My husband told me he had a surprise, and I needed to pick a day this week to take off from work. So on Monday I cut out early, and he asked me to meet him at the Chocolate Sparrow in Orleans at 10:30am. I love surprises and was trying hard to guess what trick he had up his sleeve. Do I need sneakers (maybe golf?), do I need warm sweatshirt (boat ride?), or do I need bathing suit (beach!)? He said I didn’t need anything….hmmm.
So I grab my coffee at the Sparrow and am anxiously waiting outside….waiting….excited…
Next thing I know, my dear friend from NYC is standing in front of me, smiling!! “Are you my surprise?” I happily screamed and cried. Yes, she is here visiting for 24 hours. The best surprise ever!
So, what do you do with a best friend for 24 hours on the Cape?
First stop, Robbins Hill Beach in Brewster. This is my favorite beach because a) not a lot of people know about it, it is tucked back in a neighborhood at the end of Robbins Hill Road and b) it is vast – for as long as you can see, there is public beach. The next beach to the west of Robbins Hill is Paine’s Creek and you can easily walk there, gorgeous!
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Second stop - outdoor shower. Is there really anything better than a warm shower after being at the beach? So in she went, and I was outside again waiting….excited…..
Stop three – early dinner at Sesuit Harbor Café in Dennis. The line when we got here at 5:00 was 5 people long. The line when we left at 6:15, 45+ people long. At Sesuit Harbor, you watch the boats come in after a day of fishing, see kids joyful on the beach, and eat amazing seafood. Bring your own adult beverages.
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Stop four – Nauset Beach gazebo for live music. So relaxing. Bring a beach chair, dessert (we would have stopped for ice-cream, but we were so full of seafood!) Music plays from 7 – 9pm. Not much of a sunset at Nauset, but the air and sounds from the beach are lovely.
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That was it. The rest was laughing and talking at home. Certainly we could have squeezed in breakfast at Grumpy’s or Jack’s Outback in Dennis, but we were content at home.
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A truly wonderful 24 hour surprise!