Latest news with #CharlotteCucchiaro

Boston Globe

How to build a perfect visit to Sandwich

First things first — a cup of Joe and a good book Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Are you thisclose to losing it after a long drive? Treat yourself to a stop at Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters ( Please don't tell us you're bringing an e-reader or other device to the beach. Nooo! The beach is the place for real newspapers, magazines, and actual books, things that won't be destroyed by gritty sand and sunlight. Find a killer selection of new and used tomes at Titcomb's Book Shop ( Advertisement It's worth bringing your bike to take a ride along the Cape Cod Canal Bikeway. There are benches along the way, people fishing, and views of boats plying the canal. Diane Bair Best reason to bring your bike: Cape Cod Canal Bikeway You drove over this sparkling blueway as you crossed the Sagamore Bridge; now get to know it on two wheels. The bike path is actually a service road for the US Army Corps of Engineers, but locals know it as a recreation hot spot for cycling, walking, and fishing (stripers, bluefish, and sea bass.) Flat, wide, and paved, the bikeway runs on both sides of the canal, with seven miles on the north side and 6.5 miles on the south. The bikeway connects several recreation areas along the Cape Cod Canal, including Most colorful place in town: Sandwich Glass Museum Glass was manufactured in Sandwich two centuries ago by the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company; Sandwich glass is now highly prized and collectible. The Sandwich Glass Museum pays homage with a gorgeous collection of blown and pressed glass pieces. Exhibit rooms take you through the history of glassmaking, with beautiful displays and some unique items like witch's balls, used to protect homes from evil spirits since the 1800s. It offers glassblowing demonstrations daily, on the hour, and sells art glass made by local and national artists in its gift shop. $14; Advertisement Best place for garden inspo: Heritage Museums and Gardens Hostas, heather, herbs, rhododendrons, and daylilies galore — those are just some of the reasons to wander through these landscaped garden paths overlooking Shawme Pond. The property also features a Shaker Round Barn filled with antique cars, an art museum showcasing New England folk art, and a classic, working carousel. It's a nostalgic vibe that will tune you into the slower side of the Cape. $25; Charlotte Cucchiaro of Brooklyn, N.Y., explores the newly-reconstructed Sandwich Boardwalk. Diane Bair Best short-and-sweet walk: Sandwich Boardwalk Newly reconstructed after a brutal winter storm in 2022, the ¼-mile-long Sandwich Boardwalk off Wood Avenue offers a scenic walk across marshland, over Mill Creek and on to Town Neck Beach. The new bridge, like the old one, is a favorite spot for fishing, kids clamming, and just hanging out. Now, it has pressurized wood, metal pilings, and sits four feet higher than the old version. It's wider, with accessible ramps (Town Neck Beach is not yet fully accessible). Free, but you'll pay for parking; Tourists are welcome at Cafe Chew in Sandwich. If you love a hefty sandwich and some Cape Cod chips, this is your place. Diane Bair Best place for a sandwich in Sandwich: Café Chew Looking for a quick, hearty bite to bring to the Cape Cod Bikeway, or just can't resist a chunky sandwich on good bread? This little place in Merchant's Square offers indoor and outdoor dining and a nice array of sandwiches, breakfast items, pastries, and salads. The owners are new-ish, (2023) but the menu is the same, so you can still order, say, The Pilgrim ($14.25), a delicious stack of roasted turkey, sage stuffing, cranberry mayo and lettuce on cranberry-pecan bread, served with Cape Cod Potato Chips (of course) and a pickle. The blackboard specials are worthy, too. Advertisement Best place for seafood-with-view: Fishermen's View For boat-to-table dining for lunch and dinner, this is a dandy choice. Owned by two commercial fishermen (who are also brothers), this upscale casual spot offers a sleek waterfront setting (with views from nearly every table) and an expansive menu of fresh oysters, crab baskets, sushi, steamed lobster, or whatever just came off the boat. Live music in season adds a festive touch. Entrees from $34; Twin Acres ice cream. Diane Bair Best place for ice cream: Twin Acres Ice cream shops on the Cape are like Dunks in the city; there's always one nearby. Our favorite in Sandwich is Twin Acres, serving 70-some flavors of hard ice cream, soft-serve, vegan ice cream, sundaes, and sausage rolls, in a pretty landscaped setting. How do you know this place is excellent? People line up for cold treats when it opens in mid-March, regardless of weather. Flavor to try: Campfire S'mores, a perfect blend of toasted marshmallow ice cream, sandy graham cracker swirls, and chocolate chunks. Best place for that classic B&B experience: Isaiah Jones Homestead B&B So, you're thinking you might want to stay awhile? Yay, you. Many Cape visitors are looking for an inn or B&B since it fits with the Olde Cape Cod motif. One that fits that description, located right in the village: A c.1848 Italianate Victorian, the Isaiah Jones Homestead. Originally built for a doctor and his family, the house offers six tastefully-appointed guest rooms. Three queen bed rooms and one king room are located in the main house, with two king-room suites in an adjacent carriage house. New owners Robert and AnaLisa Luippold live onsite, and have overseen major renovations to the property, so it's not just old, but old and comfortable. They offer a hot breakfast, including house-baked pastries (or purchased at Beth's Café nearby) and a daily port and sherry reception. Rates from $279; two-night minimum may apply; Advertisement For more information: Sandwich Antiques Center offers 5,000 square feet of browsing, with everything from Fiesta to old farm implements. Diane Bair ​ Diane Bair and Pamela Wright can be reached at