Cape Cod has more antique shops per square mile than anywhere else in the Northeast!
Inside an antiques shop on Cape Cod
Old King's Highway (historic Route 6A) stretches for 35 miles along the north side
of the Cape from Sagamore to Orleans. With more than 50 antique shops, this road
has long been known as “Antiques Row.” Part of the charm of this road is that many
of the antique shops are housed in antique homes or their outbuildings. In fact,
a Smithsonian Magazine writer said about Route 6A, "this may be the most appealing
stretch of America I know."
When venturing out from your Cape Cod
vacation rental, don’t confine your search to just the main roads such as
Route 6A and Route 28 (which also host a nice selection of shops from Falmouth to
Orleans). You might be as likely to find an antique shop in a barn behind an historic
home off the beaten track. Antique shops on the back roads remain some of the best-kept
secrets.
A good place to begin looking for Cape and Islands antique shops is at the Cape Cod
Antiques Dealers Association.
The Annual Cape Cod Antiques Dealers Association summer show will be held at Nauset Middle School in Orleans on August 11th.. Many historical societies on Cape Cod host large outdoor antique shows and sales. The Eastham Historical Society sponsors an antique show and sale on the lawn of the School House Museum on August 2nd. The Osterville Historical Society outdoor show is August 16th, Barnstable on August 18th and 15th, and Falmouth on August 25th.
The Harwich Historial Society holds an indoor show and sale at the Harwich Community Center on September 5th and the Chatham Community Antiques Show and Sale is on September 19th.
Out on the Islands, you’ll find antique shops in each of Martha’s Vineyard’s six
main towns as well as scattered along the meandering Island roads. The Martha's Vineyard Antique Association holds a weekly antique sale at Grange Hall in West Tisbury every Friday from mid-June through early September. On Nantucket,
along with antique shops, the Nantucket Historical Association offers a prestigious
antique show each August that includes such items as European and American art, antique furniture, folk art and nautical themed pieces.
In addition, Cape Cod and the Islands are home to many bookshops specializing in
used and rare edition books, as well as shops offering old maps.
While traveling among the antique shops and sales in the area, you will come across a variety of treasures ranging from vintage postcards to antique furniture to folk art to unusual and unique items.
Next time you are on the hunt for antiques, choose to stay in a Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket
vacation rental and spend a weekend or a week exploring the multitude of antique shops throughout the Cape & Islands.