Top 10 Things to Do on Cape Cod in July (4th of July + More)

July on Cape Cod centers on the 4th: fireworks over Rock Harbor, the Orleans Independence Day parade with a new theme every year, then a month of gazebo concerts, hydrangeas, drive-in movies, and lobster in the rough.

High summer on the Cape. Here is how July fills every single day.

1. Fireworks over Rock Harbor, Orleans. Held around July 2 or 3, over the bay at sunset. Bring a blanket, arrive early.
2. Orleans 4th of July parade. A true small-town parade with a new theme every year. The whole town turns out.
3. Gazebo concerts at Nauset Beach, Orleans. Free Monday evening concerts with the ocean as the backdrop.
4. Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival, Cape-wide. Ten days of open gardens when the whole Cape turns blue.
5. Love Local Fest, Hyannis Harbor. The Cape's makers and growers in one festival, run by Love Live Local.
6. Chamber Music Festival, Orleans and Cape-wide. World-class musicians in intimate venues.
7. Lobster at Captain Cass's, Rock Harbor. The no-frills lobster shack everyone photographs, with lobster to match.
8. Sunset at Rock Harbor, Orleans. Free parking, the charter fleet coming in at dinnertime, and the sun going down over the bay.
9. Water taxi to the outer beaches, Chatham. An adventure to sandbars most visitors never see.
10. Drive-In double features, Wellfleet. Retro night done right at one of America's last great drive-ins.

And when high summer calls, come stay with us. The house sleeps 10, the fireworks and the parade are both minutes away, and July books first every year, so reach out early. Check your dates whenever you're ready.