Sagamore offers Cape Cod charm without most of the bridge traffic
Sagamore is a quiet coastal community in Bourne. The Cape Cod Canal winds through its southern half, separating the mainland village of Sagamore Beach from the Cape Cod village of Sagamore. “It’s a quaint little area. For people looking to move to the Cape without crossing over the bridge, Sagamore Beach is a great option to avoid that traffic,” says Amanda Lucido Hodges, a longtime resident and a broker with Lucido Real Estate. Thousands of people cross over the Sagamore Bridge daily, and Sagamore residents enjoy a central location in a town known as the Gateway to Cape Cod. “You can easily go north to Boston or head south and get on the Cape,” Lucido says.
While most residents don’t live on Cape Cod, they can still access miles of sandy shoreline in a tranquil area tucked away from the tourist crowds of nearby towns. “It’s a good little community where everyone knows everyone. It’s impossible to go to the post office and not see someone you know,” Lucido says. The community also has an overall CAP Index Crime Score of 2 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4.
Access to Sagamore Beach, the Cape Cod Canal and a social club
Outdoor recreation is a big part of life here. Sagamore Beach offers a sandy stretch of shoreline along Cape Cod Bay, an area known for its rock jetties and vibrant sunsets. While some residents are within walking distance of the beach, those who drive can buy parking permits to access the town’s beachfront lots. Next to Sagamore Beach is the Scusset Beach State Reservation, which has a fishing pier, nature trails and campsites. The Sagamore Recreation Area sits next to the Cape Cod Canal and is a popular spot for fishing and picnicking. It also offers access to the Cape Cod Canal Bikeway, a paved path spanning about 7 miles on both sides of the canal.
Neighbors get together at the private Sagamore Beach Colony Club, which has been a part of the community for more than a century. Members have access to the Fisher Tennis Center, which has four outdoor courts for tennis and pickleball. The club also offers an eight-week-long summer camp for kids and hosts an Arts on the Beach series with a rotating slate of activities. Clark Road Playground is a popular spot for kids, with tennis and basketball courts, a playground and a ball field.
From quaint Cape Cod-style homes to seaside living on the bay
Sagamore has several residential subdivisions. Tree-lined streets feature a variety of housing styles, with traditional Colonial Revival, split-level, Cape Cod and ranch-style homes being the norm. The community also has a handful of custom-built properties and new construction homes. “We’ve been seeing a lot of people renovating their properties, so the homes have more of a contemporary look to them. Most of those bigger contemporary styles are closer to the beach,” Lucido says. Prices typically range from $450,000 for smaller Cape Cod and ranch-style homes to upwards of $1 million for larger estates in Sagamore Beach. Newer construction includes cottage-style townhouses selling for $580,000 to $700,000. Residents living near the waterfront, particularly in Sagamore Beach, may be required to purchase flood insurance.
Public schools in Bourne earn B-minus and C-plus ratings
Bourne Public Schools serves the community. The district earns an overall grade of B-minus from Niche and has a lower-than-average student-teacher ratio of 11-to-1. The B-minus-rated Bournedale Elementary School covers prekindergarten through second grade, and the C-plus-rated Bourne Intermediate School serves third through fifth grade. Bourne Middle School also earns a C-plus, while Bourne High School scores a B-minus. High school offerings include two career-oriented innovation pathways through which students can gain hands-on experience in the fields of business and finance or life and environmental science.
Bourne residents come together for events in Buzzards Bay Park
Sagamore is about 6 miles from Buzzards Bay Park, a popular event venue on the northern shore of the Cape Cod Canal. Summer festivities include the weekly Canal Region Farmers Market and Concerts by the Canal series, which bring local vendors and live music to the park on Thursday afternoons. The canal itself has been used by ships for over a century, and Cape Cod Canal Day celebrates that long history with a community festival in September.
Sagamore has a few shops and restaurants near historic Sandwich
While Sagamore is primarily residential, there are a handful of restaurants along its western edge. “If you need anything, it’s all right there as you’re leaving Sagamore Beach,” Lucido says. Fast-food chains like McDonald’s, Marylou’s Coffee and Dunkin’ are near the Sagamore Bridge. They’re also just across the street from a shopping center with Ace Hardware, a general store and a couple of family-owned restaurants. Favorites include Chen’s Kitchen, a casual spot known for its traditional Chinese cuisine, and Sagamore Beach Pizza, a popular pick for residents who want to grab subs or pizzas before heading down to the water. For groceries, Sagamore is about 2 miles from Market Basket. The community also borders the town of Sandwich, where shops and restaurants line historic Massachusetts Route 6A.
Navigating the Greater Boston area and plans for the Sagamore Bridge
Residents typically rely on their cars to get around. Massachusetts Route 3 leads about 55 miles north to Boston, and the Mid-Cape Highway runs from the Sagamore Bridge through Cape Cod. The bridge is just one of two connectors linking the mainland and the peninsula, and it's historically susceptible to traffic jams during the busy summer season. “As a local, you learn you have to time things out. I know not to go over the bridge on a Sunday afternoon,” Lucido says. In hopes of combatting these traffic issues and repairing the aging bridges, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation plans to replace both the Sagamore and Bourne Bridges. Construction is expected to begin in 2027 and could last eight to 10 years.
The Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority offers local bus service, while the Peter Pan Bus Lines run between Sagamore Park & Ride and Boston. Residents are about 55 miles from Boston Logan International Airport and less than 15 miles from Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth, which has a 24/7 emergency room. The Cape Cod Gateway Airport is about 20 miles away in Hyannis; for more comprehensive travel options, Boston Logan International Airport is about 60 miles away.
Written By
Sally Stimpson
