Get Out of Town! Six Fabulous Provincetown Hot Spots During Shoulder Season!
Our President’s Day Weekend was turning out to be a real bummer.
Lucy had school vacation, we had no plans and I was perilously close to spending three days on the couch watching reruns of “Girls” on HBO Max. (Worth a rewatch, by the way. SO good and Lena Dunham is a genius.)
Anyway, fate intervened!
My friend, Brian Patton, an extraordinary person AND piano player, paid an impromptu visit Friday night and mentioned he was going to be playing at Tin Pan Alley in Provincetown the next night and we should come down.
The forecast was grey and cold and we already blew our budget on a new couch, but I was already SICK of sitting on that new couch and, well, life is short.
So as soon as Brian left, I booked the French Country Suite at Land’s End Inn, this amazing hotel at the end of Commercial Street in Provincetown.
It’s quiet, has breathtaking views and is adults only, which is great for us. Lucy is 19 and she’s about as fond of screaming children in a hotel lobby as I am.
Plus, they serve breakfast AND happy hour AND there was a twin pullout couch so we all could be comfortable.
The next day we were off.
The shoulder season in Provincetown is perfect because it’s quiet, there’s no traffic and most of the people are residents year round. Also, no annoying bachelorette parties.
Sure, lots of places are closed, but many are open. And it’s easier to get a table at one of your favorite places.
So here are my recommendations:
Get Out of Town! Six Fabulous Provincetown Hot Spots During Shoulder Season!
1. Land's End Inn
22 Commercial Street. Provincetown, MA
www.landsendinn.comHave I mentioned this place is a gem? It’s pretty pricey during the summer, but off season, it’s fairly affordable. And it doesn’t matter what time of the year you go – the views are stunning, the breakfast is sumptuous and the curation of antiques and other-worldly art and artifacts are a visual treat.
2. Mac's Fish House
85 Shank Painter Road, Provincetown, MA
macsseafood.comOK, this place has 1/2 price oysters every day from 3-5 p.m. and they are huge Wellfeet ones that taste like the ocean. Lucy horked down at least seven of them the first day and TEN the second day. Also, they make a mean Cosmo and Skinny espresso martini. And the sushi is fresh and the steak perfectly cooked. It’s off the main drag of Commercial Street but super popular. But it was easy to get a table in February!
3. Tin Pan Alley
269 Commercial St. Provincetown, MA
OK, this was the BEST part of my trip because Club Cafe’s Brian Patton and Broadway’s Mary Callanan were playing 6 to 9 p.m. Before they went on, though, we got dinner in the back. Lucy overindulged with meatloaf and a Boston Creme Pie cake and had to call it a night. Which meant I got to stay on my own and listen to showtunes without anyone wanting to go home after the fifth Burt Bacharach song. Plus, I got to walk around with the tip jar and shake people down for money. AND I saw Top Chef star/restauranteur Tiffani Faison, which was pretty cool.
4. Bayside Betsy's
177 Commercial St. Provincetown, MA
The first time I came to Bayside Betsy’s was last year and the server took one look at us and said “Looks like you guys are ready for espresso martinis!”
It was 10 a.m.
And I fell in love.
It’s a perfect seaside spot overlooking the bay. The bar upfront is always busy no matter what time you get there. But the food is fabulous and that server was NOT wrong about the martinis. The bloody Mary was divine, too.
5. Ross' Grill
237-241 Commercial St. Provincetown, MA
All I want to do is talk about the banana bread pudding. I mean, it was the MOST delicious thing I’ve had in a while and I saved it and ate it slowly for the next two days. Ross’ Grill is on the top floor of Whaler’s Wharf, which means the views are spectacular. But the service and the food are top-notch. We loved our server and LOOK AT THOSE DRINKS.
6. Liz's Cafe, Anybody's Bar
31 Bradford St. Provincetown, MA
First, there were the ceiling lights. Then – what do you know? The BAR IS A REFURBISHED BOAT. The bright yellow awnings, banquettes and drapes give it a Giorgio by Beverly Hills/seaside shanty vibe. And the food? The Greek omelette was perfection, the steak and eggs delicious and I wanted to tackle the kid at the other table for his pancakes.
