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A trip to Falmouth is not complete without a visit to the fishing village of Woods Hole.  And once in Woods Hole there is plenty to see and do but don’t miss the house boats!

Early summer is the time that the house boats of Woods Hole move from their perch in the “Eel Pond” (as the totally enclosed harbor inside the drawbridge is called) out to their moorings in Woods Hole’s Great Harbor.

For the last few weeks, the drawbridge in Woods Hole has been occupied with the migration of these unique miniature houses, a slow march out to their spectacular perches looking out over all of Woods Hole.  Perilously close to the multi-million dollar houses of Penzance Point, these tiny cabins have some of the most spectacular views in town…plus no need for air conditioning; out on the water, it’s breezy and cool most days.

Visitors come by boat from as far as Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Chatham to see this incredibly charming collection (and also to fish the Woods Hole gut which is arguably some of the best fishing on the East Coast).  You can see them from the land at Waterfront Park in Woods Hole, and also from the public dock next to the Woods Hole Aquarium.  A wonderful way to get to Woods Hole from most Falmouth locations is to ride the Shining Sea bikepath.

But the best way to see them up close is to get out in a boat, so ask your B&B host to help you set up a fishing charter or day sail for the most excellent snooping.  And in the meantime, here are a few more photos to inspire you.

A trip to Falmouth is not complete without a visit to the fishing village of Woods Hole.  And once in Woods Hole there is plenty to see and do but don’t miss the house boats!

Early summer is the time that the house boats of Woods Hole move from their perch in the “Eel Pond” (as the totally enclosed harbor inside the drawbridge is called) out to their moorings in Woods Hole’s Great Harbor.

For the last few weeks, the drawbridge in Woods Hole has been occupied with the migration of these unique miniature houses, a slow march out to their spectacular perches looking out over all of Woods Hole.  Perilously close to the multi-million dollar houses of Penzance Point, these tiny cabins have some of the most spectacular views in town…plus no need for air conditioning; out on the water, it’s breezy and cool most days.

Visitors come by boat from as far as Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Chatham to see this incredibly charming collection (and also to fish the Woods Hole gut which is arguably some of the best fishing on the East Coast).  You can see them from the land at Waterfront Park in Woods Hole, and also from the public dock next to the Woods Hole Aquarium.  A wonderful way to get to Woods Hole from most Falmouth locations is to ride the Shining Sea bikepath.

But the best way to see them up close is to get out in a boat, so ask your B&B host to help you set up a fishing charter or day sail for the most excellent snooping.  And in the meantime, here are a few more photos to inspire you.

A trip to Falmouth is not complete without a visit to the fishing village of Woods Hole.  And once in Woods Hole there is plenty to see and do but don’t miss the house boats!

Early summer is the time that the house boats of Woods Hole move from their perch in the “Eel Pond” (as the totally enclosed harbor inside the drawbridge is called) out to their moorings in Woods Hole’s Great Harbor.

For the last few weeks, the drawbridge in Woods Hole has been occupied with the migration of these unique miniature houses, a slow march out to their spectacular perches looking out over all of Woods Hole.  Perilously close to the multi-million dollar houses of Penzance Point, these tiny cabins have some of the most spectacular views in town…plus no need for air conditioning; out on the water, it’s breezy and cool most days.

Visitors come by boat from as far as Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Chatham to see this incredibly charming collection (and also to fish the Woods Hole gut which is arguably some of the best fishing on the East Coast).  You can see them from the land at Waterfront Park in Woods Hole, and also from the public dock next to the Woods Hole Aquarium.  A wonderful way to get to Woods Hole from most Falmouth locations is to ride the Shining Sea bikepath.

But the best way to see them up close is to get out in a boat, so ask your B&B host to help you set up a fishing charter or day sail for the most excellent snooping.  And in the meantime, here are a few more photos to inspire you.

Exploring the Shining Sea bike path is fun in the summer months, rain or shine.  This eleven-mile dedicated bike path is one of the top reasons to visit our town, and in summer it is warm enough to explore even on a stormy day.

The bike path runs along the path of the old railroad tracks, a dedicated right of way that is not near the road so it is a wonderfully peaceful place to bicycle or walk.  It was first converted to this public use over a decade ago and named after Katherine Lee Bates who grew up in Falmouth and later wrote “America the Beautiful.”  (As an aside, her homestead is lovingly restored on the Falmouth Green and also well worth taking a peek at.)

Today was windy, but guests of Falmouth bed and breakfasts venture out on the bike path in all kinds of weather.  The initial stretch from Woods Hole is in the forest for about a mile, with peek-a-boo views into the backyards of multi-million dollar beachfront estates.  Then it breaks out onto the incredible vista of Surf Drive, a several mile-long beach that looks out over Martha’s Vineyard and all the way up to Falmouth harbor.  The waves crash across the beach on windy days and the views are pretty dramatic rain or shine.

The bike path then cuts away from Vineyard Sound and towards Buzzard Bay and passes several salt marsh sanctuaries that make nice stops to walk and see the shore birds.

At about the three mile marker, the path crosses the middle of Falmouth village, close to the Falmouth Green (and Katherine Lee Bates house).  This is a nice place to stop for a cup of coffee at the locally-run “Coffee Obsession” or bear off the path for a few minutes of shopping on Main Street.

If you continue onwards (and there are still eight more miles!) you will come to the Sippewisset Marsh at about the five mile mark.  Here, there are dramatic views over the marshland that the native Wampanoags called “place of the brook.”  History buffs will appreciate that Rachel Carson did all her original research for “Silent Spring” right here, and the bike path offers a wonderful view of it (see photo above).

Continuing on, you come to West Falmouth, which is close to Chappaquoit Beach.  Stop by the Beach Rose Inn for a bite at the Bike Rack Bistro before continuing on to the end of the path in North Falmouth.  The trip back is easier (unless the wind is blowing hard from the Southwest) as it is slightly downhill the whole way.  If you make it back to Woods Hole, don’t miss a lobster taco at Quicks Hole.  After 22 miles on your bike, you deserve it!