Active Pursuits

Bicycling

The Cape Cod Rail Trail (tel. 508/896-3491) is just a few miles away on Route 134 (near the entrance to Rte. 6) in South Dennis. Rent a bike at the trail head, and if you are feeling Olympian, bike all the way to Wellfleet (25 miles).

Boating

You can rent a canoe or kayak at Cape Cod Waterways, 16 Rte. 28, Dennisport (tel. 508/398-0080), and paddle along the Bass River, which flows between South Yarmouth and West Dennis on the south side of the Cape. A half-day canoe or kayak rental costs $35 to $45.

Fishing

Of the five fishing ponds in the Yarmouth area, Long Pond near South Yarmouth is known for its largemouth bass and pickerel; for details and a license (shellfishing is another option), visit Town Hall at 1146 Rte. 28 in South Yarmouth (tel. 508/398-2231), or Riverview Bait and Tackle at 1273 Rte. 28 in South Yarmouth (tel. 508/394-1036). Full-season licenses for Massachusetts residents cost $28; for out-of-staters, $38. You can cast for striped bass and bluefish off the pier at Bass River Beach.

Fitness

The Mid-Cape Racquet Club doubles as a fitness center.

Golf

The township maintains two 18-hole courses: the seasonal Bayberry Hills, off West Yarmouth Road in West Yarmouth (tel. 508/394-5597), and the Bass River Golf Course, off High Bank Road in South Yarmouth (tel. 508/398-9079), founded in 1900 and open year-round. A round at Bayberry costs $74; at Bass River it costs $50. Prices are reduced in the afternoon. Another 18-holer open to the public is the par-54 Blue Rock Golf Course off High Bank Road in South Yarmouth (tel. 508/398-9295), open year-round, where a round costs $45.

Nature & Wildlife Areas

For a pleasant stroll, follow the 2 miles of trails maintained by the Historical Society of Old Yarmouth on 53 acres. Park behind the post office and check in at the gatehouse, whose herb garden displays a "Wheel of Thyme." The in-season trail fee (50¢ adults, 25¢ children) includes a keyed trail guide: Look for -- but do not pick -- the endangered pink lady's slipper, a local orchid. Your path will cross the transplanted 1873 Kelley Chapel, said to have been built by a Quaker grandfather to comfort his daughter after the death of her child.

In Yarmouth Port, follow Centre Street about a mile north and bear northeast on Homers Dock Road; from here a 2.5-mile trail through the Callery-Darling Conservation Area leads to Grays Beach, where you can continue across the Bass Hole Boardwalk for a lovely view of the marsh.

Tennis

There are four public courts at Flax Pond, off North Main Street in South Yarmouth; four more at Sandy Pond, on Buck Island Road off Higgins Crowell Road; plus 10 at Dennis-Yarmouth High School at Station Avenue in South Yarmouth. For details, contact the Yarmouth Recreation Department (tel. 508/398-2231). The Mid-Cape Racquet Club, 193 Whites Path, South Yarmouth (tel. 508/394-3511), has nine indoor courts ($22 per person, per hr.), plus racquetball and squash courts (one each, $15 per person) and health-club facilities ($15 per day).

Kid Stuff

Children tend to crave the "junk" we adults condemn, so they're likely to be enthralled by the rainy-day enticements of Route 28, which include trampolines, batting cages, pitch and putt, and bumper cars. Among the more enduringly appealing miniature-golf courses clamoring for attention is Pirate's Cove, at 728 Main St./Rte. 28, South Yarmouth (tel. 508/394-6200; open daily 10am-10pm in season; closed Nov to mid-Apr), where the trap decor is strong on macabre humor. A round is $7.95 for those aged 13 years and older, $6.95 for children aged 12 and under.

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Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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				Frommer's Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard 2008 Author: Laura M. Reckford Pub Date: January 29, 2008 Price: $17.99				Related Titles: Boston For Dummies, 4th Edition Frommer's Boston 2009 Frommer's Boston Day by Day, 1st Edition

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