Top 6 Reasons Why You Will Love the Shining Sea Bikeway on Cape Cod
The Perfect Cape Cod Bike Ride
Cape Cod has many good options for bike riding, but if you’re looking for exercise, exploration, and spectacular views then the Shining Sea Bikeway, originating in North Falmouth, is the way to go. Here are the top reasons why you will love this rail trail named to honor Falmouth native Katharine Lee Bates in tribute to her poem “America the Beautiful”.
Flexibility
This 10.7 bike ride is easily adaptable if you prefer a shorter distance and is suitable for families as well. There are two parking lots, one at the beginning and another midway so you can easily cut the ride down to 5 miles one way if you prefer a shorter distance. If you are going for a big two-hour ride, then park in the North Falmouth lot and you will log a total of 20 plus miles out and back.
Quality of the Trail:
The Shining Sea Bikeway is paved and well maintained. It isn’t terribly hilly although you will notice slight inclines along the way. The road crossings are well marked and easy to navigate safely.
Bike Services:
At the start of the trail in North Falmouth is a full-service bike shop called, Bike Zone. This shop has rental bikes and repair services. There are also porta johns, water stops and air inflation stations in the parking lots to aid bikers. If you decide to linger in Woods Hole, The Steamship authority has public restrooms and bike racks where you can easily lock your bike and walk around town.
Views and Beaches:
It is an understatement to say the Shining Sea Bikeway has nice views. There are a multitude of vistas to admire as you pedal including cranberry bogs, the Great Sippewissett Marsh, Bourne Farm nature sanctuary and 4 accessible beaches along the south end of the rail trail: Falmouth, Quisett, Trunk River and Fay. On a hot day you can pause to take a dip in the water and look across Vineyard Sound at Martha’s Vineyard. You can also take a quick side trip by turning down Old Dock Rock to admire the picturesque town landing in North Falmouth.
Explore a Town:
Woods Hole is a quaint seaside town that is a great halfway point to stop, recharge, `and sightsee with its charming restaurants and pretty park overlooking the ferry docks. There are lots of events in Woods Hole such as the film festival, art stroll and science stroll. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute is an important part of the town culture. This world class campus dedicated to oceanographic exploration and discovery is available to visitors with tours, exhibits and a hands-on splash lab for kids.
Eating Opportunities:
The Shining Sea has multiple places to stop and grab food. In Woods Hole my go to is Pie in the Sky where you can grab coffee, breakfast all day, hearty sandwiches, enormous cookies, and other fresh baked pastries. You can sit at one of their tables or grab your food to go and picnic in the nearby park over the little drawbridge. There are also restaurants and quick stops along the Bikeway in other locations.
If you’d like to read about more inspiring bike rides check out my post on the ultimate wine tasting bike tour in Tuscany by clicking here or read about my interesting bike adventure in Jamestown, Virginia here. Please remember to click subscribe in the upper right-hand corner so you don’t miss any of my posts.
Gear to Bring:
- Windbreaker – It can get breezy along the coast so bring a windbreaker like this one from Showers Pass.
- Helmet- The new Smith MIPS helmets are especially good.
- My new light – I’m trying out this new tail light that flashes when a car is approaching to improve my visibility to traffic.
- Spi Belt – If you need a pouch to hold car keys, phone, and a credit card these are great.
- Bike lock
- Air pump
Helpful Info:
- Here is a map of the Shining Sea Bikeway.
- To find the start of the Shining Sea Bikeway enter in the Bike Zone address (13 County Rd, N. Falmouth, MA) into your GPS. The parking lot is just past the store.
