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Sandwich is the first town on the Cape when you enter bythe northernmost route over the Sagamore Bridge . It has anarea of 44.4 square miles and had a population of 20,136 in2000. It is the home to many historical buildings, 3bayside beaches, the beginning of the Cape Cod Canal BikeTrail, 6 campgrounds, many motels and restaurants, and awalking trail that includes a very unique boardwalk.Sandwich is the oldest town on the Cape, settled byPlymouth pilgrims in 1637 and was incorporated in 1639.

Sandwich is one of the quieter towns on the Cape, yet itstill has plenty of things to do to provide a great vacation experience. The Cape Cod Canal runs along its northwestern border and has access to the Cape Cod Canal Bike Path. Thetrail is a 7 mile long service road that runs along bothsides of the canal from near Cape Cod Bay down to thesouthern end of the canal near Buzzards Bay. It is a havenfor walkers, bikers, rollerbladers and joggers. The pavedpathway is wide enough to accommodate two way traffic, andyou can go at your own pace. Since it is adjacent to thecanal, you can enjoy the ships and boats that pass by aswell. The pathway starts next to the Sandwich Marina andends near the railroad bridge. For maps and furtherinformation, visit the Army Corps of Engineers website.

Sandwich also has 3 beaches on the bay side - East SandwichBeach, Sandy Neck Beach and Town Neck Beach. East Sandwichand Town Neck beaches offer surf chairs for handicap useand have restroom facilities, and parking. There is a unique boardwalk incorporated into a walking trail that can be accessed at the end of Jarves and Harbor Streets off ofRoute 6A. The boardwalk leads to one of the townbeaches where you can relax and swim or walk on the beach.The town "sold" 1,700 planks to replace the original walk destroyed in a hurricane in the early 1990s. Don't forget to look down at the boards as you walk, as there are interesting messages carved into the 1,350 foot boardwalk.

There are two public golf courses in Sandwich - HollyRidge has a par 54 course, driving range and practice facility, and Sandwich Hollows Golf Club (once called Round Hill Golf Club) offers a par 71 course.

Sandwich reveals the very beginnings of our countrythrough old structures like the Dexter Grist Mill, theBenjamin Nye Homestead, the Wing Fort House and the HoxieHouse. Museums such as the Sandwich Glass Museum, theThornton W. Burgess Museum and the Yesteryear Doll Museumhave preserved the creativity and craftsmanship of theseearly pioneers.

The Thornton W. Burgess Museum and off-shoot Green Briar Nature Museum are great places for families. Together they offer a wide selection of programs on a year-round basis.

The Sandwich Glass Museum displays the history of glassmaking and its contribution to Sandwich and the country aswell as a fine collection of historical glass pieces. Themuseum also has glass-blowing demonstrations, a multi-mediatheater, contemporary glass displays and a lightinggallery.

The Heritage Museum & Gardens has many programs tooffer for all ages. In addition, the museum houses exhibitsfeaturing regional art, nature's treasures, theCape Cod Baseball League of Fame, Marching Miniatures: OurNation's Military traditions, Playthings of the Past, andAutomobilia. There is a labyrinth on the grounds, as well asgardens to explore, too. The museum sponsors the summerconcerts on Thursdays at the Band Stand (weatherpermitting), auto shows, children's musicals, craft classesand much more.

Be sure to visit the other historic houses and structures that show the way the pioneer settlers lived and survived during the mid-1600s.

There is a State Fish Hatchery on Route 6A heading out towardsBarnstable that offers tours, as well as the SandwichMarina on the canal near the Cape Cod Canal Visitors'Center. In the late afternoon youcan often see boats arriving at the marina with their catchof the day. Along the canal there are manyplaces to fish or watch the boats, including the boardwalk that runsright on the canal near the marina. There are rest roomsand picnic tables here, and a small playground on the loop road near the marina. For further tourist information about Sandwich you can stopby the Information Booth on Route 130 near Beale Avenue, orcall 508-888-0378 or 508-888-9115.

Sandwich village center has some unique and interesting individual shops mostwithin a short walk of each other. Stores have intriguingnames such as Wicked Goods, Cotton Seeds Mercantile, TheWeather Store and The Brown Jug. You can buy gifts from home decor, lightning detectors,gourmet artesian cheese and fine Beluga caviar, to onionlamps, a cast iron teapot with infuser or a handmade tile.And of course, there is always the original artwork bylocal artists and paintings and photographs of Cape Codavailable.

Merchants Square shopping plaza is located between Route 6and Tupper Road, and includes a modern-day supermarket, post office, chocolatier, jewelers,framing/gift/packing/shipping store, liquor store, winecellar and a collectibles store. It also includesbusinesses such as an acupuncturist, music & arts store,office systems store and clothing stores.

It's easy to forget the little shops that dot Route 6A, butbe sure to stop in as they often have unique items youwon't find in other shops. A very detailed map ofSandwich is available in the resource area.

Sandwich offers a wide variety of lodging - from camping toluxury - with something for every budget. There are 6campgrounds, 8 hotels & motels, and 9 Bed & Breakfastswithin Sandwich. Handicap accessible lodging can be foundat Dan'l Webster Inn and the Shawme-Crowell State ForestCampground. Pet-friendly accommodations are listed atPeters Pond Park (camping), and Sandwich Lodge & Resort(motel). For one of the more unusual lodging experiences onthe Cape, there is the Belfry Inne - an old church that hasbeen converted to a B&B.

>From walk-up fast food to elegant settings, you can havewhatever experience you want in Sandwich for dining. From ahot dog to a sumptuous 5-course meal, you can find it here.We counted at least 27 restaurants in Sandwich. You can experience fine dining in the Belfry Inne - an oldchurch that is now a B&B. Or how about an elegant afternoontea at the Dunbar Tea Shop? Than there is always therelaxed and intimate luxury of the Dan'l Webster Inn. Or you might get takeout at one of the restaurantsnear the marina and sit and eat while you watch theactivity along the canal. If you call ahead to some local seafoodmarkets, they'll cook your lobster and have it waiting for you, too! One tip if you want good lobster rolls but don't want tospend restaurant prices - try the local grocery store inthe deli or meat department.

As you can see, you don't have to venture far out onto Cape Cod to get a taste of all that it has to offer.Between the museums, beaches, shopping, Cape Cod canal,walking trails and other opportunities, you will haveplenty available to do in Sandwich. And with the variety oflodging and dining establishments in town, you won't haveto travel far to get "home" when you're day in Sandwich isdone.