Top 15 Attractions and Activities in Mashpee, MA

On the Upper Cape, Mashpee is recognized as the seat of the Wampanoag Mashpee Tribe, with numerous members continuing to reside in the area.

While the Wampanoag represent a significant minority at present, they constituted the majority of the population until the 1960s.

The Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Museum, located in an 18th-century homestead, offers a captivating history lesson from the Wampanoag perspective.

Mashpee is notable for its expansive protected nature reserves, which include barrier beaches, dunes, tidal rivers, freshwater and salt marshes, swamps, upland forests, and bogs.

Many of the water channels are tranquil and sheltered from the winds, making Mashpee an exceptional destination for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding, with local companies offering tours and rentals.

1. South Cape Beach State Park

In the far south of Mashpee lies a mile-long sandy beach offering views of Martha’s Vineyard over Nantucket Sound.

South Cape Beach State Park is part of the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and showcases an untouched landscape characterized by low dunes, salt marshes, and coastal woodlands.

Access to the beach is provided via a newly constructed accessible boardwalk, which also leads to a picturesque overlook. Lifeguards are on duty from late June through Labor Day, with daily parking fees applicable during this period.

2. Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Museum

To gain insight into Mashpee’s distinctive narrative, it is essential to visit this museum and cultural center, which chronicles the story of the Wampanoag from the Stone Age to contemporary times.

The setting of the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Museum is significant, situated within one of the town’s oldest homesteads, dating back to 1793.

This site is adjacent to the Mashpee River and a fish ladder facilitating the movement of herring to their spawning grounds.

Inside, visitors can explore Wampanoag culture through archaeological artifacts, examples of tools, basket-making skills, and hunting and fishing equipment.

A central display features a large diorama illustrating a typical scene in a Wampanoag village.

During the compilation of this list, the exhibit titled “400 Years Ago” commemorated the landing of the Mayflower, outlining the significant changes this event brought to 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 preserve a diverse array of important habitats and their indigenous wildlife.

When visiting the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge, you will explore the second-largest publicly accessible area on the Cape.

This refuge encompasses freshwater and salt marshes, Atlantic white cedar swamps, cranberry bogs, and vernal pools, serving as a sanctuary for wildlife, particularly migratory waterfowl, raptors, resident shorebirds, and songbirds.

Visitors can hike on miles of marked trails and fire roads, which also connect to neighboring properties near Moody Pond or along the banks of the Childs River.

4. Mashpee Commons

Established in the 1960s and redeveloped in the 1980s, this charming outdoor shopping center and residential community could easily be mistaken for an organically developed New England village.

One of the significant advantages of Mashpee Commons is its variety of unique independent businesses, inviting visitors to spend a leisurely couple of hours exploring.

Here, you will discover food markets, fitness studios, boutiques of various kinds, entertainment amenities like a Regal cinema, and diverse dining options.

5. Naukabout Beer Company

Few craft breweries can rival the location of Naukabout Beer Company, nestled amidst evergreen woods adjacent to a beach along the southern shore of Mashpee Pond.

The scenic environment promotes relaxation or celebration, and the taproom features an inviting, expansive 10,000-square-foot patio.

Regarding their offerings, the brewery focuses on hop-forward New England IPAs, while also providing malty ales, tropical fruit ales, and an excellent non-alcoholic root beer that children will enjoy.

Naukabout Beer Company is vibrant throughout the year, hosting live music, various food trucks, comedy shows, sports events, movie nights, family-oriented activities, and much more.

6. Popponesset Marketplace

Having operated for more than 40 years, this versatile venue near South Cape Beach State Park combines various offerings.

For shopping, the Popponesset Marketplace features an assortment of charming small businesses offering unique gifts, clothing, fashion accessories, beach gear, toys, antiques, haircare products, local art, and handcrafted sweets like saltwater taffy and fudge.

Add to this a food market and several eateries, serving everything from gourmet grocery items to smoothies, ice cream, burgers, fresh local seafood, and pizza.

Throughout the summer, Popponesset Marketplace is lively with live music and children’s activities, with a schedule available on-site.

7. Cape Cod Children’s Museum

The only museum on Cape Cod designed specifically for children is located in Mashpee, fostering imagination, curiosity, and creativity.

Founded in 1990 by a group of mothers, the Cape Cod Children’s Museum has been situated in Mashpee since the 2000s.

This nonprofit organization features a spacious indoor area filled with interactive exhibits and engaging attractions, including a climbable pirate ship, a play area for younger visitors, a puppet theater, and a planetarium.

The museum hosts numerous events and programs throughout the year, ranging from a Christmas visit with Rudolph to an Irish festival leading up to St. Patrick’s Day.

8. Raw Bar

For many visitors, the main attraction at Popponesset Marketplace is this relaxed establishment, known for creating New England classics such as clam chowder and crab cakes.

However, the standout offering here is the lobster roll. With generous portions of tender, steamed lobster meat, it has earned a reputation as the finest lobster roll on the Cape. Alternatively, patrons can order lobster as a dinner, served alongside coleslaw.

The Raw Bar is also recognized for its cocktails, particularly a delightful rum punch mix—just add a splash of your preferred white rum.

9. Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

South Cape Beach State Park constitutes a part of this 2,700-acre reserve, composed of several individual sites throughout Mashpee and Falmouth.

Within these properties, visitors will encounter marshlands, open waters, barrier beaches, and upland areas, ripe for exploration on foot or by kayak.

A good starting point is Waquoit Bay, which houses the reserve’s headquarters and visitor center at the historic Sargent Estate. Inside, visitors will find educational displays, and can familiarize themselves with the reserve via short walking trails with interpretive signage.

Additionally, washburn Island’s barrier beach serves as a crucial nesting site for shorebirds, while the picturesque Quashnet River features several miles of trails, and the Great Flat Pond Trail Loop includes boardwalks and viewpoints overlooking delicate freshwater and saltwater marshes.

10. Mashpee River Reservation

This property managed by the Trustees of Reservations conserves a stretch of an untouched tidal river, which drains Mashpee/Wakeby Pond and flows into Pirate’s Cove on Popponesset Bay.

As with several reservations in the vicinity, the two miles of trails at the Mashpee River Reservation connect to neighboring properties owned by the Town of Mashpee, allowing for an extended hiking experience amidst tranquil nature.

The reservation features single-track trails along the river as well as pathways leading into a restored pine barren habitat along the Cottontail Loop.

On the southeast side, visitors can access the Long River Trail, which traces the eastern bank, taking you nearly to the mouth at Popponesset Bay.

11. Rideaway Adventures

Located at Popponesset Marketplace, Rideaway Adventures, one of five locations, offers a variety of active experiences on land and water around Mashpee.

Essentially, this company provides tours and rentals for biking, paddleboarding, and kayaking.

From the Mashpee location, you can embark on a short paddling adventure around Popponesset Island, or for something more extensive, plan an all-day trip along the spit across Popponesset Bay, stopping for an unforgettable picnic.

The ecologically rich bay and Mashpee River are ideal for kayaking and paddleboarding, characterized by calm, slow-moving waters and minimal tidal variation.

12. Quashnet Valley Country Club

If you are inclined towards golf, one of Cape Cod’s premier public courses is situated in Mashpee.

Established in 1972, Quashnet Valley Country Club offers surprisingly reasonable green fees, especially for Cape Cod.

The course is designed to blend harmoniously with the natural terrain, incorporating wetlands, ponds, streams, and the Quashnet River on nearly all of its 18 holes.

During your round, you may spot great blue herons, swans, and red-tailed hawks. The facilities include a putting green, driving range, pro shop, club rentals, and the Valley Grille, which boasts restorative views of the ninth fairway and green.

13. Peace Love SUP

Operated by a certified stand-up paddleboarding and yoga instructor, this mobile paddleboarding business offers a variety of experiences throughout Mashpee.

With Peace Love SUP, participants can enjoy a tour or lesson next to Popponesset Spit, relaxing on the beach during breaks, or navigating around Popponesset Island.

Alternatively, you can opt for a more tranquil experience, paddling through Waquoit Bay and stopping on Washburn Island. Another local adventure includes a trip along the Great River, where you can observe herons, ospreys, and various bird species en route to a secluded salt marsh.

14. Lowell Holly Reservation

Spread across 135 acres, overseen by the Trustees of Reservations, this site features a rare example of old-growth forest on Cape Cod.

Situated on a peninsula between Mashpee and Wakeby ponds, the land is named after Harvard president Abbott Lawrence Lowell (1856-1943), who entrusted it to the Trustees in 1943.

In addition to natural beech stands and approximately 250 American holly trees, the area retains several historic plantings from Lowell’s era, including rhododendron bushes and rosebay plantings.

Visitors can climb to the tops of knolls along the peninsula for breathtaking views or enjoy a refreshing dip in the warm shallow ponds during hot summer days.

15. Mashpee Mini Golf

Nestled within the pine woods adjacent to Mashpee Commons, this 18-hole mini-golf course, which opened in 2017, is known for its affordable pricing.

Mashpee Mini Golf presents a rustic atmosphere, favoring well-crafted, plank-edged greens over waterfalls and pirate ships, creating a charming environment enhanced by twinkle lights for evening rounds.

Each year, Mashpee Mini Golf introduces new features, and has become a beloved community attraction, hosting fundraisers for local causes throughout the season.