The Cape with the Kids

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The cheery "Pancake Man" sign says it all at this Cape Cod breakfast tradition. The omelets, French toast and waffles are good, but pancakes made the restaurant famous, with 15 varieties including apple cinnamon, honey buckwheat, spicy salsa and corn meal, and a fluffy potato and chive. Bottomless coffee and fast service in a bright, friendly space seal the deal. Get there before 8:30a on weekends to avoid huge lines. The restaurant has a full service bar.

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Made up of 2,500 acres of marshlands, open water, barrier beaches, trout streams, watersheds and uplands, with 11 wilderness campsites and several walking tours, the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Reserve makes for a great day trip. Other park activities include swimming, shell fishing, canoeing, kayaking and even restricted hunting on Washburn Island, which is accessible only by boat. The reserve also includes the 500-acre South Cape Beach State Park.

Our Local Expert Says:

The tour is not very long, so don't plan your whole day around it.

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Cape Cod potato chips are so greasy, you can almost see through them-but the unique kettle-cooking method is what makes these famous chips so popular. You can watch the whole process, from peeling to cooking to bagging, at the factory's free, self-guided tour. In fact, they will pay you-you get a free bag of chips at the end of the tour. The Cape Cod Chips gift shop offers a great selection of chips, pretzels, and novelties such as shirts, caps and collectibles. Cash only. Call for group tours.

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A round of mini golf on a warm summer night is something of a Cape Cod tradition. The courses at Pirate's Cove break with tradition but not in any manner that draws complaints. Instead of windmills and still statues, you'll golf through caves, by waterfalls and around a pirate ship. There is a Captain's Course as well as the Blackbeard's Challenge Course. For a discounted rate you can play your course again and see if you can't beat your kid the second time around.

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Management at this casual eatery understands that most patrons prefer outdoor seating, so the decks are chock-full of tables overlooking the harbor. This establishment has two large bars and lounges and three dining areas. Watch the Nantucket ferries come and go as you try the lobster roll, the rich and creamy clam chowder or abundant sandwiches. Heartier fare complements the evening menu. Tugboat's is a great refuge, even on rainy days. A popular nightspot, head for the tiny upstairs bar where folks at the bar swill tropical drinks to music with a Caribbean beat.

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Located in the back of The Brewster Store, the Scoop offers delightful flavors of homemade ice cream, yogurt, and sugar free yogurt. The coconut almond fudge, wildberry crunch, mud pie, Oreo cookie, chocolate chip cookie dough, and Snickers are just a few of the popular flavors. You then have a choice of toppings like hot fudge, Butterfingers, Nutter Butter cookie pieces, M&M's, gummy bears, and Oreo cookie pieces. Service is fast and friendly. Though strictly a to-go place, there are benches to sit on outside.

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Located in downtown Hyannis within walking distance of cute shops popular with tourists, this hotel is also near the harbor, where island ferries, whale watches and other marine excursions depart. The Regency sometimes bills itself as a resort but does not have quite enough amenities to live up to the name; however, it is a solid choice for business travelers and families who prefer lodgings less intimate than a B&B.

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For every kind of breakfast from the ordinary (eggs and bacon) to the extraordinary (Praline Pain Perdu or Praline French Toast, topped with bananas), head to The Egg and I. This Hyannis institution serves hearty portions of breakfast specialties every day from 11p to 1p. Create your own omelette, sample the variations of eggs benedict, indulge on sweeter options like cranberry pancakes or raspberry cream cheese filled French toast. A kid friendly restaurant, the menu also includes specially priced options for children.

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If you want to get the family outdoors and get a little education while you're at it, the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History hosts Family Field Walks year-round every Saturday and Sunday (and Monday-Friday in July and August). Explore the John Wing Trail at the museum with a trained naturalist, who will give you all the facts about marsh, oak-pine forest and beach habitats. The one-and-a-half hour walk covers 1.2 miles, so even the little ones can enjoy it. Cost is free with museum admission.

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Focused solely on local waters, this small but impressive aquarium has been delighting visitors since 1871. Kids especially love the "touch tank," where they can reach into tide pools filled with starfish and sea cucumbers. Other displays include sea turtles, lobster and wolffish. A special exhibit shows the effect of plastic trash on marine life. Two harbor seals have taken up residence in an outdoor pool and are a star attraction. The aquarium is operated by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. Admission is free.

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Settle into your seat under the awning on the wrap-around deck and watch the sun set while you dig into a bowl of sweet steamers drenched in butter. Ahhhh... this is Cape Cod at its best. Finding Mattakeese Wharf is worth the effort: located on a side street (off Route 6A) that dead-ends at the harbor, this is a summertime favorite with superb seafood and a full liquor license. Inside seating is an option, but set your sights on the deck where you can watch over the harbor.

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This theater features 12 screens for your viewing pleasure. For a more enjoyable experience, sit back and relax with popcorn and a soda from the refreshment stand. Check online for film times, ticket prices and further information.

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Located in downtown Hyannis within walking distance of cute shops popular with tourists, this hotel is also near the harbor, where island ferries, whale watches and other marine excursions depart. The Regency sometimes bills itself as a resort but does not have quite enough amenities to live up to the name; however, it is a solid choice for business travelers and families who prefer lodgings less intimate than a B&B.

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A whale watch is a must when visiting Cape Cod. Step aboard a 100-foot boat and travel past the Cape Cod National Seashore to the open ocean. The boats concentrate on an area known as the Stellwagen Bank-a deep fissure in the ocean floor that is home to a favorite whale delicacy, the sand eel. Naturalists narrate during the cruises. There is a snack bar on board and passengers can bring their own picnic. The trip takes about four hours.

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Designed to combine fun with learning, the displays at this museum are educational and interactive. A puppet theatre, planetarium, Dress-Up Castle, submarine and train are open for exploration. The highlight is a 30-foot pirate ship where children can imagine themselves riding the high seas. Special programs include holiday parties, cooking classes, crafts and workshops with unusual themes such as "All About Cranberries." Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult.

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The scenic dinner train is the Cape's entry in the novelty dining experience category. Dress up for a three-hour tour among cranberry bogs and marshes in a restored 1937 dinner coach. From Hyannis, the train crosses the canal and then stops in Bourne while you consume your entrée choice, usually steak, chicken, fish, or pasta. The Elegant Dinner Train was named one of the top three nationwide by TV Food Network's Dining on the Train. A full bar is available. There is also a Family Supper Train. Book well in advance during the summer.

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This beach, located on Nantucket Sound, is one of the largest and most popular on Cape Cod. The water is a very pleasant temperature from mid-July to early September, and the gentle swells are refreshing compared to more placid Cape waters. It is generally free of seaweed and rocks, as well. There are lifeguards and bathhouses in season, as well as noisy kids and parking hassles, but that's summer on the Cape, right? The long beach and foamy surf make for beautiful walks in quieter seasons.

Our Local Expert Says:

If you go to the Cape, you absolutely must see the National Seashore. It is true Cape Cod.

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First designated as protected by the United States government in 1961, the sprawling, 43,604-acre Cape Cod National Seashore offers stunning vistas and a glimpse into the natural and cultural history of the area. The park boasts six swimming beaches, but also nature trails, picnic areas, freshwater ponds, historic lighthouses and Cape Cod-style residences. The seashore makes a great day trip, but for those who would like to stay longer there are several resorts, hotels and motels nearby, but not along the shore.

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Although referred to as the bike trail, this paved path also welcomes walking, running, horseback riding and rollerblading. And if there is enough snow (which is rare), you may cross-country ski, too. Built on an old railway bed, the scenic 25-mile trail takes you from Dennis to Wellfleet via cranberry bogs, lakes and towns. Nickerson State Park, off Route 6A in Brewster, maintains the trail and is at the halfway point. See the Web site for a map with other rest areas and access points.

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Curled against a hill, this is a lovely spot on the bay for family or solo swimming. You can drive up and pay a reasonable parking fee and walk directly onto a clean beach. Whether floating on rafts, digging up the odd clam, or swimming in the brisk water (which is nevertheless warmer than the oceanside of Truro), this is one beach everyone enjoys. Historically, Corn Hill was the site of a stash of Native American corn borrowed by hungry Pilgrims when they came ashore in nearby Provincetown.

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This is one in a series of ocean beaches that dots the shore of the Cape Cod National Seashore, on your right as you head north towards Provincetown. You climb down a high dune onto this wild and beautiful beach of clear cool water. Surfers try their luck here and, while you can take long swims if out far enough, the waves lend themselves to bodysurfing. You can get quite cold after about 30 minutes in the water here, even in summer, but lying in the bright sun will soon warm you. This is the kind of pristine ocean beach visitors come to the Cape for.

Our Local Expert Says:

Great ice cream - you can eat at Sundae School for dessert every day.

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Great sundaes and all sorts of toppings. You won't be able to move after you finish one of their banana splits.