Cape Cod vacationers just lost access to five miles of beach, thanks to sharks in the water. A spotter pilot saw three more great whites, one of them a mere 100 yards from a party on the sand. They’re swimming around off South Beach in Chatham, Massachusetts, and swimming is definitely out of the question. No timeframe has been given for when the water will be open again.
One shark is estimated to be 14 long and weigh 1,50 pounds – this is the aquatic beast that was found only a football field away from the shore. Before the recent sighting, several other sharks were seen off the coast of Chatham.
The state’s marine fishery officials blame seals, which I imagine are tasty, for drawing the sharks closer.
Lobster rolls, fried clams, fish sandwiches… the tastes of summer comes from the sea at these top seafood shacks in America. Just add lemon or a little drawn butter, and you’re good to go.
Crabby Bill’s, Indian Rocks Beach, Florida: The original real deal in Florida seafood offers four unique dining settings–a sushi bar, a family-style barn, an outdoor tiki area and indoor casual eatery open across from the Gulf of Mexico. Best bets are the Cleveland oysters brimming with garlic and cheese, smoked fish spread, shucked raw oysters, early bird fish dinners (ahi and Southern green beans) and the best fried fish buckets in town (scallops, shrimp and fish and chips) washed down with cheap cocktails and draft beer.
Wahoos, Redington Shores, Florida: Chef/owner Jimmy’s Pennsylvania Dutch roots and Caribbean/Pan Pacific passion flavor the blackboard specials, all cooked up in cast iron on a four-burner stove, no kidding. Seafood comes right off the boats behind the outdoor patio overlooking the bay. Best of show is the seared ahi, blackened grouper, tile fish fingers, finger-licking good spicy white chowder coupled with fried Tater Tots or heavenly onion rings. On tap, Stella and Blueberry Point ale refresh as well as a choice of 50 bottled imports and domestics.
Angry Pepper, Maderia Beach: Stuck behind a Publix on a spit of land overlooking a canal, the smoker is fired up behind the tiki restaurant, dripping in chili lights and surfboard memorabilia. Hot, spicy, Southern and Cajun cuisine are the catch of the day here. The fish spread is part salmon, smooth and delectable. Yes, there’s pulled pork, chipotle chicken and brisket barbecue, but it’s overshadowed by the yummy seafood like the creamy crab cakes, shrimp po’boy dressed with homemade cole slaw and tartar sauce, molten Buffalo shrimp lightly dusted (order the sweet and nasty), pan-seared sashimi and bonzai shrimp with green onions. Sides range from waffle fries, smokey baked beans with bacon, fried green tomatoes and cheesy grits, washed down with dozens of boutique beers on tap and micro-brew bottles.The Wharf, Passe-A-Grille: Dock your boat and step back in time to old St. Pete Beach in this old wooden boathouse updated by misters on the outside deck and a hip jukebox inside. Dine at the wooden booths in the restaurant, or belly up to the wrap-around bar and good-old fashioned fun, from the secret Bloody Mary drinks rimmed in Montreal steak salt or the high-test cocktails and flirty joking flipping through the crowd. Awesome esoteric jukebox sets the stage for crispy lobster bites, oysters Diane topped with crab, platters of peel-n-eat shrimp, Creole gumbo flavored with andouille sausage, crab claws and Tampa Bay Rockefeller topped with provolone. Tuesday fish fry is all you can for $6.95 and the fish Reuben is the best in town.
CaliforniaPoint Loma Seafood, San Diego: Seagulls swarm the leftovers and the sparkling bay view is mesmerizing. Take it home or eat it on the covered deck or patio tables dotting the entryway. This is a San Diego sports-fishing tradition, and if you don’t come home with a catch, you can buy it or smoke it here. Fresh tuna sandwiches, fried shrimp or scallop platters, smoked wahoo, shrimp Louie salads, fish tacos, smoked fish sandwich, picked squid cocktail, succulent ceviche and sushi or sashimi round out the catch of the day. Share crispy onion rings and be sure to take a 1/2 pint of horseradish salsa home to go with your crab cakes and white or red chowder.
Cabbage Key, Cabbage Key, Florida. You’ll need to hop a charter boat to reach this kick-back island not far from Sanibel and Captiva islands in Florida. It supposedly (and believably) inspired Jimmy Buffet’s “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” but we prefer the stone crab claws and Gulf shrimp in the shell. Don’t miss the restaurant’s decor–taped-up dollar bills that flutter from floor to ceiling–then grab a patio seat because ocean views still trump dollars.
Splash Cafe, Pismo Beach, Calif. Buttery, piping hop and fantastic, there’s a reason this surf cafe goes through 15,000 gallons of clam chowder each year. Just as fun is its atmosphere which is flip-flop comfy with surf team photos and napkin art decorating the walls. Shrimp Shack, Oahu, Hawaii This bright yellow lunch wagon on the North Shore has become a longtime favorite with savory pan-fried garlic shrimp served plate-lunch-style with two scoops of rice. Grab a picnic table and dine on site or head just up the Kamehameha Highway to Punalu’U Beach Park.
Gilbert’s Chowder House, Portland, Maine. You’ll know this everything-goes seafood chowder is good before it even hits your mouth. Get a good spoonful, and will be loaded with chunks of lobster, scallops and fish swimming in creamy goodness. You know it’s authentic, too, with photos of fishing crews on the walls, a stuffed marlin on the ceiling and some of the most amazing seafood markets and Casco Harbor about a block away.
Woodmans, Essex, Mass. The creators of fried clams have become an East Coast institution and a Boston favorite. Bring an appetite for steamed fresh lobster and popular platters of deep-fried everything. Just be prepared to wait in line and go through a lot of napkins.
The Shrimp Shack, St. Helena Island, S.C. This rural Low Country restaurant is a great place to join the locals for a cheap lunch of sweet potato fries, red beans and rice, hush puppies, shrimp burgers or fried shrimp fresh from the boat anchored across the road. Order up, grab a seat in the second-story screen porch, and keep cool with iced sweet tea before heading to the beach at Hunting Island State Park.
Road trips are meant to be fun, meaningful, and inspire some reflection as you set out for the great open roads. When the driving gets a little dull, though, there’s plenty to see on the side of the road.
The eastern portion of the United States is home to many world-recognized sites, but many of these grandiose tourist destinations overshadow the lesser-known, roadside attractions that are just as worthy of your time. Here’s a round up of some of the best off-the-beaten path attractions along the east and west coasts that are worthy of a break on your next road trip:
East Coast Museum of Bad Art – Dedham, Massachusetts
The Museum of Bad Art (MOBA) in Massachusetts boasts a collection of art so bad, it’s good. Visitors to this museum can peruse the various galleries, which contains an impressive (or is it non-impressive?) 400 pieces as part of its permanent collection. Popular pieces include their “Mana Lisa” — a painting that looks like the he-version of da Vinci’s famous smiling woman, among others.
Lucy the Elephant – Margate, New Jersey
At over 120 years old, New Jersey’s Lucy the Elephant boasts the title of America’s oldest roadside attraction. She’s constructed of entirely wood and tin, stands 65 feet tall and weighs in at a whopping 90 tons. For $4 a person ($2 kids), visitors can walk inside Lucy’s belly.
The Shoe House – York, Pennsylvania
Ever heard of the old lady who lived in a shoe? Turns out, that old tale may have actually been true. Located off the Hellam exit on U.S. 30 stands an actual, livable house in the shape of a shoe. It was constructed in 1948 by Colonel Mahlon N. Haines as part of an advertising gimmick.
Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Graveyard – South Burlington, Vermont
Every time a flavor of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream gets the boot, it makes a final resting place in their Waterbury cemetery. Each flavor gets a proper headstone so that visitors can walk by and pay their respects (free of cost). May Hunka Burnin’ Fudge and Economic Crunch rest in piece.
World’s Largest Ax – (Nackawic) New Brunswick, New Jersey
If there’s one thing Nackawic, New Brunswick in New Jersey is known for, it’s the gigantic ax that rests along the banks of the Saint John River. The ax represents the small town’s major impact in the world of forestry.
Miles the Monster – Dover, Delaware
Towering above the Dover International Speedway in Delaware you can find Miles the Monster, the mascot with menacing red eyes who watches over the NASCAR track. With a race car clutched in one had and a giant, muscular figure made of stone, Miles can be quite intimidating.
Yankee Siege Trebuchet – Greenfield, New Hampshire
You don’t have to know a lot about medieval warfare to appreciate the Yankee Siege Trebuchet in Greenfield, New Hampshire. This giant, 25,000 pound trebuchet (a chucking device) is most famous for its ability to hurl pumpkins incredibly long distances. In fact, in 2009 it set a world record by throwing a pumpkin 2,034 feet.
Secret Caverns – Cobleskill, New York
The secret caverns just outside Albany, New York were discovered in the late 1920s when a few cows had an unfortunate fall into an 85 foot deep hole. Explorers decided to check out what was down the hole and happened upon a magnificent 100 foot waterfall. To check out this natural phenomenon yourself, Take I-88 to exit 22 and follow the hand-painted road signs.
West Coast
The Thing – Tuscon, Arizona
Located off exit 322 on Interstate 10 exists something that travelers refer to as, “The Thing.” So what is this thing, exactly? Supposedly, it’s a mummified mother with her dear child. If that weren’t enough, the museum also features a car rumored to be owned by Hitler himself and a stuffed Armadillo clutching a beer.
Trinity Site – Whites Sands Missile Range, New Mexico
On July 16, 1945, the world’s first atomic bomb was detonated in New Mexico, an area now referred to as the Trinity Site. Tourists are able to visit the site twice a year — the first Saturday in April and October, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. There, you can view the 12-foot obelisk that marks the explosions hypocenter and walk around the huge crater, which is still littered with green, glassy pieces formed by the explosion.
Cadillac Ranch – Amarillo, Texas
This free roadside attraction is one of Texas’ most famous. It’s located in Amarillo along old Route 66 (Interstate 40) and was created in 1974 by artists who referred to themselves as Ant Farm. The art consists of 10 Cadillac cars halfway buried into the ground and covered in paint. Visitors can add to the artwork by painting their names or a picture.
World’s Tallest Thermometer – Death Valley, California
This 134-foot working thermometer is easily the world’s largest. It’s home is in Death Valley, California at 72155 Baker Blvd. Passers by can stop for pictures or simply determine what the current outside temperature is.
Giant Cabazan Dinosaurs – Cabazon, California
Nestled between Los Angeles and Palm Springs, California, tourists and locals alike can walk –or drive– amongst the world’s largest dinosaur statues. These life-sized dinos are part of a museum that’s open year round (excluding holidays) to adults and children. Visit this Western roadside attraction and you may feel like you’re living in prehistoric times.
Metaphor: Tree of Utah – Wendover, Utah
If you’re already in Utah to visit the state’s famous salt flats, you may as well take a gander at this quirky tourist attraction. It’s nicknamed the “Tree of Utah,” and is a tree-like statue created in the early ’80s by Karl Momen, a Swedish artist. It’s located on the north side of I-80 approximately 95 miles west of Salt Lake City, Utah.
Antler Arches – Jackson, Wyoming
The Antler Arches of Jackson, Wyoming are precisely what they sound like: arches that is constructed out of dozens of antlers. The arches themselves are pretty massive and rest at each of the four corners of Jackon’s town square.
Shoe Tree – Shaniko, Oregon
If you have an old pair of shoes to spare, you may as well chuck them onto the famous shoe tree in Alfafa, Oregon. After all, the tree houses hundreds of random shoes, tied together and swung over branches. You can find this quirky tree on Highway 26, east of Mitchell, Oregon near mile marker 89.
TV Simpsons’ House Replica – Las Vegas, Nevada
Even if you’re not an avid fan of television’s The Simpson family, chances are you’re at least familiar with the long-running series. In 1997, a house was constructed to look exactly like the Simpsons’ humble abode in Las Vegas, Nevada right off exit 64 on Interstate 515. The house is 2,200 square feet and part of a new subdivision appropriately titled, “Springfield.”
Lighthouse Bay Resort, an exquisite Barbuda resort recently tipped by Vanity Fair’s George Wayne as an appropriately majestic honeymoon location for Prince William and Kate Middleton, already cocoons its guests in utter bliss.
It offers isolation along a miles-long stretch of insanely stunning beach; a skilled chef who produces wonderfully personalized meals; an appealing list of activities, all gently on offer; and free long-distance telephone and use of laptops-and, as of this coming week, use of iPads on the property.
In stocking its rooms with iPads, Lighthouse Bay will advance a luxury hotel micro-trend. Back in April, Gridskipper noted that several hotels had begun to incorporate the iPad tablet into their amenity tallies. One of the hotels mentioned in that round-up, Rhode Island’s Ocean House, at the time planned to offer iPads as a basic amenity for guests; the Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts and the Berkeley in London (the latter reported in Gadling) both provide iPad in selected suites.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire’s Ale House Inn ups the ante by providing iPads to guests in all its “Deluxe” rooms. By providing four iPads for its nine suites, Lighthouse Bay provides similarly broad guest access to iPads. Next season, Lighthouse Bay plans to roll out iPads in all of its nine suites.
The iPad is still very new and it’s unclear how broad its adoption will be. But if this micro-trend continues and luxury hotels will soon be providing the magic tablet for guests in greater numbers, the iPad may progress from amenity to utility fairly quickly.
Provincetown, perched at the far tip of Cape Cod, is beautiful, quaint, even twee, yet undeniable seductive. A huge gay and lesbian following may fairly characterize Provincetown, though there are volumes of young families headed by opposite-sex parents strolling the streets, too, as well as an apparently heterosexual gray panther set.
Here are three places-one restaurant, one wine shop, and one clothing spot-that shouldn’t be missed. Each provides a window into a piece of Provincetown’s character, and each achieves its mission well and seemingly effortlessly.
First, grub. Owner Kristyn Samok runs Tinys according to local food principles. Tinys partners with the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP) to bring local edibles to its kitchen. There are farm-fresh eggs, cheeses, and meats from local providers and croissants from Cape Cod’s PB Boulangerie down the Cape in Wellfleet. Tinys first opened last summer for dinner. The restaurant, with a outdoor deck dining area, now serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner in season, closing up shop around Columbus Day. The Dutch Baby with a side of bacon may just be the best breakfast on offer in Provincetown.
Second, picnic preparation. At some point you’ll want to head to the beach and you’ll want to be completely prepared. Proprietors Tom Fielding and Scott O’Connor opened Perry’s in Provincetown’s West End in 2007. They stock their shop with approachable wines, specializing in bottles priced at $16 and under. Signature items at Perry’s include the shop’s in-house goods: infused olive oil, olive tapenade, and Moroccan roasted nuts. But these aren’t the whole story. The shop also sells some beautiful small production cheeses, salami, and Tunisian tasties by Les Moulins Mahjoub. Perry’s offers wine-tastings every Saturday.
3. Map. 141 Commercial Street. 508-487-4900.
For stylish apparel, a local spot called Map is the real stunner in town. Pauline Fisher opened Map back in 1994. The shop’s artfully curated collection of fine denim, accessories, books, and cute gifts (skateboards! notebooks!) is very inviting. The jeans selection is dizzyingly deep for such a small shop. There are also lots of classic Western shirts, cute engineer-style caps from a Japanese label called Basiquent, and t-shirts by Bandit. Classic album covers line the walls of Map’s back room, bequeathing the shop a timeless yet contemporary feel.