Cape-Cod-LIFE

Village LIFE: Eastham

Cape Cod Life  / September/October 2026 / , , , , , ,

Writer: Leslie Hatton

 

Village LIFE: Eastham

Cape-Cod-LIFE

Cape Cod Life  / September/October 2026 / , , , , , ,

Writer: Leslie Hatton


Eastham, a place where nature, history and community meet.

Photos sourced from mentioned businesses unless otherwise noted

Make the picturesque town of Eastham your destination for the day, where slowing your pace and spending your time exploring can lead to some unforgettable moments. On the “forearm” of Cape Cod, Eastham spans an area of a little over 27 miles with approximately 14 miles of those being land and the rest water. Tucked between Wellfleet and Orleans, Eastham is referred to as the “Gateway to the Outer Cape.” 

First Encounter Beach
Photo by Josh Shortsleeve

One of the Cape’s four original settlements (the others being Barnstable, Sandwich, and Yarmouth) the town of Eastham is rich in history and coastal charm and has long been a destination for out-of-towners to families to nature lovers. 

Start your morning off right with coffee and one of the legendary donuts at Hole in One Bakery, easy to find at 4295 Route 6, this beloved local institution is open year-round and where you’ll find both visitors and residents grabbing some sustenance before heading out to tackle the day. If you’re packing lunch for the beach, make a stop at the family-owned Eastham Superette, the quintessential neighborhood market where the sandwiches, snacks and essentials they sell have been a part of countless Outer Cape adventures.

No trip to Eastham would be complete without taking in some of it’s natural beauty, and nowhere is that more evident than at Coast Guard Beach. Widely regarded as one of the nation’s most beautiful stretches of sand, it’s noted for its clean facilities, scenic views, wildlife, and wheelchair accessibility/beach wheelchairs. Consisting of Great Beach (named by Henry David Thoreau) Nauset Marsh and Nauset Spit, parking to visit this popular destination...

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Leslie Hatton

Leslie (Horne) Hatton enthusiastically joined Cape Cod Life in October of 2022. Educated in Mashpee and Falmouth, she graduated from Assumption College and received her Master of Education degree from Lesley College. A former teacher, she has taught middle school, preschool and most recently, fifth grade. She and her husband Tom have three children: Aidan, Colin, and Erin. Their newest family member is Millie, an outgoing, outrageously happy chocolate lab. She loves to talk about all of them so better not ask. One neat tidbit about Leslie is that she is the author of the locally best-selling children’s book Cape Cod ABCs, with over 10K books sold on Cape Cod, the Islands and across Massachusetts. Happiest in the summer with a little sun on her face, she loves being with friends and her family, laughing, drinking and eating all over beautiful Cape Cod.