I first visited the New England states in my senior year of high school. My boyfriend at time had an aunt that lived in Vermont, and she invited us to join them on their Cape Cod vacation. Everyone told me how beautiful of a trip it would be, so naturally we accepted the invitation with pleasure.

I made a few phone calls to his aunt asking what to pack for our anticipated Cape Cod vacation, and got a few pointers. I was beside myself with excitement. They told us that we’d be going whale watching and take the ferry over to Martha’s Vineyard. I knew that this getaway was going to be wonderful.

We took the train to Vermont and stayed with his aunt for a few days before leaving for our exciting Cape Cod vacation. I fell in love with the state of Vermont the moment I crossed its borders. I knew that I could move there in a heartbeat. On our journey to Cape Cod, his aunt told us that we’d be staying in an exquisite Bed and Breakfast.

 Anyone who has ever planned a Cape Cod vacation knows that the Bed and Breakfasts there are absolutely gorgeous and plentiful. There’s no place else to stay. I quickly learned that a trip to the Cape isn’t authentic unless you stay in a Bed and Breakfast. It simply adds to the atmosphere and feel for the entire trip.

Our Cape Cod vacation began in Hyannis. The Bed and Breakfast was everything I could have wanted it to be and so much more. The gardens on the grounds simply captivated me and I spent some time sitting in them just daydreaming and thinking about anything and everything. I felt so relaxed and so carefree.

The towns on the Cape were so tiny and quaint, almost as if I’d stepped back in time. Except for the tourists, it seemed like all the locals knew one another. I was looking very much forward to going whale watching, knowing it would be the highlight of my Cape Cod vacation. I had my camera ready and had no idea what to expect. As the boat took off to find deeper waters and some roaming whales, I had butterflies of excitement in my stomach. Once the boat stopped, the air was silent.

No one dared to speak, they were all desperately scouring the waters looking for anything that might be a whale. It seemed like hours passed before someone let out a squeal. Sure enough, a huge whale emerged, letting us see its
fins and its tail before disappearing. That was the beginning of a wonderful hour of seeing tails and fins, heads and water blowing into the air, and even a mother whale with her baby. I got some incredible photographs.

Fifteen years later, I still consider that first Cape Cod vacation to be my very favorite. I’ve taken my husband and my family to Cape Cod to share the beauties and they have all enjoyed it greatly. I’ve thought about moving there. For the time being, I’ll just relish the memories of that first Cape Cod vacation.