15 Best Things to Do in Mashpee (MA)
Located in the Upper Cape, Mashpee is known as the headquarters of the Wampanoag Mashpee Tribe, with hundreds of members living here.
The Wampanoag people are a large minority today, but were the majority of the city until the 1960s.
Housed in an 18th-century house, the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Museum is a great history lesson from a Wampanoag perspective.
Mashpee boasts thousands of acres of protected nature, with barrier beaches, sand dunes, tidal creeks, freshwater, salt marshes, swamps, upland forests and swamps.
Many of the waterways are calm and protected from the wind, so Mashpee is an ideal place for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding, with a few local companies offering tours and rentals in town.
1. South Cape Beach State Park
Just south of Mashpee is a mile-long sandy beach overlooking Martha's Vineyard above Nantucket Sound.
South Cape Beach State Park is one of several properties of the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve that is completely devoid of development, containing only low-lying sand dunes, salt marshes and coastal forests.
You can access the beach via a newly created boardwalk, which also leads to a scenic platform. Lifeguards are staffed from late June through Labor Day, during which time daily parking fees apply.
2. Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Museum
To learn about Mashpee's unique story, be sure to stop by this museum and cultural center, which tells the story of the Wampanoag from the Stone Age to the modern era.
The site of the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Museum is important, as it is housed in one of the oldest homes in town, dating back to 1793.
It is located near the Mashpee River and has a fish ladder that allows herring to swim.
Inside you'll discover Wampanoag culture through archaeological finds and examples of tools and skills such as basketmaking and hunting and fishing gear.
The central exhibit here is a large diorama depicting an everyday scene in a Wampanoag village.
When we compiled this list, the exhibit “400 Years Ago” marked the anniversary of the landing of the Mayflower, explaining the turmoil the event had on the Wampanoag people.
3. Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge
Spanning over 5,000 acres in Mashpee and Falmouth, this national wildlife refuge was established in 1995 to protect critical habitat and its wildlife.
When you visit Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge, you'll be at the second-largest publicly accessible site on the Cape.
These freshwater and saltwater marshes, Atlantic white pine swamps, cranberry swamps, and vernal pool are a haven for wildlife, especially migratory waterfowl as well as raptors, coastal dwellers, and songbirds.
You can come to hike the miles of blazed trails and fire roads, which take neighboring partner properties to Moody Pond, or along the Child River.
4. Mashpee Commons
Dating back to the 1960s and remodeled in the 1980s, this popular shopping center and residential community could easily be mistaken for an organically developed New England village.
One of the big things in Mashpee Commons' favor is the abundance of unique, independent businesses that invite you to spend a few enjoyable hours exploring.
You will discover food markets, fitness studios, shops of all kinds, entertainment facilities such as Regal Cinema, and food to suit every taste.
5. Naukabout Beer Company
There aren't many craft breweries better situated than Naukabout Beer Company, nestled in an evergreen forest along the shore on the south shore of Mashpee Pond.
The design makes room for relaxing or celebrating, and the living room has an inviting 10,000-square-foot patio.
As for beer, the brewery focuses on New England IPAs, but there are malt beers, tropical fruit beers, and even a great non-alcoholic root beer that kids will love.
Knockout Beer Company travels year-round with live music, various food trucks, live comedy, sporting events, movie nights, family events and more.
6. Popponesset Marketplace
Now opened over 40 years ago near South Cape Beach State Park, this multi-use venue has many things rolled into one.
For shopping, the Popponesset Marketplace offers one-of-a-kind gifts, clothing, fashion accessories, beach gear, toys, antiques, hair care, local arts and crafts, as well as handmade candy, saltwater taffy, candy, and more. There are a group of small companies.
There is also a food market and several restaurants offering everything from gourmet grocery items to smoothies, ice cream, burgers, fresh local seafood, and pizza.
Throughout the summer, Popponesset Market is alive with live music and activities for children, and the schedule is posted on the website.
7. Cape Cod Children's Museum
The only museum on Cape Cod designed entirely for children is here in Mashpee, and it encourages imagination, curiosity and creativity.
Founded in 1990 by a group of mothers, the Cape Cod Children's Museum has been based in Mashpee since the 2000s.
It is run by a non-profit organization and has a large indoor space with hands-on exhibits, and attractions such as a climbable pirate ship, a playground for younger visitors, a high-profile stage, and a planetarium.
The museum hosts a wide range of events and programs throughout the year, from a Christmas visit with Rudolph to the Irish St. Patrick's Day Festival.
8. Raw bar
For many, the biggest draw at Popponesset Marketplace is this casual restaurant, which makes New England classics like clam chowder and crab cakes.
What really puts this place on the map are the lobster rolls. With its generous mounds of tender, steamed lobster meat, it's called the best lobster roll on the Cape. Alternatively you can get lobster for dinner, served with lobster and coleslaw.
Raw Bar is also famous for its cocktails, especially its amazing rum mix – all you have to do is add a little of your favorite white rum.
9. Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
South Cape Beach State Park is part of this 2,700-acre reserve, which consists of several individual sites around Mashpee and Falmouth.
Among these features, you'll encounter marshes, open water, barrier beaches, and uplands ripe for walking or paddling.
A good starting point is Waquoit Bay itself, home to the preserve's headquarters and the Sargent Historic District's visitor center. There are educational exhibits inside, and you can explore the reserve along a short walking trail with interpretive signs.
Elsewhere, Washburn Island's Barrier Beach is an important shorebird nesting site, the scenic Coashnet River has miles of trails, and the Great Flat Pond Trail Loop features boardwalks and views of freshwater marshes and gentle saltwater. There are platforms.
10. Mashpee River Reservation
A Mashpee reservation property custodian protects a portion of the undamaged tidal stream, draining Mashpee/Wakeby Pond and emptying into Pirate's Cove on Popponesset Bay.
With several preserves surrounding the city, the Mashpee River Preserve's two-mile-long trails connect to adjacent property, owned by the City of Mashpee, for a fun stretch of nature.
The preserve has single-track trails along the river, but also has a cotton loop in restored barren pine habitat.
To the southeast, you can take the Long River Trail, following the eastern shore, and taking you to the mouth of Popponesset Bay.
11. Rideaway Adventures
The Popponesset Marketplace is one location (one of five) of the Cape-based Adventure Company, which offers all kinds of active experiences on land and water around Mashpee.
Primarily, Rideaway Adventures offers biking, canoeing, and kayaking tours and rentals.
From Mashpee, you can take a short paddling trip around Popponesset Island, or, for longer, plan a full-day excursion with a picnic in Popponesset Bay for an unforgettable outing.
The ecologically rich Mashpee Bay and River are ideal for kayaking and canoeing, as the slow-moving waters are calm, mostly windless, and there is little difference between high and low tides.
12. Quashnet Valley Country Club
If you want a round of golf, one of the best public courses on Cape Cod is right here in Mashpee.
Quashnet Valley Country Club dates back to 1972, and its reasonable green fees may surprise you, especially on Cape Cod.
The course blends with natural terrain and habitat, and includes wetlands, ponds, streams and the Cushnet River on all but three of the 18 holes.
On your tour, you can see blue herons, pelicans and red-tailed hawks. Amenities include a putting green, driving range, pro shop, clubhouse rentals and a valley grill with updated views of the 9th fairway and green.
13. Peace Love Sup
This spinning paddleboard business is run by a SUP instructor and certified yoga instructor and offers many experiences around Mashpee.
With Peace Love SUP, you can take a tour or lesson next to Popponesset Spit, hang out on the beach during your break, or take a cruise around Popponesset Island.
Alternatively, you can avoid the crowds and paddle around Waquoit Bay and go ashore at Washburn Island. For another local adventure, take a cruise along the mighty river, watching herons, ospreys and wild birds on their way to the remote salt marshes.
14. Lowell Holly Reservation
On 135 acres, under the care of the preserve's trustees, you can find a rare example of ancient forest on Cape Cod.
Located on a peninsula between Mashpee and Whakibee Ponds, the land was named after Harvard University President Abbot Lawrence Lowell (1856-1943), who deeded it to the trustees in 1943.
Besides the natural beech trees and about 250 American holly trees, there are many remnants of Lowell's day, including rhododendron bushes and rose bay plants.
You can hike along the peninsula up into the hills to enjoy stunning views and cool off with a dip in the shallow pools on hot summer days.
15. Mashpee Mini Golf
Nestled in a pine forest next to Mashpee Commons is the 18-hole miniature golf course, which opened in 2017 and is also known for its affordability.
Mashpee Mini Golf is a rustic experience, where you can dodge waterfalls and pirate ships, elegantly designed greens, wood chip surfaces between the holes and twinkling lights that make the round after sunset create a beautiful setting.
With every new year, Mashpee Mini Golf adds something new, and the attraction is already an important part of the community, hosting fundraisers for local causes throughout the season.