod

Boston is not the only place with a parade for St. Patrick's Day.  Cape Cod has a popular parade with bands and floats which will take place on Saturday March 6th at 11AM in Dennis.  The theme of the parade this year is Heroes & Heroines of Ireland.  The Grand Marshall this year is Former mayor Raymond Flynn. 

Come to the Cape for the weekend and take advantage of our special price of $59.99 per night. For more information on the parade visit their website http://capecodstpatsparade.com/

Wellfleet OysterFest on Cape Cod

The Wellfleet OysterFest takes place this weekend, October 17th and 18th.  It's the eighth year for this increasingly popular and yummy festival.  Oysters, of course, are the highlight of the weekend and the featured food.  There's fun for everyone in addition to the delicious food: art, live music, 5K road race, cooking demonstrations, tasting seminars, and children's activities. For more information, visit http://www.wellfleetoysterfest.org/

The Tidewater is only half and hour from Wellfleet and is offering it's offseason special of $69.99 per night for the weekend or $59.99 per night if staying two or more nights.

Barnstable County Fair

The Barnstable County Fair has been an annual summer tradition on Cape Cod for 164 years. The Fair is a place where families can spend the day together and have fun. This year it will be held from July 17th to the 25th at Barnstable Fair grounds.

There are animal shows, 4-H demonstrations, petting zoos, horticulture displays, rides, games, live music (Herman Hermits, Eddie Money, Brian Howe), arts & crafts, food and commercial vendors with various arts and crafts for sale.

More than 85,000 people attend with an anticpated 90,000 this year. The Barnstable County Fair is a great place to get up close and personal with the farm animals, enjoy a world of fun foods and the thrill of Rockwell Amusements Midway rides. To get more information visit www.barnstablecountyfair.com. Many families are coming to the Tidewater that week just to visit the fair which is only a short ride away.

Voula

July 4th Fireworks

July 4th is just a few days away and we are almost booked for the weekend. If you haven't made reservations, don't delay! Many of our customers are asking for the location of fireworks. Here's the list:
July 1st - Mashpee High School
July 2nd - Sesuit Harbor, East Dennis
Also visible from Hyannis Whale Watch boat
July 3rd - Rock Harbor, Orleans
July 4th - Falmouth Heights Beach, Falmouth
July 4th - Lewis Bay, Barnstable (visible from the Tidewater!)
July 4th - Provincetown Harbor, Provincetown.
Can also be combined with Whale Watch

Many towns also have July 4th parades: Barnstable, Chatham, Centerville, Bourne
To get more complete details on parades and fireworks visit www.allcapecod.com

Voula

Biking on Cape Cod

When you come to the Cape, bring your bike and enjoy the beauty of the Cape far from the highways and traffic. The cool spring days we've had are perfect for bike riding so bring your bike and explore the Cape on two wheels. With miles of trails designed especially for cycling and with trails along the ocean, woods, salt marshes, bike riding has become one of the area's most popular activities.

There are trails for the beginner cyclist to the most avid cyclist. The Yarmouth Bike Trail runs 3 miles from Higgins Crowell Road to the town park at Old Townhouse Road. The park features a playground, soccer and baseball fields, and basketball courts. The most popular and longest trail, Cape Cod Rail Trail ,runs for 34 miles through the towns of Dennis, Harwich, Brewster, Chatham, Orleans, Eastham and Wellfleet. The trail, which has been recently renovated in a $6.5 million project, is ideal for cyclists with its paved surface, few hill and bike rentals along the way. There is very scenic short trail at the National Seashore Visitor's Center at Salt Pond. For more information go to www.ccrailtrail.com.

Other popular trails and contact info:

NikersonState Park, Brewster, 508-896-3491
Shining Sea Trail, Falmouth & Woods Hole
Cape Cod Canal, Sagamore, Sandwich, Bourne, 508-833-9678
Province Lands, Provincetown, 508-487-1256
West Barnstable Conservation Area Trail of Tears, 508-790-6272
Head of the Meadow Trail, Truro, 508-349-3785
Old King's Highway, 6A, 508-362-3828

Bring your bike to the Tidewater and enjoy the beauty of the Cape while getting some exercise also. We have bike racks or ask for a first floor room so that you can keep your bike close to you. We are also offering special rates before the peak of the season begins.

Voula

We've Had Babies Again!

Directly across the street from the Tidewater is a lovely pond, Mill Pond, that is home to two beautiful swans among other wildlife. Every spring we watch the female sitting on a nest protected by grasses. What incredible patience! Finally, we are rewarded with little fuzzy baby swans or cygnets. This year we have been anxiously waiting for the baby cygnets. Last week I saw that the nest was empty and when I looked more closely, I saw several fuzzy babies with the proud parents surrounding them.

They have grown considerably the last few days and are venturing further into the pond. It's been fascinating watching them grow and see the diligent protection of the parents. Route 28 is a very busy commercial strip, but there are still spots of tranquility that bring us back to nature and this is one of my favorite.If you visit the Tidewater, make sure to walk across the street to see these beautiful swans.

Voula

Plimoth Plantation opens for the Season

Plymouth is only a half hour drive from the hotel and as I've mentioned in earlier blogs, it's a lovely town to visit. It's also a great place to stop on the way to the Cape or on the way home if you're taking Route 3. Today marks the seasonal opening of Plimoth Plantation. I've been several times many years ago as a parent and as a teacher with school children. It's a wonderful way to spend the day with the family and also a fun educational experience.

Plimoth Plantation is a recreation of a typical village during the time that the Pilgrims landed in Plimoth in the 1600's. It includes the Wampanoag Homesite with people in traditional Native dress tending the garden, cooking over an open fire and demonstrating ancient skills. It also includes a "1627 English Village" with costumed role players, speaking English dialects and portraying actual residents of colonial Plymouth. There's also Nye Barn, a farming community with cows, sheep, goats, pigs and poultry. Plimoth Plantation maintains one of the country's most important collections of rare and minor breed animals.

There's much more, so make a day trip to Plymouth "America's Hometown". We have special rates for the off season and we'd love to have you stay at the Tidewater.

Voula

St. Patrick's Day on Cape Cod

St. Patrick's Day is fast approaching and Cape Cod will be celebrating a bit early this year. The festivities will begin with the Third Annual Cape Cod St. Patrick's Day Dinner, Dance and Coronation. This will be at the Irish Village on Route 28 on Friday evening, March 6th. On the following day, Saturday, March 7th, there will be a parade which will commence on School Street in West Dennis and end at Forest Road on S. Yarmouth. The Grand Marshall will be former Boston Bruins Terry O'Reilly. For more information visit their website, www.capecodpatsparade.com.

The Tidewater will be offering our Manager's Special of $59.99 per night or $99.99 for two nights. Come and enjoy this early celebration of St. Patrick's Day.

Voula

Bye Bye Birdie

Everyone around me has had either the flu or a stomach virus, including myself. With this long winter, it's time to find some cheer until spring comes along. I found the perfect venue: the Harwich Winter Theatre Presents "Bye Bye Birdie" until March 15th. This cheerful musical plays on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30PM with matinees on Sundays. I don't want to age myself, but I remember loving the movie version when it came out in the early 60's. Being a young immigrant girl from a village in Greece, I had never seen anything like this. I loved the music and dancing and thought it was the best movie ever!

To get more information on the play, you can call the box office at 508-432-2002 or visit their website at www.hjtcapecod.org.

Voula

February School Vacation

Tomorrow is the first day of February and school vacation is just around the corner. This winter has been tougher than the winters we've had the past few years. Even the Cape got some snow which has already melted. It's a good time to leave the winter chores and routines behind and plan some quality time with the children. With the dire condition of the economy, families have little money to budget for vacations. With this in mind, we are offering some low rates for vacation week so that families can enjoy a few days of relaxation.

Of course, we have our heated indoor pool and breakfast diner open, but we will also have activities for the kids. There will also be many activities throughout the Cape for families to enjoy during this break. I'll be writing another blog with the details. But just enjoying our hot tub while the kids swim in the pool might be enough.

Our special during vacation is $59.99 Sunday - Thursday and $69.99 for Friday and Saturday. Call us for reservations or information.

Voula

Seaside Christmas

There's still time to come to the Cape and get into the Christmas Spirit. In most Cape towns, the holiday season really gets rolling this weekend. I've already mentioned Nantucket, Hyannis and Chatham Christmas celebrations, but there's also Provincetown, Harwich, Bourne, Falmouth, Sandwich... You have your choice of towns and traditions.

We are also running a last minute special of 2 nights for $99.99 at the Tidewater.

Voula

Dining on Cape Cod for Thanksgiving

As I mentioned in my earlier blog, there are many dining options on Cape Cod from very casual to fine dining. Reservations are recommended for all restaurants so I have listed the phones numbers. The restaurants are usually booked solid for Thanksgiving so I would recommend making your reservations early.

The Yarmouth House which is about 3/4 of a mile from the Tidewater is serving Thanksgiving dinner with all the traditional fixings from 12:00 to 7:PM (508-771-5154).

Abbicci Contemporary Mediterranean Bistro in Yarmouthport will be serving dinner from 12:30 to 6:30 (508-362-3501)They are a smaller restaurant and offer an more intimate atmosphere with beautiful presentation of exquisitely prepared food.

Ocean House in Dennis is serving dinner from 12:00 to 5:00PM (508-394-0700. The Ocean House has a breathtaking view of Nantucket Sound and their food is exceptional.

There are several more offering dinner, I picked the closest ones. If anyone needs more recommendations, give me a call at 508-775-6322. We are also offering a special at the Tidewater for Thanksgiving of $69.99 for one night, $59.99 for 2 nights and $49.99 if you stay 3 or more nights. Hope to see you on the Cape.

Voula

Halloween Fun

Halloween is being celebrated throughout Cape Cod this weekend. For theatre buffs, the "Invisible Man", an H.G. Wells thriller, adapted by J. Hagenbuckle is playing at Harwich Junior Theatre in West Harwich. If anyone has seen the 1933 film, you'll remember the frightening invisible man with his head wrapped in bandages and wearing googles and gloves to cover his invisibility. According to Hagenbuckle, he followed the book as to the idea of the mad scientist and the invisibility formula and his madness, but "wrote him as a complete, sympathetic heroic figure, someone to root for and care about". For more information, visit www.hjtcapecod.or or www.capetix.com.

For those of you who prefer to party on Halloween, there are Halloween parties at many bars and restaurants. The British Bear Company and the Roo Bar on Main Street in Hyannis are both offering live music and a Halloween party. For the more sedate crowd, Oliver's Restaurant on 6A is also featuring good food and live music. Of course there's much more going on, so come on down!

Voula

Plymouth

My husband and I just purchased a home in Plymouth, where we will be residing when I am not on property at the Tidewater. After traveling back and forth several times a week to clean and prepare our home before we move, I've come to realize that Plymouth is actually closer than many towns on the Cape. Before the Cape Cod Canal, Plymouth was actually considered part of the Cape.

For visitors to the Cape, Plymouth only half an hour away, makes for a wonderful day trip or a stop on the way to or from the Cape. Of course, everyone knows about Plymouth Plantation, which is a step back in time to see how the Pilgrims lived, but there is much more to Plymouth. I enjoy visiting downtown Plymouth and the waterfront with its many shops, restaurants, attractions and snack bars. It's a great place to walk around, sit on a bench and watch the boats, visit Pilgrim museum, Plymouth Rock and, of course, one of my favorite activities, people watching.

While I'll be spending most of my time at the Tidewater, where I presently live, tending to the hotel and customers' needs, I'll now have a peaceful retreat away from work and a lovely town to explore. Living where I work definitely has its advantages, but there's one negative: there's never getting away from work! Hope to see you in Plymouth!

Voula