Choose Granite Countertops Near Me Wellfleet, MA for Elegance and Durability

It's the beginning of August and school will be starting in a month, which means summer fun on Cape Cod is winding down.

But the sun is still shining bright and the days still long, so take advantage of the beach days ahead.

Islands, a travel publication that began in 1981, said they've found a great beach along the Cape Cod National Seashore for those who love a great view, thanks to an observation platform built there.

"From the platform, visitors can look out over the steep sand cliffs to the ocean and the bay beyond — south to Eastham and north all the way to Truro," Islands said.

Here is what Islands had to say about this Cape beach.

Marconi Beach – 'gigantic dunes and sweeping views'

Islands named Marconi Beach as the best beach in the area to go to if you want to experience the Cape Cod National Seashore beaches at their biggest.

Here's what Islands said about it: "There's a $25 access fee to park at the beach's large lot in summer, and amenities include restrooms, outdoor showers, and lifeguards on patrol. Bring your own umbrella, chairs, and picnic, as there's no other infrastructure available — just a gorgeous stretch of coastline that's ideal for swimming, surfing, walking, and enjoying the scenery."

According to the National Park Service page on it, Marconi Beach is six miles north of Salt Pond Visitor Center, off of Route 6 in Wellfleet, Massachusetts.

The beach itself is located on Marconi Beach Road in Wellfleet.

"Here, the outer beach is famous for its then steep, forty-foot sand cliff (or scarp) located behind it," the park service website said. "Swimmers and beach walkers feel a sense of solitude here because the scarp and ocean provide an unbroken, pristine natural scene in all directions."

The National Park Service also said that the landscape is now home to various rare species, like the broom crowberry.

"Marconi Beach, is known for its gigantic dunes and sweeping views over the Outer Cape from a strategically positioned observation platform," Islands said.

Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at rvelasco@gannett.com.

On Sunday, July 27, SMILE Mass (Small Miracles in Life Exist) welcomed about 50 guests to its Open House at the

newly renovated, handicap accessible beach house located at 790 Oceanview Drive in Wellfleet, MA. The celebration marked a milestone for the organization, which purchased the property in January and has since transformed the main floor into a barrier-free vacation haven for individuals with disabilities and their families.

Guests enjoyed appetizers, beverages, tours of the home, and breathtaking views of the ocean from the back deck. In attendance were SMILE Mass supporters, board members, contractors who worked on the renovation—and their families, many seeing the finished home for the first time.

The property now features ramps, wide doorways, a roll-in shower, an adjustable bed, and a lift from the TV room to the main floor. Renters can also request a portable Hoyer lift, shower chair, Rifton bath chair, and floating beach wheelchair. The home is available year-round and offers an inclusive experience for families who previously struggled to find accessible vacation rentals.

As part of the event, SMILE Mass unveiled a prototype of its “Ocean Legacy Wall,” where donors can leave a lasting impact by purchasing a custom fish or sea creature. Available options include:

Additionally, supporters can help pave the Wellfleet Welcome Walkway—a highly visible path traveled by every guest—with a personalized brick.

“This home represents more than a vacation—it’s dignity, inclusion, and independence wrapped into one unforgettable experience,” said Lotte Diomede, SMILE Mass Co-Founder and President. “Every donation helps us ensure that families with disabilities can enjoy life’s little moments in a big way.”

Accessible transportation for the event was generously provided by , a SMILE Mass Annual Sponsor, who shuttled

guests from the Wellfleet Elementary School due to limited parking at the property.

Heidi MacCurtain, a guest from Plymouth, MA, attended with her children Abby, age 13, and Tomas, age 14. Heidi shared her thoughts on the SMILE Mass beach get-away, “The house is cozy and an inviting home away from home with amazing views, mobility supports and accessibility that is difficult for a family to find in a rental.” Abby, lives with Leigh’s Disease, a severe and progressive neurometabolic disorder, and uses a wheelchair for mobility. After touring the home, the family shared their excitement about renting it in the months ahead.

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Support the future of inclusive vacations by purchasing your personalized brick today!

Together, we can create small miracles in life—one memory, one family, one donation at a time.

SOUTH WELLFLEET — Plans to create housing at Maurice’s Campground center on “filling in a lot of the holes in the housing that’s available today,” said an architect involved with the master plan.

The town bought the sprawling decades-old campground in 2022 for $6.5 million that houses both seasonal workers and returning vacationers. Studio G, an architecture and design firm, was later hired to craft a master plan for the transformation of the 21.5-acre parcel between Route 6 and the Cape Cod Rail Trail into a mix of housing.

Studio G also designed the Residences at Lawrence Hill in Wellfleet.

The Cape needs both deeply affordable and attainable housing, said Gail Sullivan, founder and managing principal of Studio G on a June 23 visit to the property.

“That range creates a real neighborhood. Because it’s like any neighborhood — it’s a mix of people,” said Sullivan. “So, it’s not age-segregated housing or just family housing or just low-income housing but really, a mix of incomes, of ages, of needs, and kinds of people which really makes a vibrant neighborhood.”

Sullivan led a team that includes JM Goldson for community engagement, Langan Engineering for site planning, and Boston Communities for financial feasibility, according to the town.

The document created by Studio G includes two conceptual land use scenarios. Last month, the Select Board approved the plan’s recommendations and to move ahead with the planning.

Sullivan noted that the plan includes rendered site plans for each option, but they intentionally did not create renderings of the buildings.

“People already felt like they wanted more certainty from us than we could give them. If we had rendered buildings, that would make them think that it was done and it’s not remotely,” said Sullivan.

The town is running Maurice’s as a campground until 2028 as development plans unfold.

More on the master plan

Approximately 250 year-round units are planned for the property.

Based on public comment, the master plan lowered the height of most buildings bordering the neighbors to two stories. Three-story buildings are only at the interior of the site or along Route 6.

An additional 80 to 90 beds will be dedicated for seasonal workers, with one possibility resembling dormitories.

“Everyone wanted to make sure that the seasonal workers weren’t displaced,” said Sullivan.

Planners eyed the small cabins at the front of the site for reuse, said Sullivan, suggesting artist studios as a possibility, and also included space for commerce.

Trees, cesspools

Sullivan pointed out that the height of the pitch pines that dot the campground give the property character. She said planners have several strategies that aim to protect the existing landscape as much as possible while building housing.

“What we wanted to do is make sure not only that there’s really good buffering toward the Spring Brook Road neighborhood and also toward the Village Lane neighborhood to our south but also that we can keep clusters of these trees standing and work around it,” said Sullivan.

The property also has around 35 cesspools.

By putting in an innovative wastewater treatment facility on the property, which could serve the housing and neighboring properties, the town "could both provide housing but also make a big move toward resolving an excess nitrogen issue,” said Sullivan.

Sullivan also said the hope is that “everything built here will meet passive house standards” with a focus on dramatically lowering energy use for space heating and cooling.

Next steps

The Select Board has voted to approve funding for a consultant to help develop the request for proposals for a developer. Ryan Curley, a Select Board member who chairs the Maurice’s Planning Committee, said the search for that consultant is ongoing.

A consultant has been hired to draw up the zoning for the property. The request for proposals will be released in conjunction with the zoning, he said.

“There remains a discussion on what the timeline is but the longest we envision is by spring next year,” said Curley in an email. “There is a hope to have it done sooner than that to respond to the needs that we see daily.”

Sullivan said the plans will be used as reference and more details will come into sharper focus when a developer is selected, such as the breakdown of units and the levels of affordability.

“They’re not going to parrot our plans. They’re going to come up with their own plan based on what they think they can financially do,” said Sullivan.

Zane Razzaq writes about housing and real estate. Reach her at zrazzaq@capecodonline.com. Follow her on X @zanerazz.

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