The Cape Cod Canal – A Surprising Cape Cod Vacation Destination

When people ask what you did during your vacation and you tell them we went to the canal, you might get some strange looks. When you then start to explain to them all there is to do along the 17.4 miles of the Cape Cod Canal, you’re likely to get some company on your next Cape Cod vacation.

The Cape Cod Canal is a man made waterway, completed in 1916, that connects Buzzard’s Bay, on the south of the Cape, to Cape Cod Bay on the north. But that’s not the extent of it. Cape Cod Canal is also one of the most popular tourist attractions on the Cape due to the wide variety of recreational opportunities to be found along its shores.

With 7 mile service roads along both sides of the canal that are open to cyclists, joggers and walkers, fishing piers and bank fishing allowed along most of the shoreline,  park rangers who offer guided walks and presentations of the canal and its features, and opportunities for boating, ship watching and camping, there is no shortage of fun and excitement to be had at this canal.

The canal is also lined by comfort stations, parking areas, picnic areas and public benches that offer great rest stops or places to spend a quiet afternoon just watching the canal traffic float by.

Any visit to the canal should start at the Canal Visitor Center where you can watch video presentations on the canal’s history, wildlife and wildflowers. Next check out the radar and photo images of the canal as well as a  41 foot US Army Corp of Engineers patrol boat. Then, on your way out, make sure to grab one of the canal guides or brochures and spend the rest of the day discovering all the canal has to offer.

There’s also the Cape Cod Canal Railroad bridge, at the south end of the canal, which is a special treat for any who are interested in the operation of the canal itself. This 544 foot bridge which raises vertically to offer 135 feet of clearance to passing ships is one of the major draws for visitors to the canal and a real sight to see in operation. Thousand ton counterweights are located at either end of the bridge to assist four 150 hp electric motors in raising and lowering the 2,050 ton main span in about 2 and a half minutes.

You can see the Cape Cod Canal has a lot to offer, so make sure on your next Cape Cod vacation you take time to visit the Cape Cod canal.

Who ever knew a vacation to the canal could be so much fun?

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