Since many of the Barnstable Villages front on Nantucket Sound or Cape Cod Bay, this tour provides great opportunities for boatwatching. BRGPhoto
Barnstable Day Trip
From Main Street, Hyannis, take Ocean Street to the Ocean Street Docks. Hyannis Inner Harbor is a pretty photo opportunity as well as the departure point for trips to Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.
Continue to the John F. Kennedy Memorial. This scenic park features a fieldstone monument with the presidential seal and inscription: "I believe it is important that this country sail and not sit still in the harbor."
Continue to Kalmus Park Beach. Lewis Bay is to your left; Hyannis Harbor is to your right.
Now, backtrack on Ocean Street, then turn left onto Gosnold, then left onto Sea Street. Follow back to Main Street, turn left and continue to the rotary. Take the 3rd exit onto Scudder Avenue. You'll soon catch a glimpse of the Cape Cod Melody Tent on your right. When this outdoor theatre began in 1950, performances were limited to Broadway musicals. Today, top performers such as Tony Bennet, Liza Minnelli, Aretha Franklin, Wynnona Judd and Victor Borge grace the stage each season.
Scudder Avenue travels through Hyannis-port, home of the Kennedy Compound. The family has homes along Scudder, Irving and Atlantic Avenues and on Squaw Island, where Senator Ted Kennedy lives.Large hedges obscure any view, so try a summer boat tour for "Kennedy Watching" from the water.
Turn onto Craigville Beach Road, pass Craigville Beach, then turn left onto South Main Street. Centerville and Osterville are among the Cape's prettiest areas. Since many parts front on Nantucket Sound, old 19th century sea captain's homes abound. As you drive , consider that in 1648, settlers purchased "Oysterville" from the natives for "2 copper kettles and some fencing."
From Main Street, Osterville, turn left onto Wianno, then right onto Seaview. Follow Seaview to the end for a spectacular water view or turn right onto Eel River Road. At West Bay Road, turn left for Crosby Boatyard. In 1840, Horace Crosby invented a faster, more stable boat for commercial fisherman, the wooden "Crosby Cat," which became favored by sailors, including President Kennedy.
Follow West Bay Road back to Main Street. Turn left onto Main, then turn left onto Rte. 28. Another left onto Old Post Road brings you into the charming village of Cotuit.. Turn left onto Main Street, then right onto Rush Marsh Road. This runs into Santuit Road and leads back toRte. 28.
Turn right onto Route 28 and continue to Route 149 entering Marstons Mills. There is a beautiful mill pond and herring run on the left. Continue all the way to Route 6A. As you pass through this pretty countryside, you'll see West Parish Meetinghouse, among the oldest surviving meetinghouses on the Cape and a wonderful example of early Colonial architecture.
The West Barnstable area stretches along Rte 6A. Turn left here for a detour to Sandy Neck Beach and Great Salt Marsh Conservation area or turn right and continue along the Old King's Highway, dotted with beautiful marshes, cranberry bogs, majestic homes and interesting shops.
A right turn onto Willow Street will bring you back to Hyannis. Proceed straight through the lights to Main Street and turn right. You'll pass the Cape Cod Scenic Railroad which offers rail trips to Sandwich during the season and on weekends in May, November and December. Continue on Main St back to the JFK Memorial Museum where our tour started.
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