Cape Cod Travel

We priced out three hypothetical Cape Cod getaways for Memorial Day weekend: a day trip, a couple's escape, and a family vacation for four.

By Annie Jonas

May 21, 2026 | 4:39 PM

3 minutes to read

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Cape Cod has long been Bay Staters’ go-to summer escape, and Memorial Day weekend is when the annual migration begins in earnest. 

Using recommendations from past Boston.com coverage and current Thursday morning pricing research, we mapped out three hypothetical Cape Cod getaways: a day trip, a weekend for two, and a family vacation for four.

For all three scenarios, we assumed travelers are driving from Greater Boston and filling up a 16-gallon gas tank at Massachusetts’ average gas price on Thursday, May 21: $4.50 per gallon, according to AAA. That puts a full tank at about $72.

Here’s what a last-minute Cape Cod escape could cost you this Memorial Day weekend.

Day trip

Maybe you can’t swing a long weekend, but you still want the Cape experience: salt air, seafood, and a little Route 6 traffic-induced character building.

Using Boston.com travel writer Kristi Palma’s itinerary for 12 hours on Cape Cod as inspiration, a one-day escape can still deliver the full Cape experience.

Start with a drive to Coast Guard Beach in Eastham, one of the Cape Cod National Seashore’s most iconic beaches. Entrance fees range from $15 for walk-ins to $25 per private vehicle. We used the vehicle rate for this estimate.

After the beach, stop by Cuffy’s for the quintessential Cape Cod souvenir experience and penny candy.

A happy-hour (between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.) stop at Port Restaurant and Bar in Harwich Port brings dollar oysters into the equation: one dozen at $1.50 apiece totals $18.

Then, dinner at Chatham Pier Fish Market means leaning fully into vacation mode with a $39 lobster roll, followed by an ice cream at Buffy’s in Chatham for $7.75.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Gas: $72
• Coast Guard Beach parking: $25
• Oysters at Port: $18
• Penny candy at Cuffy’s: $1
• Lobster roll at Chatham Pier Fish Market: $39
• Ice cream at Buffy’s: $7.75

Estimated total: $162.75

Couple’s getaway

For couples trying to squeeze in one early-summer escape before the Cape’s peak-season prices climb even higher, a long weekend can quickly add up.

Assuming a stay from Friday through Monday, stay at The Villages at Ocean Edge in Brewster — named by Conde Nast Traveler as a great Memorial Day weekend spot —  totaling $1,344.79 including taxes and fees.

Friday lunch could include two lobster rolls at reader-recommended Sesuit Harbor Cafe in Dennis for $37.38 each, followed by a seafood stew dinner ($32) and a nightcap (a glass of wine starts at $12) at wine bar Bailene, also in Dennis.

On Saturday, cocktails and shared plates at the new mystic-inspired Gypsy Sol in West Yarmouth make a perfect lunch, followed by dinner at Drifters in South Chatham with a shared roasted half chicken.

Sunday could feature lunch at Aplaya Kitchen & Tiki Bar in Chatham, an Italian dinner at Buca’s Tuscan Roadhouse in Harwich, and one final Cape Cod ritual: ice cream at Sundae School in Harwich Port.

Entertainment comes courtesy of the Wellfleet Drive-In, where you can combine mini golf and a late-night screening of “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”

Estimated breakdown:

• Gas: $72
• Lodging at The Villages at Ocean Edge: $1,344.79
• Sesuit Harbor Cafe lobster rolls: $74.76
• Bailene dinner and drinks: $56
• Gypsy Sol cocktails and shared plates: $98
• Drifters dinner: $36
• Aplaya Kitchen & Tiki Bar lunch: $29
• Buca’s Tuscan Roadhouse: $94
• Sundae School ice cream: approximately $15
• Wellfleet Drive-In movie tickets: $34
• Drive-in mini golf: $14

Estimated total: $1,867.55

Family of four vacation

For families, Cape Cod can get expensive — fast.

This scenario assumes a three-night stay from Friday through Monday at Bayside Resort Hotel in West Yarmouth for $1,083.27 total, including taxes and fees. The hotel has plenty of amenities for a family vacation: complimentary breakfast, indoor and outdoor pools, and an arcade.

Meals are a rough estimate, but plan on between $50 and $100 total for lunches each day and $150 for dinners. Chicken tenders with fries at Grumpy’s in East Dennis run $23.98 for two meals, plus an $18.99 seafood platter for the parents comes in at just under $50. For dinner, Captain Frosty’s in Dennis offers a half-pound fish and chips meal for $22.50.

For a splurge activity, try a whale watch with Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises at approximately $260 for four people. Or, head to Whydah Pirate Museum in Yarmouth for authentic pirate treasures. Adults get in for $24.84 and kids for $16.20.

And because no Cape vacation is complete without multiple ice cream runs, this estimate includes three days of stops at Ice Cream Smuggler in South Dennis.

Estimated breakdown:

• Gas: $72
• Bayside Resort Hotel stay: $1,083.27
• Lunches for three days: $300
• Dinners for three days: $450
• Whale watch cruise: $260
• Whydah Pirate Museum: $82.08
• Ice cream for four people over three days: $84

Estimated total: $2,331.35

Sticker shock aside, Memorial Day weekend remains the unofficial kickoff to a Cape Cod summer. And for many travelers, that first lobster roll is worth every dollar.