North Eastham has bayside sunsets, busy summers and calm off-seasons
Despite its name, North Eastham is really the western, bayside part of Eastham. On the narrow area of the Cape’s hook 21 miles from Provincetown, life here ebbs and flows with the seasons. The town of Eastham has fewer than 6,000 year-round residents, but during the summer, those numbers swell to about 25,000. It means busy summers, but peaceful off-seasons. “There’s an audible sound of relief on the day after Labor Day. It quiets down quite a bit,” says Bob Sheldon, a broker associate at RE/MAX Real Estate Center who vacationed here for 20 years before moving in full-time. “We have a secret summer here; it starts the day after Labor Day and goes until November the first. The weather is fantastic, and the water is still warm.”
Many residents choose to live in Eastham for the same reasons it's a popular vacation spot. “What I like about Eastham is that it’s a different pace,” Sheldon says. “You can disconnect. Yeah, we have the internet, we have everything you need. But if you want to take the afternoon off to just enjoy yourself, we have all the standard stuff. The Cape is just so easy to get around in. You can go to the next town over to enjoy anything you could think of. There’s plenty of food, there’s plenty of activities to do.” North Eastham’s bayside location has a few benefits of its own. “You can typically walk to the bay, and it’s a great place for sunsets,” Sheldon says. “Sunsets over open water are rare. They’re truly amazing.”
Exploring the bay’s tidal flats and the Cape Cod Rail Trail
If there’s one thing that isn’t lacking in North Eastham, it’s beach space. “We’re right at the beginning of the Cape Cod National Seashore, which is about 50 miles of uninterrupted beach,” Sheldon says. “On the bay side, we have that same 50 miles of uninterrupted beach, but when the tide goes out, we have about half a mile of sand that we call The Flats.” During low tide, people explore tide pools or go clamming. As the tide comes in, water covers The Flats, resulting in a long stretch of calmer, shallower water that’s great for younger kids. “It’s almost like grandma’s little pond; it’s a nice, quiet place,” Sheldon says. First Encounter Beach, on the bay, is among North Eastham’s busiest beaches. Ocean beaches, where Sheldon says bigger waves allow for a little surfing, are just a couple miles away.
Swimming isn’t the only popular activity. “You can fish in the bay or go into the open ocean to fish for tuna and bigger things,” Sheldon says. Kettle ponds like Wiley Park's Great Pond are popular for kayaking and paddleboarding, and bicyclists flock to the Cape Cod Rail Trail. At nearly 26 miles, it runs from Wellfleet to South Yarmouth — with plans to expand it. For hikers and birdwatchers, natural areas like the nearby Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary are also huge draws.
Inland and waterfront Cape Cods
Since Cape Cod is the birthplace of Cape Cod homes, it’s no surprise that the style dominates North Eastham. “Cape Cod styles are incredibly flexible,” Sheldon says. “People can modify them phenomenally. There’s even a fairly popular Cape ranch style. So the roofline looks like a Cape, but it’s really a ranch inside.” Inland houses occasionally start at around $450,000 and can climb to nearly $1.5 million, especially closer to the beach. Homes a few blocks from the bay may have paths to the beach. Waterfront houses are often bigger expanded Capes or Nantucket-style houses with shingle siding. These homes don’t sell often, but estimated values range from $1.3 million to $4.5 million.
Festivals kick off after Labor Day
While there are summer concerts on the Windmill Green, Eastham kicks off the slow season right after Labor Day with Eastham Windmill Weekend. The three-day event features a parade, talent show, live music, a sand art contest, a 5K and local vendors. Just a few miles away, Wellfleet OysterFest draws around 20,000 people, including North Eastham residents, for live music, seafood and the annual Shuck-Off Competition. “It’s just insane how much fun some of those weekends are,” Sheldon says.
Fresh seafood and a drive-in movie theater
Restaurants line U.S. Route 6, with a special emphasis on seafood. “You can buy lobsters and oysters that were in the water this morning,” Sheldon says. “Wellfleet oysters are world famous, and they’re really close.” He adds that Caroline’s Bar and Grill offers what they call a “Buck a Shuck,” where they have raw oysters for a dollar each. Nearby, Sheldon describes Arnold’s Lobster & Clam Bar as world-famous. “They do a booming business there; people line up in huge lines to buy food there,” he says. Many residents make the drive up to Wellfleet the collection of well-known seafood restaurants overlooking the Wellfleet Harbor.
Not everywhere in Eastham revolves around seafood, though. Hole In One Bakery & Coffee Shop is the go-to spot for doughnuts, muffins and other baked goods, and Nauset Ice Cream offers sweet, cold treats. Nearby, Wellfleet Cinemas is an old-fashioned drive-in movie theater that locals head to for movie nights. Village Green General Store provides a few essentials, and it’s about 3 miles to Eastham Superette.
Solidly rated Nauset schools
Nauset Public Schools earn an A from Niche. Children in North Eastham can attend Eastham Elementary School, which has a B, before moving on to Nauset Regional Middle School, which has a B-plus. Nauset Regional High School has an A and offers mock trial, robotics and pottery clubs.
Getting around on Route 6, a trek to Cape Cod Hospital
Route 6 connects North Eastham to other Cape communities. Most of its other roads are residential. Although there are doctors’ offices and urgent care centers closer, Cape Cod Hospital is about 27 miles away.
Tidal flats offer some protection from flooding
North Eastham’s tidal flats help protect against flooding, but rising sea levels from climate change can decrease the effectiveness of the barrier. When hurricanes occasionally pass over North Eastham though, high winds usually pose the biggest concern.
Written By
Christina Norwood
