From Wikitravel
Bourne [1] is in Massachusetts on Cape Cod. The Cape Cod Canal
runs through it. Bourne includes seven villages: Bournedale,
Buzzards Bay, Cataumet, Monument Beach, Pocasset, Sagamore and Sagamore Beach.
Bourne, settled in 1637, was incorporated in 1884 (before that it
was part of Sandwich). The Bourne village of Buzzards Bay is home
to Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
Sagamore Bridge over Cape Cod Canal
Get in
Bourne is about 1 hour from Boston and 1.25 hours from Providence, RI by highway.
Get around
Bicycling is possible, a car is preferred.
- Upper Cape Taxi, 508-540-1290. [2]
- All American Taxi, 508-759-4281.
- Aptucxet Trading Post Museum, 24 Aptucxet Rd.,
+1 508-759-9487
[3]. The trading post building dates back to at least 1621. A
number of historical exhibits and herb and wildflower gardens.
- National Marine Life Center, 120 Main St.,
+1 508-759-8722. Displays and exhibits about marine life.
Free.
- Jonathan Bourne Historical Center, 30 Keene
St., +1 508-759-8167[4]. M,Tu
9AM-2:30PM, W 6:30PM-8:30PM.
- Bourne Society Historic House, 22 Sandwich
Rd., +1 508-759-6120
- Pairpoint Glass Company, Rt. 6A (Just north of
the Sagamore Bridge), Sagamore +1 508-888-2344.
8:30AM-4:30PM. Watch glass blowers at their trade. Gift Shop.
- Cartwheels 2, 160 MacArthur Blvd (Route 28),
1-508-743-9930, [5]. Go karts, inline
skating, bumper cars, lazer tag, and more.
- Walk, bike or rollerblade along the Cape Cod Canal,
[6].
- Fish the canal or just watch the ships and boats pass
through.
- Watch the Bourne Braves play in
Cape Cod Baseball League action. Upper Cape Regional Technical
School -- Over Bourne Bridge. At the rotary, go three-quarters of
the way around and bear right onto Sandwich Road. The school is
ahead atop a hill to the right.
- 'Remember 'Chocolate House Fudge',
copper-kettle fresh at Chocolatte',11 Cranberry Highway, Sagamore
(next to the Christmas Tree Store), 508 888-7065, [7].
- U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Visitor
Center,Ed Moffitt Dr., Sandwich
(Directions: Over Sagamore Bridge onto Cape Cod, Route 6, take
Exit 1, RIGHT at light onto Rt. 6A, after entering Sandwich, LEFT
onto Tupper Rd, LEFT onto Freezer Rd. at Aqua, RIGHT onto Moffitt
Dr, follow signs) +1 508-833-9678. Free. All about
the Canal, including how it is watched and run. Well worth the
trip.
-
- 2006 Hours: 10AM-5PM.
- May 11-Jun. 24 Open Th-Su;
- Jun. 25-Aug. 31 Open daily;
- Sep. 1-Oct. 15 Open Wed-Su.
The Cape Cod Canal and its bridges are the most striking
features of Bourne and hosts a variety of recreational activities.
The primary purpose of the Canal is to provide a safe navigation
channel for vessels. Because of the treacherous seas along the
outer beaches of Cape Cod, the idea of the canal was considered as
early as the 1620s. Finally it was constructed between 1909 and
1914. The Canal saves about 135 miles of open sea travel on
average. Since 1928 the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers has operated
the waterway toll free to adequately powered vessels. The Corps of
engineers maintains the three bridges that span the canal and also
manages the Canal for public recreational use.
- Cape Cod Recreation Hotline: +1
508-759-5991.
Some of the recreational uses and facilities are:
Convenient Canal access points have been developed and equipped
with parking lots, picnic areas and rest rooms.
Two service roads which parallel both sides of the Canal are
available for bicycling, rollerblading, jogging and walking. Each
service Road is about 7 mi (11 km) long. Locals use these year
round.
The Canal provides a close-up view of ocean going ships and tugs
underway as they go between Buzzards Bay and Cape Cod Bay. All
manner of ships go through including cruise ships, cargo ships,
tankers and jumbo car carriers. During the school year, locals and
enthusiasts can get the treat of seeing the ship at the Mass
Maratime Academy leaving dock and heading out to sea
Salt water fishing is permitted from the Canal banks in all
areas except the Canal Administration and Massachusetts Maritime
Academy area. Fishing is also available from the Scusset Beach
fishing pier. Fishing and lobstering is subject to state
regulations and licensing. Taking of herring is subject to Town of
Bourne regulations and quotas.
Exhibits and information about the Canal are available at the
Herring Run Visitor Center in Bournedale on Scenic Highway and also
at the Administration Building. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Park
Rangers offer a variety of guided walks, bike hikes and other
educational programs along the Cape Cod Canal throughout the Summer
and Fall.
If adequately powered, recreational vehicles are permitted to
use the canal. Sailing is prohibited; sailboats must use auxiliary
power. Vessels must stay to the right and give way to larger
vessels. There is a 10 MPH speed limit and a no wake policy
enforced by the Corps of Engineers, located in Buzzards Bay.
- Swimming and scuba diving are prohibited in
the canal due to the often swift current.
- Beaches While swimming directly in the canal
is strictly prohibited due to the swift current, Bourne does offer
a select few beach coves safe from the current.
-
- Gray Gables Beach is a small beach nestled in the Gray Gables
Village that has has a roped in swimming area for kids, space for
buoyed boats, a raft to swim to, and life guard services until six
o'clock p.m. This local secret has limited parking and is just a
couple miles away from the local market.
- The Dike is a local favorite that extends on both sides of the
Mashnee Island Causeway in Gray Gables Village. This long stretch
of flat sandy beach offers swimming, space for boating, tubing,
knee boarding and jet-skiing, however, there are no available
lifeguard services. It is only a quick walk away from a beachside
lunch at the Mashnee Island Bar and Grill.
- Monument Beach, located in Monument Beach Village near the post
office and Cumberland Farms, and directly across the bay from 'The
Dike' this smaller beach has swimming areas and a small dock for
boaters. There is also a playground and tennis courts available
adjacent to the the beach. Take a walk across the street to grab
some ice cream at the Whistle Stop or go to Cumberland farms.
-
- The Bournedale Hills Trail extends 1.4 mi (2.25 km) along the
north side of the Canal from Bourne Scenic park to the Herring Run.
The trail includes a .8 mi (1.25 km) self guided loop which
interprets the Canal's historic and natural features.
- In Scusset Beach State Reservation the .7 mi (1.1 km) trail to
Sagamore Hill provides access to an area that was once a Native
American Indian meeting ground and later the site of a World War II
coastal fortification with an excellent view of Cape Cod Bay.
The East Boat Basin on the south side of the Canal in Sandwich
has slips for recreational and commercial vessels. On a fee basis,
boaters may use the marina's slips or boat ramp. On the west end of
the Canal the Buttermilk Bay channel provides boaters access to the
Taylor point Marina operated by the Town of Bourne.
-
- Kingman Yacht Center, 1 Shipyard Lane, +1
508-563-7136. Perfect if you own a yacht and are looking to
register for a slip, or if you want to just float on up for a lunch
at the Chartroom. If you don't have a boat and are just looking for
somewhere to walk around, enjoy the water, have a bite to eat, look
at the boats, or buy a gift, Kingman has all the perfect
accommodations.
The Corps of Engineers leases land to the Bourne Recreation
Authority for Bourne Scenic Park campground and to the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts for Scusset Beach State Reservation where
recreational vehicles may use camp sites.
The traffic bridges that span the canal were built
simultaneously in the early 1930s to replace the cantilevered spans
before them. The Sagamore Bridge and Bourne Bridge
are four lanes wide, have a span of 616 ft (187.75 m) and leave a
vertical clearance of 135 ft (41 m) above high water. Over
35,000,000 car trips cross the bridges each year.
The unusual "vertical lift" railroad bridge,
also built in the early 1930s, has a 544 ft (166 m) horizontal span
with 271 ft (83 m) high towers. The bridge is normally kept in the
raised position 135 ft (41 m) above mean high water. Train trips
used to be very important, but now the railroad bridge is used
mainly for trash removal trains.
- Periwinkles Gifts, "+1"508-563-3077. Nestled
inside Kingman Marina in the village of Cataumet, Periwinkles
offers some Cape Cod themed gifts, along with a selection of
novelty jewelry, accessories, signs, and household items perfect to
top off any Cape Cod visit. Look for this shop immediately to the
left of the main parking lot when you enter the yacht center.
- The Factory Outlet Mall, One Factory Outlet
Mall Road, "+1"508-888-8417. With 22 stores, one restaurant, and a
nail salon, this indoor outlet mall has a wide variety of outlet
shopping including the Dress Barn, Bass, and Nine West. In the
fall, be sure to check out the large Halloween store close to the
food court for a wide variety of costumes and novelty items. During
May 2 - December 24, the mall is open from 9:30 to 9:00 Monday
through Saturday, and from December 26 to May 1, the hours change
to 9:30 to 6:00 Monday through Saturday and 11:00 to 6:00 on
Sunday.
- The Clothes Den, 41 Meetinghouse Ln. This shop
is located in a small strip mall in Sagamore Beach. It sells a
variety of discounted clothes from brands such as American Eagle,
mainly for teenage girls and boys.
- Bourne Scallop Fest, Buzzards Bay, [8]. -- Mid September
(2008: Sep 19th-21, the 39th annual).
- Beachmoor Inn & Restaurant, 11 Buttermilk
Way, Buzzards Bay, +1 508-759-7522, [9]. Fine dining. Great bay
views with sunsets. Tucked down near Mass. Maritime Academy.
- Sunset Grille at Brookside Club, 1 Brigadoon
Rd, +1 508-743-0705, [10]. Lunch, dinner
with outdoor seating available overlooking the golf course with bay
views and sunsets.
- The Chart Room, 1 Shipyard Lane, Cataumet,
+1 508-563-5350. Seasonal mid May-mid Oct. Hours: Mid
June-early Sept daily 11:30AM-10PM; Shoulder season Su changes to
11:30AM-3PM only. One of Bourne's better places. Great harbor
sunsets. Piano bar. Reserve. $12-$25.
- Krua Thai, 100 Main St., Buzzards Bay,
+1 508-759-9662. Take out.
- Leo's Seafood Restaurant, 249 Main St.,
Buzzards Bay, +1 508-759-7557.
- Lobster Pot, 3155 Cranberry Hwy., Buzzards
Bay, +1 508-759-3876.
- The Lobster Trap, 290 Shore Road, +1
508-759-7600. In the summer, try this for a truly authentic
experience.
- Stir Crazy, 626 Route 28, Pocasset,
+1 508-564-6464. Dinner Tu-Su, Lunch F only. Popular
Oriental cooking, fresh from scratch. Inexpensive.
- International House of Pancakes, 2 Bourne
Rotary, (508) 759-1161.
- Whistle Stop Ice Cream Shop, 435 Shore Road.
Owned and operated by a local family, this train-themed summer shop
offers traditional handmade ice cream and waffle cones while
offering a local neighborhood feel. Look for it directly attached
to the Cumberland Farms convinient store and gas station.
- Trowbridge Tavern, "+1" 508 759-1776, [11]. A local
restaurant and pub that hosts weekly local music, pizza bargains,
and Trivia Night. Look for it attached to the Bridge-Bourne Best
Western Hotel, off the first exit on the Bourne Rotary.
- Mashnee Island Grill, 161 Leeward Road,"+1"
508 759-9390.A seasonal restaurant and bar with a great view of and
access to the beach. With outdoor and indoor accommodations as well
as availability to host a party, the Beach Club is great for a
summer meal. Also look for the Quahog Republic downstairs for some
tee-shirts, key chains, or other gifts.
- Friendly's Ice Cream, 10 Canal Rd, "+1"
508-888-6866, This Friendly's can be a little tricky to get to
because of renovations on the Sagamore Roatary, but taking the
first exit off the Sagamore Bridge and taking a right at the lights
will get you on the road toward the restaurant.
- Courtyard Resturant & Pub, 1337 County
Road. edit
- Best Western Bridge-Bourne Hotel, 100
Trowbridge Rd., +1 508-759-0800,[12].
- Bourndale Village Inn, 834 Scenic Hwy.,
+1 508-888-2796.
- Cape Cod Canalside Bed & Breakfast, 7
Coastal Way, +1 508-759-6564, [13]. One suite, and two
rooms. View of the Canal.
- Jaspers Too Motel, 101 Maple St., Buzzards
Bay, +1 508-759-3003.
- Scenic View Motel, 871 Scenic Hwy.,
+1 508-888-3331 - Right across from the Canal at the
Herring Run Recreation Area.
- Bourne Scenic Park Campground, Bourne Scenic
Hwy., +1 508-759-7873,[14]. 456 sites. Right
on the Cape Cod Canal. Loved by people in nearby towns.
- Bay View Campgrounds, 260 MacArthur Blvd.,
+1 508-759-7610, [15]. 425 sites.
Get out
Day trips to other areas of Cape Cod or to Plymouth or Boston are good choices.
| This is a usable article. It has
information for getting in as well as some complete entries for
restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this
article, but please plunge forward and help it grow! |
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