Your ultimate guide to being an active traveler on Cape Cod | Captain Freeman Inn

by Donna Cain

Paddle boarding

I was just commenting to my husband  this morning that more and more of our guests staying at the Captain Freeman Inn are young travelers looking for adventure. As we love to visit with our guests during their stay, it’s always fun to hear about their daily adventures, and lately we keep hearing about paddle boarding. You might ask what is paddle boarding? Let’s just say it’s kinda like surfing, but not so strenuous,  it’s easier to learn, has some similar body motions of kayaking- and this new water sport is riding the waves to become one of Cape Cod’s most popular water sports. Paddle boarding is also known as SUP or Stand Up Paddling. The concept has deep roots in Polynesian history and has become very popular on the Cape Cod’s summer scene.

Byron caught this shot as we were watching the sunset on Paine’s Creek in Brewster. This beach is the perfect place to paddle board as the creek gives a nice quiet current that feeds into the ocean and offers an easy picturesque ride into the bay!  If you love seals another great spot is Chatham Harbor where you can see beautiful vistas of the lighthouse and mansions while lovable seals bob around you. If you are a beginner, our many kettle ponds offer a great spot as the water is warm and there are no currents. Jack’s Cape Cod offers rentals on the shore of Flax’s Pond in Nickerson State Park which is just up the street from the inn.

There are many paddle board rental shop on the Cape, many of which also offer lessons and guided tours of our beautiful waterways. Listed below in no particular order are some of our favorites:

Adventure Chatham– We love this place as they cater to unique excursions with paddle boarding including   a sunset paddle “glow” tour. Using boards equipped with special underwater LED light kits, you get gorgeous views of the sun setting over the water followed by a surreal paddle experience under the stars. The lights attract fish and squid that swim right under your board!  A full moon makes them especially awesome. These excursions are safely launched  throughout the lower Cape to maximize sunset views from Pleasant Bay and Cape Cod Bay. They offer lessons for both young and old and will deliver your paddle board as well.

Goose Hummack-We have been referring guests to this rental spot in Orleans on Pleasant Bay for many years. They do a little bit of everything from fishing to hunting and also offer very reasonable rental fees for paddle boards and kayaks.

Bass River Kayaks,Cruises & Paddle Boards-   Our kids learned how to paddle board here, and we have always enjoyed this spot. These guys do it all as you can also hop on their Riverboat Cruises and enjoy all of the beautiful scenery around Bass River.

Byron and I have talked about buying two paddle boards at the end of the season. We also want to do the sunset glow paddle board tour with Adventure Chatham. The pictures on their web site just look awesome!

For those wanting to kayak, all of the above rental spots also rent kayaks.

I would be amiss if I did not mention our wonderful new zip line at Heritage Museum and Gardens. Byron and I zip lined when we were in Costa Rica and loved it. This new adventure park is on our bucket list to explore. At the park you can enjoy five aerial trails through the treetops of the park.  Over 60 tree to tree bridges and 7 zip lines will challenge your strength, strategy and balance.   Like a ski mountain, each trail is color coded for difficulty, allowing beginners to experts to select their own challenges.  Climbers as well as non-climbing observers will also enjoy the interpretive pathways on the ground, filled with educational information about the forest ecosystem.  Reservations are needed. 

Reserve a stay at our romantic bed and breakfast on Cape Cod in one of our many comfortable boutique rooms. After your day of adventure on Cape Cod, come back to the inn, enjoy a swim in our new salt water pool and relax with a home baked cookie and glass of lavender lemonade.

Happy summer!