Get to Know Orleans

Orleans is tucked away right next to the elbow of Cape Cod, the last town of Lower Cape before the land narrows into the curled flick of the Outer Cape. Drive north (or “down,” as the locals say to confuse newcomers) to Provincetown from Orleans and watch the forests fall away and the beaches unfurl on both sides of the land. Orleans is commercial enough to sustain a year-round population of more than 6,000 residents, sporting multiple full-sized supermarkets, hardware stores, and the other necessities of daily life. Orleans’ quotidian authenticity means that the town is less crowded than its more touristed neighbors, but life here is equally delightful — just with fewer people. Skaket Beach stretches alongside the west side of town and Nauset Beach on the east, with just four miles of land between the two, with both being two of the most perfect beaches on the Cape.

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Living in Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket

Cape Cod and the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket have been synonymous with summer for generations, the epitome of a New England escape. The siren call of this region has beckoned to a wide swath of visitors, from day trippers to Presidents, with the promise of relaxed days and nights spent in a magical world of beaches, lighthouses, and shingled cottages both big and small. There’s space for everyone here: Kids ride the same valiant steeds as their grandparents did at the carousel in Oak Bluffs, while boldfaced names, wealthy financiers, and first-time visitors all pile into local clam shacks for deep-fried seafood and just caught lobster. There’s also a significantly smaller population that lives here year-round — these are the residents that pride themselves on knowing all the secret spots when the highways and beaches clear out and the Cape and the islands return to their meditative, foggy, winter selves.