The Dune Shacks at Cape Cod National Seashore

Riding a bicycle on the beach sounds just about impossible, but the trails along the Cape Cod National Seashore let you skip struggling through the sand. Cruise easily up and down gentle hills on paths paved over the dunes, race past Race Point Beach, and coast through the shady trees in Beech Forest. Kick down the bike's stand and unpack your picnic lunch by either crashing sea or wooded pond. There's nothing like the fresh sea breeze and some vigorous peddling to work up an appetite. Bring your own bike or rent one at the head of the trail in Provincetown. Don't forget to pick up some saltwater taffy for a little local flavor.

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While parts of Cape Cod have come to resemble a seaside Disneyworld, the Dune Shacks on the very tip of the Cape remain frozen in time. Seventeen rustic (read: no plumbing or electricity) cottages are spread throughout the rolling sand dunes, and the hour hike out from the highway is the best way to see them. The shacks were once artists’ residences—think e.e. cummings and Norman Mailer—and glimpsing them as you reach the top of the dunes feels a bit like traveling back in time. Explicit permission to scramble around on the dunes—an act forbidden almost everywhere else on the Cape—makes the trip even better, as does the nearly deserted beach that awaits you on the other side.

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