Provincetown: Small on Size, Big on Surprise

At first glance, Provincetown seems insignificant. Located at the tip of Cape Cod, this village is home to just under 3,000 permanent residents. Its size, however, belies its significance; and since its founding centuries ago, it’s turned into an unlikely cultural epicenter. 

Provincetown – or “P-Town,” as the locals call it — traces its history back roughly 400 years, when Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower docked in its harbor and signed the Mayflower Compact. Although the Pilgrims eventually elected to settle in nearby Plymouth, Provincetown was immortalized. Officially settled in 1700, the town gradually developed into its current state. P-town has something for everyone: The Pilgrim Monument, commemorating the first landfall of its namesake travelers; Herring Cove Beach, part of the Cape Cod National Seashore; and the lively, inclusive Commercial Street, to name a few attractions. It’s also a haven for the LGBT community. There’s more to Provincetown than meets the eye; and judging by some of the individuals that called it home — Tennessee Williams, Jackson Pollock, Kurt Vonnegut, and Anthony Bourdain among them — you’re bound to have a memorable visit.