When the Beachcomber Parking lot is Full

A what to do guide when the Beachcomber lot is full.

Wellfleet has a variety of stunning beaches. The oceanside boasts iconic Ocean View Drive, towering dunes, great surf, and six miles of sand from Lecount Hollow, White Crest Beach, and Cahoon Hollow Beach, all the way north to Newcomb Hollow Beach. Lecount Hollow and Newcomb Hollow Beach are resident beaches. You need a parking sticker to enter during the day or wait until 4:30 pm to visit. This leaves White Crest Beach and Cahoon Hollow Beach for nonresident visitors.

Cahoon Hollow Beach is perfect for swimming or relaxing. A great reason to park at this location is the parking fee can be used as credit in the Beachcomber restaurant or gift shop! With such few waterfront dining options on the Cape, spots at the bar are meticulously sought after and have been for years. Expect the menu to be casual and straightforward but very consistent, which is precisely what you want from a beachfront seafood shack.

BUT WHAT do you do when you don’t get your sh*t together and you don’t get to the Beachcomber unit after 11 am?? Yes, the parking lot will be full and there is a two-hour wait. If this happens, there are plenty of things to do in Wellfleet, but we had the dog and were ready to beach it.

HELLO White Crest Beach!! Parking is more and the walk down is a bit steeper than at Cahoon Hollow. However, once you finally make it to the bottom, there is plenty of sand to spread out and relax. Again, there was plenty of parking, and after pulling in, we went across the street to the bathhouse and paid $31.50 for our pass (they take credit or debit only).

Once unloaded, and made our way down the dune and as far left on the beach as we could comfortably walk and set up with all our beach gear. The reason for setting up to the left?? We didn’t pack a lunch (not even a snack), so we knew we would have to take a beach walk to the “Comber” at some point in the late afternoon.

We enjoyed having a purpose, an adventure, with the dog. Less than a mile north (I think it took us only 15min), we had a late lunch at the Beachcomber. It would have been too hot for the dog to head over mid-day, but some clouds rolled in, and it was perfect beach walking weather. The staff at the Beachcomber gave the puppy some love and water. We ordered from the takeout window and ate under the covered porch.

It couldn’t have been a more perfect day. So the next time you get out of bed late and head to Wlefleet, Check out White Crest Beach!

Happy Summer!!