Looking for a bit of relaxation and a chance to spend quality time by the sea, I recently headed to Brewster, Massachusetts, a small town on the coast of Cape Cod.
It’s an easy trip from New York City on Amtrak, so I hopped a train with my daughter to Boston and began the journey. It had been years since I’d taken the train, and I relished the time to read and enjoy a different type of quality traveling time with her. Traveling as a family is wonderful but can be taxing with bouts of sibling rivalry and getting everyone to agree. Traveling with one child is much easier and I realized the value of giving her my full attention during this trip, starting on the train.
Our destination was the Ocean Edge Resort, a family-run property that was built in 1890 and has been renovated and maintained. It’s a beautiful property, both majestic and with sweeping views of the Cape Cod Harbor. Built in the shape of a mansion surrounded by villas and a carriage house, it gives the impression of a European summer getaway yet is located in the middle of the Cape. It’s luxurious yet cozy and unabashedly unpretentious. Upon arrival, we were graciously greeted by the hospitable staff and made to feel at home during our entire stay.
Once we caught sight of our room, positioned in the historic Nickerson Family Mansion Side, we both felt like we had died and gone to heaven. Our room offered two large beds with the most comfortable sheets we have ever lied on, a flat screen TV, free Wi-Fi, a patio with two chairs for us to veg out in and the most furry, plush robes we have both ever felt. There were other nice touches to make us feel at home, as well, including a plate of home made s’more cookies and towels shaped like animals when the beds were turned down.
A visit to Ocean Edge can be as relaxing or busy as you want it to be. Ours was really a combination of both. We chose our activities together, both choosing ones that we couldn’t miss on our visit to Cape Cod. On our first night, we were both delighted by the opportunity to have s’mores (and a glass of wine for me) on the beach after the sun had gone down. For our one whole day at the hotel, we had a slew of activities to choose from. In the morning we rented bikes and took them down the Cape Cod Bike Trail to Orleans, resulting in a trip to the Chocolate Sparrow, a chocolate shop. Before lunch, we had a swim (the hotel has 3 outdoor pools and 3 indoors). Then we took an incredible tennis clinic with a very capable instructor who reminded me that it’s never too late to learn how to play a good game of tennis. We topped the day off with a trip back to the beach for a stroll and to pick up seashells. Had we had more time, we would have easily spent the day down there.
When it comes to food, the Ocean Edge takes pride in its offerings to guests. You can go as casual or fancy as you desire at one of their three restaurants. There are two on site, Bayzo’s Pub and the Ocean Terrace. Bayzo’s Pub is located downstairs and offers casual fare and drinks. Its décor is nautical and you can get a good piece of fish there. On the Ocean Terrace, you can have a meal or drinks overlooking the sea, perfect after a day of activity. The menu is truly Cape Cod-esque, offering a sampling of fish from the bay. They serve lobster corn puffs, tuna tartar nicoise, a swordfish club, scallops and ritz-crusted cod. For something different, you can hop on the hotel’s shuttle and have a meal at the Linx Tavern. Located on the Villages side of the resort near the golf course, they also offer casual fare with Cape Cod flair: fish tacos, shrimp cocktail, fish & chips, roasted scrod and more.
We also spent time exploring the town of Brewster, which was a throw back to a time long ago when I first visited Cape Cod. Not much has changed and that is part of the Cape’s charm. We both came home relaxed, recharged and full of mother-daughter memories that will not be forgotten anytime soon.
For specials and packages, head to http://www.oceanedge.com/specials-and-packages.
Ocean Edge Resort hosted Holly’s trip, but all opinions and thoughts featured in this post are her own.