It’s no secret that hydrangeas can be found in full bloom during the New England summer. New England, specifically Cape Cod and its islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard are one of the best places to find hydrangeas in the USA. Even though I’m a Bostonian but have lived in London and traveled around the world, Nantucket is still one of my favorite places to visit especially when the hydrangeas bloom. The many spots of New England where you can find a cool, summer sea breeze are what help these hydrangeas thrive. The Cape Cod hydrangeas are so popular it even has a Cape Cod hydrangeas festival dedicated solely to its colorful blooms. Keep reading for where to find the famous blooms of the Cape Cod hydrangeas, they’re a sight not to be missed!
Where to find Cape Cod Hydrangeas
How to get to Cape Cod
There are three ways to travel to Cape Cod. The easiest and most obvious would be by car. If you’re driving from Boston it will only take just over an hour (depending on traffic of course). Even though it will take just over an hour to drive from Boston and cross over to Cape Cod via the Bourne or Sagamore Bridge, it will take a few more hours to drive up to the Northernmost point, Provincetown.
You can also travel by boat on the Boston Cape Cod ferry. This ferry departs downtown Boston and arrives in Provincetown, Cape Cod. Provincetown is one of the best day trips from Boston, and this is the best way to get to Cape Cod if you’re only planning to visit for a day. Flying to Cape Cod would be the third option. Keep in mind the summer months are the busiest on Cape Cod, and tickets can get quite expensive.
Cape Cod has some of the best beach towns in New England and the USA, here’s a comprehensive guide to them all!
Best Time to Visit Cape Cod
Cape Cod is not only a popular summer destination in the United States but also for New Englanders. Since Cape Cod is quite large, many New Englanders have second homes that they escape to in the summer. The population swells and doubles during summertime on Cape Cod. If you’re looking for the perfect time to visit during peak bloom, unfortunately, the summer is the best time, and usually around the Fourth of July holiday. This holiday is always celebrated on the Cape, and it’s one of the busiest times to visit Cape Cod. Keep in mind you’ll need to book your accommodations early in the year. You can also check the dates of the Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival.
Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard are also wonderful places to find Cape Cod hydrangeas. Sadly the Cape Cod hydrangea festival does not extend to these islands, but they’re still wonderful to visit. Here’s a comprehensive guide to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, complete with all the information you need to know how to get to these islands!
Meliss Meets World uses affiliate links and earns a commission from any purchases you choose to make from our affiliate links. This is at no additional cost to you, for more information please refer to our policies.
The Best Places to find Cape Cod Hydrangeas by Town
Chatham is not only known to be home to some of the best Cape Cod beaches but also Chatham Light and one of the more popular Cape Cod attractions including Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge. Chatham is also the perfect town to spot the Cape Cod hydrangeas in full bloom, keep reading to see why!
Cape Cod’s Chatham
There are three prime locations where you can find Cape Cod hydrangeas in Chatham. These include Main Street, Chatham Bars Inn, and the “Hydrangea House” on Shore Road. Chatham is a relatively small town, and finding any of these locations won’t be difficult. Main Street in Chatham has some of the best restaurants in Cape Cod, and my favorite ice cream shop in Massachusetts, Buffy’s. You can easily walk from Main Street to Chatham Bars Avenue to Shore Road. If you take this route you will walk right by the “Hydrangea House”. The surrounding residential areas are stunningly beautiful and usually filled with Cape Cod hydrangeas. Don’t forget to stroll past the cottages of Chatham Bars Inn located right on the water. Most of these seaside cottages will be heavily adorned with hydrangeas.
Best Places to Stay on Cape Cod
Chatham Bars Inn: This is consistently rated as one of the best hotels on Cape Cod, and a perfect spot to stay if you’re visiting the Cape Cod hydrangeas!
Wequasset Harwich: Similar to the Chatham Bars Inn this is another five-star luxury hotel on Cape Cod. You will find their property adorned with hydrangeas as well!
Crowne Point Inn adults-only Provincetown: The best adults-only hotel in Provincetown.
Ocean Edge Resort Brewster: Another popular spot on Cape Cod, the Ocean Edge is a great spot for families, and not too far from all the beautiful Cape Cod hydrangeas in Chatham.
AWOL Hotel Provincetown: One of the best hotels to stay in Provincetown, this is another great area of the Cape to spot hydrangeas.
Faraway Nantucket: The best location on Nantucket. Even though this isn’t on the Cape itself, this location is central in the heart of Nantucket and is worth a visit!
Brewster by the Sea Inn
Even though this is another one of the best places to stay on Cape Cod, they have the most beautiful display of hydrangeas during the season! They also are located right down the road from the beach!
Where to find Cape Cod Hydrangeas in Provincetown
Provincetown is one of my favorite spots on Cape Cod and has quite a few areas where you can find Cape Cod hydrangeas as well. Provincetown is such a great day trip from Boston, but this is the best hotel in Provincetown if you’re looking to stay. The best place to find the beautiful blooms in Provincetown is Commercial Street, here’s the exact location where you can find them.
The Cape’s Heritage Museum & Gardens
This is somewhat of a hidden gem in the Cape. There was an expansion in 2020 of the Cape Cod hydrangeas showcase. This expansion includes different kinds of hydrangeas and the garden website states should be maturing this season in 2024! These gardens are a beauty. You could spend just the afternoon or a whole day here, it is quite a large property with a museum and gardens!
Where to find Cape Cod Hydrangeas on Nantucket
Nantucket is one of the best places in the USA to find hydrangeas, and one of the best places in Cape Cod as well. Nantucket is one of the Cape’s islands, only thirty miles out at sea. Even though this is a small island, there are quite a few places you can find hydrangeas.
Check out this comprehensive guide on how to visit this magical island. It includes the best way to get to Nantucket from Cape Cod and all the best things to see and do on Nantucket!
Downtown near Centre Street
A quaint, historic hotel- the Jared Coffin House is located on the corner here at Centre Street. They have a decent amount of hydrangeas themselves, but if you keep walking in this residential area you’ll find many more. The famous ‘Hunky Dory’ is also along this beautiful street.
The fairytale village of Sconset
You can find so many beautiful Cape Cod hydrangeas in Sconset. This special spot on Nantucket is one of the most magical, and my favorite on the island! You can find hydrangeas sprinkled around the residential area, and also along the Cliff Walk. You will also find them under Sconset Bridge on the way to the beach. If you’re looking for some of the best restaurants on Nantucket, check out Claudette’s!
The beautiful Cliff Road
This residential area has some of the most beautiful homes on Nantucket. Wander down this road to see the iconic house with the antique red, white, and blue cars. Continue towards Steps Beach, and near the entrance of the beach, you will also find some beautiful homes in that circle that have a good amount of hydrangeas.
Old North Wharf
The secret’s out about this iconic spot on Nantucket. It is a private, residential area so if you’re casually taking a walk by please make sure to respect the residents that live there and do not step within their private property.
Where to find Hydrangeas on Martha’s Vineyard
Martha’s Vineyard is the sister island of Cape Cod with Nantucket. The island is bigger than Nantucket, so you can find plenty of Cape Cod hydrangeas.
Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to get to Martha’s Vineyard from Cape Cod and all the best things to see and do!
The Vineyard’s cutest town Edgartown
Edgartown is the best spot to find Cape Cod hydrangeas on Martha’s Vineyard. This area is a bit bigger than the downtown area of Nantucket and also has a beautiful residential area close by. If you walk from town on Water Street heading towards Edgartown Harbor Lighthouse, this is a great area to find hydrangeas!
Check out the Beach Plumb Inn
This beautiful spot on the Vineyard is meant to have a wonderful amount of hydrangeas. This location is on the opposite side of the island from Edgartown, very close to the Aquinnah Cliffs.
Here are a few other posts you may enjoy:
Best Things to Do in Nantucket: A Weekend on Nantucket comprehensive guide
One Day in Martha’s Vineyard: How to get to Martha’s Vineyard
Best Waterfront Cape Cod Restaurants: Top 10 Restaurants with a view!
28 Best Beach Towns in New England: A Guide from a Local!
Best Day Trips from Boston: A Summer in New England
Share on Pinterest and save for later!
