Falmouth (Massachusetts) - town in Massachusetts, United States

Falmouth is a town in Massachusetts on Cape Cod's southwest corner. It includes the villages of Woods Hole, West Falmouth, North Falmouth, Hatchville, Silver Beach, East Falmouth, Teaticket, and Waquoit. It is the Cape's second most populous town.

Get in

By car

Falmouth is best accessed via Route 25 to the Bourne Bridge. At the traffic circle on the Cape Cod side of the bridge take Route 28 south. Traffic will be heavy at peak travel times during the summer. Falmouth is about a 70-mi drive (112 km) from Boston and will take at least 1 hr 15 min.

By bus

• Plymouth & Brockton Street Railway, 17 Elm Av., Hyannis, +1 508-771-6191. Service between most Cape towns.
• Peter Pan Bus Lines. Service between Bourne, Falmouth, Barnstable and Hyannis.

Get around

• Visitor Information Center, 20 Academy Ln.
• WHOOSH Trolley (dead link: January 2023). Local seasonal service around Falmouth.

See

Galleries

• Osborn & Rugh Gallery, 114 Palmer Ave, 41.55614°, -70.62122°, +1 508 548-2100. Jan-Mar: W-M 10AM-4PM; Apr-Dec: W-M 10AM-5PM. Watch the husband and wife artists at work at their easels on landscapes, still lifes and portraits in this studio that doubles as a gallery. 2018-06-06

Museums

• Falmouth Museums on the Green, 55 Palmer Av, 41.55526°, -70.61969°, +1 508 548-4857. M-F 10AM-3PM, Sa 10AM-1PM. $5 2018-06-06

Parks

• Spohr Gardens, 45 Fells Rd (off Oyster Pond Rd.), 41.54298°, -70.64156°. This beautiful ambling garden overlooks the Shining Sea Bikeway and Oyster Pond. A short bike or car ride from the village itself. A collection of old millstones & ship's anchors ranging from large to huge, decorate the pathways along the pond. Nice place for a walk or picnic. 2018-06-05

Do

• Corner Cycle, 115 Palmer Ave, +1 508 540-4195. 9AM-6PM daily. Top quality bike rentals 2/10 mile (.32 km) away from the path, friendly and knowledgeable staff. 2018-06-06

Beaches

Lifeguards at all public beaches in season 9AM-5PM. Windsurfing allowed before or after these hours.

• Falmouth Heights Beach, Parking (fee).
• Old Silver Beach, Off Route 28A and Quaker Road, N. Falmouth, +1 508-548-7611, Parking, (fee), bathhouse, food. Arrive early.
• New Silver Beach, N. Falmouth
• Menauhant Beach, E. Falmouth, Parking (fee), food.
• Surf Drive Beach, Parking (fee), food.
• Chapoquoit Beach, W. Falmouth, Parking (fee).
• Woodneck Beach, W. Falmouth/Quisset.

Golf

• The Cape Club Resort, 125 Falmouth Woods Rd (North Falmouth), +1 508 540-4005. 18 holes, par 72, pro shop, driving range, lessons, clubhouse. 2018-06-06
• Cape Cod Country Club, 48 Theater Dr, North Falmouth, +1 508 563-9842. 18 hole, par 71, lessons, restaurant. 2018-06-06
• Falmouth Country Club, 630 Carriage Shop Rd, East Falmouth, +1 508 548-3211. 18 hole, par 72, clubhouse. 2018-06-06
• Paul Harney Golf Club, 74 Club Valley Dr (East Falmouth), +1 508 563-3454. 18 hole, par 59. 2018-06-06
• Quashnet Valley Country Club, 309 Old Barnstable Rd, +1 508 477-4412. 18 hole, par 72, pro shop, lessons, driving range, restaurant 2018-06-06

Sports

• Falmouth Commodores (Guv Fuller Field), 790 Main Street. In Cape Cod Baseball League action. Eleven players drafted by Major League Baseball teams in 2005. 2018-06-06

Theatre

• The Cape Cod Theatre Project (Falmouth Academy), 7 Highfield Drive, +1 508 457-4242. 2018-06-06
• Falmouth Theatre Guild (Historic Highfield Theater), 60 Highfield Dr. 2018-06-06

Tours

• Blue Fin Charters, 15 Madeline Rd (East Falmouth), +1 508 292-3244. $495 six-hour & $395 four-hour trip for Bass & Blues. 2018-06-06
• Cape Cod Parasail & Jet Ski, +1 508 398-7245. Fly single or double up to 800 feet. Dry takeoffs. Also jet ski, banana boat, more. 2018-06-06
• Hairball Charters, +1 617 755-1847. Fishing charters using custom lures for trophy fish. 2018-06-06
• Patriot Party Boats, 227 Clinton Av, +1 508 438-2626. Deep sea fishing twice daily. 2018-06-06

Events

• Cape Cod Marathon. This annual marathon winds its way across Falmouth the third weekend in October. 2018-06-05
• Falmouth Road Race. What began as a "pub crawl" is now an annual event bringing some 10,000 runners to Woods Hole for the start of the 7-mile course. Also an important qualifying race for the professional running circuit. Usually held the last week in August. 2018-06-05

Buy

• Pies a la Mode, 352 Main Street (at Shore Street), +1 508 540-8777. Fabulous pastries made here and, if you have cooking facilities, try the frozen chicken pies. 2018-06-06

Eat

See Woods Hole village article for other choices.

Budget

• Mary Ellen's Portuguese Bakery, 829 Main St, +1 508 540-9696. M-Sa 5AM-2PM, Su 6AM-2PM. A simple, small town diner. 2018-06-06
• Molly's Tea Room, 227 Main Street, +1 508 457-1666. Su-Th 11:30AM-7PM, F Sa 11:30AM-9PM. Nice quiet atmosphere, great, fresh sandwiches and pastries and fine teas. 2018-06-06
• Talk of The Town Diner, 358 North Falmouth Hwy, +1 508 563-3041. 7AM-1:30PM daily. Standard diner fare. 2018-06-06
• Betsy's Diner, 457 Main St, +1 508 540-0060. M-Sa 6AM-2PM, Su 7AM-2PM. An actual 1950s diner, not retro 50s. 2018-06-06
• The Golden Swan, 323 Main St, +1 508 540-6580. Indian, open in winter. 2018-06-06

Mid-range

• Firefly Woodfire Bar and Grille, 271 Main Street, +1 508 548-7953. Daily 11:30AM-10PM. 2018-06-06
• Clam Shack, 227 Clinton Ave, +1 508 540-7758. Noon-7:30PM daily. Fried seafood, right on Falmouth Harbor. 2018-06-06
• Oysters Too, 876 E Falmouth Hwy (East Falmouth), +1 508 548-9191. 2018-06-06
• Quarterdeck Restaurant, 164 Main St, +1 508 548-9900. Lunch 11:30AM-4:30PM, dinner 5PM-10PM. Year round. Use of salvaged wood and ship parts creates a "below decks" atmosphere. $15-25 2018-06-06

Splurge

• The Flying Bridge, 220 Scranton Av (off Main Street), +1 508 548-2700. Mid Apr-Mid Oct. Fresh seafood, pastas and steaks, overlooking Falmouth Harbor. If the wait is long, be sure to take a stroll along the boardwalk and look at the boats docked at the marina. 2018-06-06

Drink

• Cape Cod Winery, 681 Sandwich Rd (East Falmouth), +1 508-457-7285, capecodwine@msn.com. Jul-Aug: Th-Su noon-4PM; Sep-Dec: Sa Su noon-4PM. Open for wine tasting on weekends. Winery tours are Sa (July and August) at 2PM. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Grigio, Seyval and Vidal. Produces 2500 cases of wine annually. 2018-06-06
• Grumpy's Pub, 29 Locust Street, +1 508 540-3930. Great live music Th-Su Not a touristy place at all. Nice local crowd. 2018-06-06
• J.R. Brody's Roadside Tavern, 734 Teaticket Highway (East Falmouth), +1 508 444-8677. M-Sa 11:30-1AM, Su noon-1AM. 2018-06-12
• Liam Maguire's Irish Pub, 273 Main St, +1 508 548-0285. 2018-06-06

Coffee

• Coffee Obsession, 110 Palmer Av, +1 508 540-2233. M-Sa 6:00AM-5:30PM, Su 6:30AM-5:00PM. Internet and coffee connection. 2018-06-06

Sleep

Budget

• Sippewissett Cabins & Campgrounds, 836 Palmer Avenue, +1 508 548-2542. 100 sites. 2018-06-12
• Cape Cod Campresort, 176 Thomas Landers Rd (East Falmouth), +1 508 548-1458. 200 sites. 2018-06-12
• Falmouth Inn, 824 Main St, +1 508-540-2500. From $120 2018-06-12

Mid-range

• The Admiralty Inn, 51 Teaticket Hwy (East Falmouth), +1 508-548-4240. 2018-06-12
• ShoreWay Acres Inn, 59 Shore St, +1 508-540-3000. Year round. 2018-06-12
• Holiday Inn Falmouth, 291 Jones Road, +1 508 540-2000. Full-service Holiday Inn. Indoor heated pool, fitness room, guest laundry facilities, private meeting and function rooms. Kansas City Steakhouse Restaurant on property. From $190 2018-06-12
• Inn on the Square, 40 N Main St, +1 508 457-0606. The hotel features colonial architecture with luxury rooms close to Falmouth Village Green, downtown, the beaches and the shuttle to Martha's Vineyard. Large indoor pool, private courtyard and patio, and complimentary deluxe continental breakfast. 2018-06-12
• Green Harbor Waterfront Lodging, 134 Acapesket Rd (East Falmouth), +1 508-548-4747. Apr-Oct. Waterfront resort featuring heated pools, boat ramp, and many outdoor activities. 2018-06-12

Splurge

• Palmer House Inn, 81 Palmer Ave, +1 508 548-1230. 12-room B&B. $210-320 2018-06-12
• Sea Crest Resort & Conference Center, 350 Quaker Rd (North Falmouth), +1 508 540-9400. Large oceanfront resort with fine dining. 2018-06-12

Go next

After exploring Cape Cod, move on to Boston or elsewhere in New England.