Otter Expedition: Provincetown
There are only a handful of "gay travel destinations" in the US: Fire Island, Palm Springs, Ogunguit, Key West (where Mike and I are getting married) and Provincetown. That doesn't include major cities or the smaller coastal villages, of course, but the main list is short!
We were long overdue for a summer vacay, so we high tailed it over to Boston, then took a 90 min ferry to Provincetown, Massachusetts!
Provincetown is at the very tip of Cape Cod. It's known for it's thriving (and super accepting) LGBTQ+ community, but also has the quintessential elements of any Cape Cod town: a bustling main street, adorable boutique shops, great seafood restaurants, a marina and a long beach.
This trip marks our SIXTH Otter Expedition with Lark Hotels. Can you tell we're obsessed with them?
Lark just opened their newest property, the AWOL Hotel, right at the edge of town. It's an 8 min bike ride to main street in one directed and a 5 min bike ride to the beach in the other. They renovated a long standing motel into a beautiful boutique property and it is absolute interior design GOALS! The rooms are filled with warm linen and cotton textiles and have a huge emphasis on texture. They kept the color palette tight, sticking to creams, whites and greys. It's exactly how I would want my home to look if I owned a beach-front bungalow.
All Lark Hotels offer similar amenities, including a homemade, American tapas style breakfast, but AWOL also has rattan beach bags prepped in every room, golden pineapple ice buckets, canned cocktails, Turkish towels, fire pits, a pool, picnic tables and complementary bicycles. Their second floor rooms have balcony day beds, and their main level rooms have extended decks with outdoor sofas. It's super chic!!
They only opened a few weeks ago, but they already have plans to add lawn games and s'mores kits to complete their front yard renovation.
We biked into town every day and went to the beach, but spent most of our time just lounging by the pool with a canned cocktail. It was the best kind of summer vacation!!
We met a few friends in P-Town who passed down their ridiculously comprehensive list of things to do. I'm passing it on to you, and adding on a few of my own! After spending the weekend at AWOL, we are absolutely making a yearly summer pilgrimage to Provincetown. ;)
DINE-
Strangers and Saints- a "portside tavern" with great food and a cool bar scene
The Red Inn- beautiful, higher end dinner spot (book way in advance!)
Victor's- chic dinner
The Mew's- quintessential Cape Cod dinner
Joon- chic casual dinner
Canteen- casual with cute beach area & great lobster roll
Pop + Dutch- "Soups, Sandwiches & Lube" .... yes, you can get all three
Spindler's- French Inspired
Pepe's Warf- cocktails with an upstairs view of the water
Perry's Wine & Liquor- wine shop
ScottCakes- Only one kind of cupcake, but it's the best
DO-
Herring Cove Beach
Ride a bike along the dunes, forest & beach
Walk to the Breakwater end of Commercial Street
Low Tide stroll on the West End of Race Point Beach
Cape Cod Provincelands Trail
Paddle board or kayak in the Bay
P-Town Art Museum/ Gallery Hop Commercial St
Whale watch
DANCE/DRINK-
Boatslip- Tea Dance happens every day at 4pm (everyone goes to tea before dinner. everyone.)
MENSWEAR SHOPS-