Fall is an ideal time to visit Cape Cod, when the summer crowds have thinned out a bit, but sunny days and just a hint of crispness at night are a delight.
Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Mansion at Ocean Edge in Brewster, Massachusetts, is an enchanting spot for an autumn getaway. The 429-acre Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club boasts several styles of accommodations, including the historic Victorian-style Mansion, originally built in 1890; expansive villas made for families or groups; and the adults-only Charm on Main boutique inn located in the heart of town.
But another reason to visit is Ocean Edge’s impressive, always-changing list of creative experiences and amenities for its guests. Here are a few of the ones we’re most excited to try this coming season.
The Beach
The Brewster Flats are the largest tidal flats in North America, spanning an astonishing 12,000 acres. Conveniently, guests at Ocean Edge get to enjoy them at the property’s private beach.
Twice a day, the tide retreats from the shoreline, sometimes for up to two miles. Arrive an hour or two before low tide and you can walk out across the sea bed, explore tidal pools for sea creatures and look for shells. Or, if you’d prefer guidance, join a walking oyster bed tour and get a new perspective on the local staple.
An unusual activity to try at the resort is tidal flat mini golf. With advance notice, the staff can set up a temporary course, but you’ll need to keep track of the time or the ocean will reclaim your game.
Another special experience you can book is a private beach fire, offered through late September or early October. An attendant will set up the fire and chairs and provide s’mores ingredients, making for a cozy autumn evening. And check the resort’s schedule for morning beach yoga, a lovely way to greet the day.
The Biking
The resort offers rental bikes, and with its great location next to the 26-mile-long Cape Cod Rail Trail, a wonderful, safe paved path, you can set off cycling through a variety of landscapes, from salt marshes to cranberry bogs to beaches. Make a day of it, exploring as much or as little of the trail as you like. It roughly runs through six towns, so there are plenty of opportunities to take a break, enjoy lunch, shop or grab a coffee.
The trail links up with the 1,900-acre Nickerson State Park, so you can detour there to pedal eight more miles of paved trails or check out one of its ponds. Depending on your timing, you may be able to rent fat-tire beach bikes from the resort and take off on the Brewster Flats for a unique trek on the ocean floor.
The Sound Bath
Ocean Edge has five swimming pools, two of which are indoors. On certain weeknights at one of the indoor pools, an unbelievably relaxing experience awaits: a floating sound bath. There’s no need for a bathing suit or special clothing. Attendants will help you onto a large float, and only your feet will get slightly wet. You’ll be given a blanket and an eye mask to wear, and the lights in the pool area will be dimmed.
After you settle in, an expert in singing bowls will start playing them, while attendants keep you gently moving through the water, pushing you away from the edges and other guests. The water amplifies the bowls’ sound in mesmerizing ways. If you don’t fall asleep, you will be utterly relaxed by the end of this special session.
For another way to soothe the nervous system, the resort’s Fall Equinox Celebration will center around sound healing and self-care. Yoga instructor Yuval Samburski will lead a healing weekend of meditation, stress reduction and body nourishment September 25 to 27.
