East Sandwich • Forestdale • Sandwich Village

Photo Ops:

The Sandwich Boardwalk, built over a small creek and low dunes, is a must-see if you’re in the area. This iconic spot has a view that stretches for miles, making for a scenic walk and stellar, one-of-a-kind photos. In Sandwich Village, strike a pose in front of the historic Thomas Dexter’s Grist Mill, one of the oldest existing water mills in the United States, charmingly situated at the edge of Shawme Pond.

Favorite Spots:

Heritage Museums & Gardens features 100 acres of fabulous trails and gardens waiting to be explored. Be sure to take a stroll through the Hydrangea Test Garden. When you’ve had your fix of this gorgeous natural scenery, you can check out the Sandwich Glass Museum for beauty of a different kind.

Mom & Pops:

The Scenic Roots Garden Center has been family owned and operated since 1986. It’s the perfect spot for all your garden needs, including those hard-to-find items. Visit on Thursdays for their weekly “Thirsty Thursday” event, featuring specialty cocktail creations.

Don’t Miss!

The Sandwich Glass Museum has no shortage of inspiring artwork and events. This year the museum is hosting a special exhibition, “Considering Cartoons—The Art of Animation,” open through the spring. This display features limited-edition animation artwork from studios across America, accompanied by all of your favorite animated characters recreated in glass by local artists. In the winter, be sure to enjoy Sandwich’s month-long Holly Days event.

A day in the life of: Paula Johnson, executive director of Sandwich Community Television

By Allyson Plessner

As the executive director of Sandwich Community Television, Paula Johnson is not only a passionate community advocate, but also the town’s source for local news, events and important programs.

A morning person, Johnson says she likes to start her day on a positive note. “I like to go to the gym, meet my friends for a spin class, or go for a walk. I love the mornings, and I always try to make sure I’m doing something for me.”

Johnson spends a lot of time doing work on her laptop before even going to the office, answering emails, reading about the latest broadcasting technology, developing new program ideas, or planning to go to trade shows to make sure her team stays up-to-date with their equipment. Then it’s off to the studio for Johnson, who says that her team there works together like a family, making her job all the more rewarding. “I love my job and the people I work with. That’s what motivates me to get up in the morning,” she says.

Johnson has been instrumental in starting a local high school program for students interested in the news business. “Everything comes back to the kids for me,” she says. One of Sandwich Community Television’s most important functions is to cover government meetings and other political happenings in town, and Johnson likes to make sure students get involved with covering those events so that they can be more aware of their community and better understand what it means to be a trustworthy news source.

“My favorite part of my job is seeing the high school program succeed,” says Johnson. “It really brings kids out of their shells. A student might be shy or quiet, but something like the radio club really gives them the opportunity to share their voice. If one kid gets up in the morning because they’re excited about broadcasting, then we’ve done a good thing.”

When she has downtime, which isn’t often with her packed schedule, Johnson enjoys watching the ships come in at Town Neck, or walking down the Sandwich Boardwalk and enjoying all the scenic views her town has to offer. “I cannot believe the things you see. There’s Crow Farm and the marshes. I love taking pictures of all of it,” she says.

Johnson is also a talented designer. Before discovering her love for television, she had a mural painting business, and she continues to express her love of art on the walls of her own home. “I have trees coming up from my baseboard,” she says, smiling. “I’m always changing things. Someone once told me that there’s so much paint on my walls they’re going to cave in.”

Johnson has been a Sandwich resident for 28 years. Her children grew up and went to school here. “My family is my pride and joy. I have two sons—men, actually,” she adds with a laugh. “They’re very tall now.”

Johnson gives back to the community through volunteer work. She created a fairy garden for Sandwich’s First Night celebration, complete with tiny houses, twinkle lights and enchanting wands for early visitors, that has become so popular it’s been moved from its usual location behind the Dan’l Webster Inn to the Sandwich Public Library.

Johnson loves Sandwich for its astounding scenery, welcoming community and rich past. As she puts it, “I love being so immersed in a technical community while at the same time being surrounded by natural beauty everywhere I look.”

Allyson Plessner is the staff writer for Cape Cod Life Publications.