Provincetown is the perfect launch point for whale-watching, since it's the closest port to Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, the summer feeding ground for humpback whales. Some 17 species have been seen at one time or another; many of the estimated 350 remaining North Atlantic right whales, one of the world's most endangered whale species, frequent these waters. Take a whale-watching boat tour to scour the sanctuary waters for life.
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Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Provincetown Art Association & Museum
23.64 MILES
Founded in 1914 to celebrate the town’s thriving art community, this vibrant museum showcases the works of hundreds of artists who have found their…
Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum
23.85 MILES
Climb to the top of the country's tallest all-granite structure (253ft) for a sweeping view of town, the beaches and the spine of the Lower Cape. The…
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3.72 MILES
Stellwagen Bank is 842 sq miles of open ocean rich in marine life. The area was declared a National Marine Sanctuary in 1992 to conserve the area's…
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25.09 MILES
The artistic legacy of Gloucester native Fitz Henry Lane endures, as Gloucester still boasts a vibrant artists community at Rocky Neck Art Colony. In…
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24.42 MILES
Some claim that Long Beach, which straddles the Rockport–Gloucester border, is the best beach on the North Shore. It is lovely indeed – ideal for swimming…
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28.92 MILES
The biggest and best of Cape Ann's beaches is Wingaersheek Beach, a wide swath of sand surrounded by Ipswich Bay and guarded by Annisquam Lighthouse.
24.2 MILES
Swimmers favor the relatively calm (though certainly brisk) waters of Herring Cove Beach, part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. The long, sandy beach is…
21.73 MILES
On the wild tip of the Cape, this Cape Cod National Seashore beach is a breathtaking stretch of sand, crashing surf and undulating dunes as far as the eye…
Nearby attractions
3.72 MILES
Stellwagen Bank is 842 sq miles of open ocean rich in marine life. The area was declared a National Marine Sanctuary in 1992 to conserve the area's…
21.73 MILES
On the wild tip of the Cape, this Cape Cod National Seashore beach is a breathtaking stretch of sand, crashing surf and undulating dunes as far as the eye…
3. Province Lands Visitor Center
22.25 MILES
Overlooking Race Point Beach, this Cape Cod National Seashore visitor center has displays on dune ecology and a rooftop observation deck with an eye…
4. Provincetown Art Association & Museum
23.64 MILES
Founded in 1914 to celebrate the town’s thriving art community, this vibrant museum showcases the works of hundreds of artists who have found their…
23.67 MILES
The Fine Arts Work Center is one reason this far-flung corner of Massachusetts continues to attract daring and creative minds. The progressive foundation…
23.7 MILES
The high-quality Albert Merola Gallery showcases works by both contemporary and notable past Provincetown artists. It's reliably open during the summer…
7. Provincetown Public Library
23.81 MILES
Erected in 1860 as a church, this building was turned into a museum a century later, complete with a half-size replica of Provincetown's famed race…
8. Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum
23.85 MILES
Climb to the top of the country's tallest all-granite structure (253ft) for a sweeping view of town, the beaches and the spine of the Lower Cape. The…