Where to Go for a Jog on Your Cape Cod Vacation

Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean you have to take a break from fitness. Luckily, Cape Cod has some of the country’s most scenic places to jog, giving you all kinds of options when heading out for a run.

Some of the more popular places to jog include the Cape Cod Rail Trail, the Shining Sea Bikeway, and the Cape Cod Canal. While there’s nothing wrong with these scenic, paved paths, there are countless other locations that allow you to explore areas you otherwise wouldn’t see.

Here are some highly recommended places to go for a jog on the Cape.

Two Runs Near the Dennis Waterfront

Dennis has a couple of great places to run, starting with Old Wharf Road in Dennis Port. You can start your trek at the municipal parking lot on Chase Avenue before heading to Old Wharf Road and following it to Haigis Beach. The entire run is along the ocean, and there’s a nice shoulder the whole way to keep you safe. The jog is about five miles round-trip, and there’s a beach at each end where you can cool off.

It’s also worth checking out Davis Beach Road in West Dennis. You can begin your journey on Old Country Road, taking Lighthouse Road through a salt marsh before reaching West Dennis Beach. Davis Beach Road extends along West Dennis Beach and continues to the Bass River’s mouth, providing a scenic lookout and some trails to explore. This run is also about five miles long.

Five Miles in Hyannis

Downtown Hyannis is a must-see for any visitor to Cape Cod, if for no other reason than its history with the Kennedy family. There’s a tremendous five-mile jogging loop through the heart of this vibrant area that takes you past the JFK Hyannis Museum, Veterans Park, and a couple of great beaches.

You can start your run on Main Street, taking the Walkway to the Sea through Hyannis Village Green and getting onto Ocean Street. Once on Ocean Street, you’ll follow it past Veterans Park to its endpoint at Kalmus Beach. You can then turn around and retrace your steps before turning onto Harbor Bluff Road, just north of Veterans Park.

You’ll then follow a track with stretches on Old Fish Hill Road, Bay Shore Road, Daisy Bluff Road, and Channel Point Road, bringing you to the Hyannis Inner Harbor.

You can then dash around the Harbor before returning to Main Street at the end of your run.

This jog is excellent because it takes you through the bustling village center, some residential neighborhoods, and some beaches, giving you a nice cross-section of life in Hyannis.

Falmouth Waterfront

Falmouth is a great place to jog because it’s home to the Shining Sea Bikeway. However, if you want to explore a different location, Falmouth has you covered.

One great jogging track starts at Nobska Beach in Woods Hole and ends up at Surf Drive Beach near downtown Falmouth. It’s three miles each way, but it’s well worth the journey because of the beautiful terrain you’ll cover.

Starting from Nobska Beach, you’ll run on Church Street and Nobska Road along the ocean. From there, you can enter the Shining Sea Bikeway for a short distance before coming to Surf Drive near Falmouth Beach. The jog along Surf Drive is incredibly scenic because it’s entirely along the water.

Another great run in Falmouth is on Grand Avenue and Menauhant Avenue along Nantucket Sound. You can begin this run at Falmouth Heights Beach and complete it at Menauhant Town Beach, passing marinas, ponds, and residential neighborhoods along the way. This route is nearly seven miles round-trip, so it’ll take you some time to finish.

Downtown Chatham

You’ll surely want to visit Chatham during your time on the Cape, and going for a run through town allows you to cover a lot of ground.

Starting on Main Street, you can head north on Shore Road, taking you past the Chatham Fish Pier, with its North Beach Island views. From there, you’ll turn south on Old Harbor Road, which goes back through the heart of town, before taking Bridge Street and Morris Island Road out to a residential area where you’ll experience views of Monomoy Island.

This run is great because it’ll take you through historic neighborhoods and plenty of scenic waterfront locations, helping you to see much of Chatham in a single day.

Province Land Dunes

The Province Land Dunes make up one of the more unique landscapes on the Cape. There’s a multi-use trail through the heart of the area that runs through dunes and forests and past cranberry bogs before finishing up at Race Point Beach on the Cape Cod National Seashore.

You can pick the pathway up at various points, but if you choose to jog the entire course, it’s 5.5 miles long. The spectacular view of the ocean at the end of the run is reason enough to give this section of paved pathway a try on your Cape Cod vacation.

Plenty of Places to Run

This list is just a starting point for the beautiful places to jog on Cape Cod. Your options are endless, as many visitors choose to run on the beaches or through the trail systems surrounding the region’s kettle ponds, as well.

No matter what type of running you’re into, the Cape has a location for you. Pack your running shoes, shorts, and mp3 player because you’re sure to cover some new ground on your next vacation.