Cape Cod, Old King's Highway
United States
Route 6A, the Old King's Highway, traces the Bay side of Cape Cod through 300 years of sea-captain architecture, cranberry bogs, saltmarsh, and shingled villages. The Cape narrows to a sandy hook at Provincetown, where the Pilgrims first landed in 1620.
Explore on the interactive map →Stops along the route
- Sagamore Bridge
Cross the Cape Cod Canal and the salt air changes immediately. The Cape begins here; turn onto 6A and leave the modern world behind.
- Sandwich
The oldest town on the Cape, founded 1637. A working grist mill, Heritage Museums and Gardens, and a boardwalk over a glassy saltmarsh.
- Barnstable
The county seat, home to the oldest functioning courthouse in the US (1772). Route 6A here is lined with antique dealers and sea-captain mansions.
- Dennis
Scenic 6A passes Cape Cod's oldest cranberry bogs and the Cape Playhouse, America's oldest professional summer theatre founded in 1927.
- Brewster
At low tide, Breakwater Beach exposes a kilometre of tidal flats. Cape Cod Bay retreats to reveal sandbars, horseshoe crabs, and perfect solitude.
- Cape Cod National Seashore
Forty miles of protected Atlantic-facing ocean beach and high dune cliffs. The light here is what drew generations of artists to the Outer Cape.
- Wellfleet
New England's oyster capital. Wellfleet oysters, briny and mineral-cold, are eaten raw at harbour shacks. The Cape's last drive-in cinema is here too.
- Provincetown
Land's end. The Pilgrims signed the Mayflower Compact here in 1620. The Pilgrim Monument, Portuguese fishing heritage, and vast dune wilderness await.
Where to Eat
- The Lobster PotSeafood
A waterfront restaurant in Provincetown known for its fresh lobster dishes and panoramic harbor views.
- Arnold's Lobster & Clam BarSeafood
A popular spot in Eastham offering classic New England seafood, including fried clams and lobster rolls.
- The Red InnAmerican
An upscale dining experience in Provincetown featuring locally sourced dishes and stunning ocean vistas.
Things to Do
- Pilgrim MonumentHistoric Site
A towering monument in Provincetown commemorating the Mayflower Pilgrims' first landing in 1620.
- Heritage Museums & GardensMuseum
A 100-acre garden in Sandwich featuring diverse plant collections, art exhibits, and a vintage carousel.
- Nauset LightLandmark
A historic lighthouse in Eastham offering guided tours and picturesque views of the Atlantic Ocean.