Mashpee, Cape Cod

Set along the south shore of the Upper Cape, Mashpee comprises approximately 24 square miles. Thanks to its sandy beaches, freshwater ponds, superior shopping and enchanting woodlands, the town was named one of the best places to live on the coast by Coastal Living in 2019 and hailed a “newly rising New England classic.”

Despite rapid development, Mashpee has put aside thousands of acres of conservation land and offers exceptional fishing and recreation on four of the largest freshwater ponds on Cape Cod. The town also has more than five miles of ocean beaches on Nantucket and Vineyard Sounds, and extensive waterfront on both Waquoit and Popponesset Bays.

Mashpee was originally established as a reserve for the last remaining descendants of the Mashpee Tribe of Wampanoag – the Native Americans who were the first Cape Codders, many centuries before the Pilgrims’ arrival in 1620. Wampanoag culture and history still define much of the town's character today. The federally recognized Tribe has its own museum on Main Street, celebrating the Tribe’s special connection to the Cape. You can also immerse yourself in the Wampanoag Tribe’s culture every summer at the annual PowWow celebration on tribal grounds.

Mashpee is home to three world-class championship golf courses, as well as the Cape’s only children’s museum, which provides hands-on opportunities to learn through play. Children can climb aboard a pirate ship, hone their musical skills, immerse themselves in a submarine, or cast their line in the museum’s fishing exhibit.

Mashpee Commons, an open-air shopping center noted for its traditional New England-style architecture, serves as the downtown hub of the town, with a mix of specialty restaurants, national & local retailers, a public library, a bowling alley bistro and residential options. Free community events are held at the sidewalk-lined Commons year-round, including outdoor movie screenings, sidewalk sales, a farmers’ market and seasonal festivals.

Just a few miles away from Mashpee’s hub is the village of New Seabury, a luxury resort and residential community where you’ll find a country club, premier golf courses, oceanfront restaurants and an outdoor marketplace with quaint shops, cafes and boutiques.

Nature lovers will be drawn to Mashpee’s South Cape Beach State Park, an ideal location to swim, fish, birdwatch, kayak or hike. In the winter, snowy owls are frequent visitors here. In the summer, a series of week-long science schools represent an interactive opportunity for children of all ages to learn about the coastal ecology of the Cape.

Find more information on Mashpee through the Mashpee Chamber of Commerce.