Top 10 Things to Do on Cape Cod in January

January on Cape Cod means empty beaches, cozy indoor traditions, and quiet luxury without the crowds. In and around Orleans you can walk Skaket Beach in near solitude, skate at the Charles Moore Ice Rink, visit a salt cave on Main Street, and catch live music at Hog Island Beer Company.

Ask anyone who lives here: winter is when the Cape belongs to you. Here is how we spend January in Orleans.

1. Indoor Winter Farmers Market, Orleans. Local growers, bakers, and makers gather on the first and third Saturdays of the month. It is the town's living room in winter.
2. Skating and curling at the Charles Moore Ice Rink, Orleans. Public skate sessions and even curling, minutes from downtown.
3. Live music at Snow Library and The Barley Neck, Orleans. Between the library's series and the Barley Neck's winter lineup, there is music most weeks all winter.
4. Winter brews and live music at Hog Island Beer Company, Orleans. The taproom stays lively in the off season with rotating winter beers and local acts.
5. Salt cave and yoga on Main Street, Orleans. A halotherapy salt cave a few minutes from the house. The definition of quiet luxury.
6. Quiet winter beach walks at Skaket Beach, Orleans. The bay side is calm, the light is low and gold, and you will often have the flats to yourself.
7. Axe throwing at House of Hatchets, Hyannis. A ridiculous amount of fun on a gray afternoon.
8. Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, Brewster. Exhibits, aquariums, and trails onto Wing Island. Rainy day gold.
9. Winter gallery shows, Orleans. The town's galleries stay open and unhurried in winter, which is the best way to see art.
10. The hot tub under a clear, cold sky at Orleans Holiday House. Winter stargazing with the jets on.

And when you're ready to plan a Cape getaway, spring and summer weeks book early. The house sleeps 10, three minutes from Skaket Beach. Check your dates whenever you're ready.