If you see the map of Cape Cod, you see it like a sweet C shaped peninsula full of wonderful little towns. Moreover, the names of the towns will make you want to explore each one of them. Especially, Sandwich and Barnstable caught my attention. But I chose Provincetown. And I will give you 4 solid reasons why to explore Provincetown in Cape Cod, out of all the other equally promising candidate towns.
1. Because it is at the extreme tip of Cape Cod
I have to say I am very greedy when it comes to exploring and I want to see it all. Unfortunately, I had only one day to spare for Cape Cod, after exploring Providence in Rhode Island and before going to Boston, Massachusetts. Hence, I didn’t want to pick the first town that came and leave. I wanted to travel all along Cape Cod and see everything in between.
Although, the freeway doesn’t offer much of the towns to see but the fact that I travelled the whole Cape Cod to see the last and final town, was exciting enough for me. And after reaching there, this (the above picture) filled my travelling soul with contentment.
2. Because of its history
The history of P-town dates back as much as beginning of 17th century.
The area of Provincetown was earlier named as Cape Cod by Bartholomew Gosnold after catching a great amount of cod fishes.
Later in 1620, the Mayflower ship anchored here and the Pilgrims settled in Provincetown and build a self-governing community after signing the Mayflower Compact.
In 1778, the town started dwindling due to the American Revolution. But soon after, because of its rich fishing grounds and its harbor, it grew rapidly as a fishing and whaling hub.
By the 1890s, Provincetown was a booming town and never stopped developing ever since.
3. Because of its accepting culture
The town never stopped developing but the epicenter of its development shifted from the fishing industry to literature and art.
Along with the emergence of artist’s colony in the early 20th century, Provincetown manifested itself as a safe haven for the gays, lesbians, transgenders and bisexuals. There was a freedom to express sexual preferences and a sense of openness and acceptance in Provincetown which was not yet found in the rest of the world. And that made the GLBT community visit here often.
Provincetown Business Guild was formed to promote gay tourism in 1978 and now, this town is one of the top GLBT destinations in the world. It also has the record of highest rate of same sex couples in the country.
4. Because of the carnival
The GLBT visitors and residents of Provincetown add an eclectic vibe to the carnival week that takes place every year in August.
It is a week long celebration with parades, parties and lots of entertainment.
Lucky for me, I was visiting in August and I got to witness the colours of community as they proudly celebrated the heritage of their integrated way of life. Check out the video at the end of this post to see the glimpses of the carnival.
What not to miss in Provincetown
Commercial Street
A hip and happening street full of art galleries, creative shops, charming restaurants and warmhearted people. The street has numerous bars with a sea side deck that gives gorgeous views of the ocean.
Nightlife in the Commercial Street is simply mind boggling. The street turns itself into a club at night with live performances, tarot card reading, people dancing in a cheery mood, colourful display of lights and the list goes on. The whole commercial street experience is a totally unforgettable one.
The Pilgrim Monument
This monument stands to commemorate the historic stay of Pilgrims in Provincetown before going to Plymouth.
Shopping
Art runs in the blood of Provincetown, therefore there are tons of stores and galleries here that displays wonderful handmade pieces of creativity. Something that cannot be ignored and truly deserves appreciation.
With this, I think I’ve caught and transferred enough of your attention towards Provincetown. And if you are still not convinced then watch this video and decide for yourself that why Provincetown is worth visiting.
As the official website of Ptown Tourism says: “Everyone has a place here. You have the freedom to hold anyone’s hand. There is an experience you can have here that you can’t have anywhere else.” It really doesn’t matter who you are or where you are from, as long as you believe in humanity and have an accepting heart within.
I always say travel for the sake of your soul. You can add immense value to your knowledge after travelling to a certain location but it is the understanding of culture that gives your soul a real meaning of perspective. And that’s what keeps you grounded.
If you agree with me, leave a comment below. Also, don’t forget to react and share the article about this amazing destination.
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