Explore Cape Cod A Perfect Day in Barnstable

Pain D'Avignon for breakfast, Fancy's sandwiches on the boat, and cookie monster ice cream at Gone Chocolate to finish. Megan & James' #1 tip: come in September — perfect weather, no crowds, and the village is all yours.

Copy of Dowses beach Large
Post Date
Thu, Jun 18
Explore Cape Cod
Love Local Field Guide
Barnstable Megan and James Cote

Explore Barnstable 

with Megan & James Cote of Osterville Hardware and Osterville Mercantile

From the pages of the 2026 Love Local Field Guide

Start your day at:

Grab coffee and breakfast at Pain D'Avignon, then walk to Armstrong Kelley Park for a hike and climbing structure. Also worth a stop: Osterville Village Library and Joshua's Pond. For a sit-down breakfast, try Fig Tree Cafe in Marstons Mills.

Spend your morning:

The Osterville Historical Museum hosts the Osterville Farmers Market every Friday in the summer, and it's always worth a visit. If we want to bring our dog out, a visit to Eagle Pond in Cotuit is a great morning activity. My kids also love a visit to the ever charming Cotuit Library.

Grab lunch at:

My kids love to have lunch atCrisp in Osterville. If we're heading out for a boat ride, we'll grab sandwiches fromFancy's Market to bring with us.

Spend your afternoon:

We love Dowses Beach in Osterville and Sandy Neck for rock collecting. For shopping, Osterville Village delivers -- Osterville Hardware, Osterville Mercantile, home decor, and clothing. And a drive along 6A through historic Barnstable Village is always worthwhile; stop into the Cape Cod Art Center along the way.

Indulge in a treat at:

For a treat, my kids love to go to Gone Chocolate for cookie monster ice cream. Also check out Candyville, which is new to Osterville. Jimmies Ice Cream in Marstons Mills is also a great choice.

End your day at:

When the weather is nice, our favorite evening activity is to bring our dinner to the beach. When James feels like cooking fish, he heads over to Osterville Fish.

Bonus -- Hidden Gem or Insider Tip:

Visit Osterville Village -- great shopping, restaurants, wellness, and outdoor activities, with easy access to other Barnstable villages. Come in September for perfect weather and no crowds. Grab a beach chair from Osterville Hardware, a book from the Mercantile, and enjoy.

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