15 Best Things to Do in Bourne (MA)

Located just below Cape Cod, Bourne is made up of seven villages on either side of the Cape Cod Canal. For visitors, all Bourne draws is the Great Waterway, which opened in 1914.

You can walk or bike along the beach, take a train across the magnificent Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge (1935), and visit any of the parks and attractions along this 480-mile-long rift in the landscape.

President Grover Cleveland's summer white house was located in Bourne, and you can see the last remaining piece at the Aptuxet Museum, a private train station built for his estate.

1. Cape Cod Canal

The focal point of Bourne is the seven-mile-long waterway at the base of Cape Cod between Buzzards Bay and Cape Cod Bay.

The Cape Cod Canal, about seven miles long and 480 feet wide, was built between 1909 and 1914, making inland navigation safer than ever before.

The picturesque canal, with its magnificent bridges and constant flow of water traffic, can be enjoyed along the Cape Cod Canal Route, seven miles on the north bank and 6.5 miles on the south bank.

Taking photos, especially at sunrise and sunset, is exciting, and there is plenty to do on both beaches, museums, parks, state reserves, nature camps, and other tourist attractions.

2. Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge

You can surprise yourself with this vertical bridge that was opened in 1935 towards the western end of the canal.

The Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge, the second longest lift bridge in the United States, remains in service, spanning to allow large ships to pass through, while the canal carries the CAPEFlyer, Cape Cod Central Railroad, and Mass Coastal Railroad. .

One way to experience this amazing feat of mid-20th century engineering is to take a ride on the Cape Cod Central Railroad Excursion Train.

Departs from Buzzards Bay Station on select Fridays, June through October, with information on the unique history of the area, canal building, the Cape's coastal habitats, and the local glass industry.

3. Museums at Aptucxet

On a 12-acre campus on the south bank of the Cape Cod Canal, the Bourne Historical Society operates a museum featuring a variety of historic buildings and replicas.

At the center is the Aptuxet Trading Post, which recreates the trading post of the Pilgrims, built in 1627 in what is now known as Bourne to trade with local Wampanoag people and traveling Dutch traders.

Also of interest is the Gray Gables Railroad Station (1892), built for the summer White House of President Grover Cleveland (1837–1908), and now serves as a small museum about Cleveland's ties to the area.

Amid a series of gardens, replicas of historic boats, and 19th-century salt works construction, you can see the Joseph Jefferson Windmill, named after the actor, painter, and art collector Grover Cleveland's close friend.

4. Scusset Beach State Reservation

The eastern entrance to the Cape Cod Canal is another great place to enjoy the dramatic beauty of this waterway, as well as the oceanfront on Cape Cod Bay.

North of the canal entrance, Scusset Beach State Reservation has a 1.5-mile-long gently sloping sandy beach, with lifeguards on duty until June 10, Labor Day. At low tide, the water is hundreds of feet high, but it is not very deep, even at high tide.

At the southern end, you can walk along the jetty to watch ships passing through the canal, a favorite spot for saltwater fishing. If you want to stay overnight, the reservation has 98 RV sites and only 5 tent sites.

5. Doran Park

Cape Cod holds a distinguished place in baseball history, as home to some of the sport's oldest competitive games and the best college summer league in the country.

Bourne's team, the Braves, traces its roots back to the 1860s when the town was still part of Sandwich.

The Braves joined the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) in 1933, and still compete in the Collegiate Summer Wood Base Baseball League. Its home stadium, Doran Park, was completed in 2006, and has since hosted a number of CCBL All-Star Games and title series.

One thing you can guarantee about CCBL games, played from mid-June to early August, is the exceptional level of competition, featuring some of the best college talent in the country. Duran Park has a cozy small-town atmosphere, with comfortable seating on the hill toward third base.

6. Butterflies of Cape Cod

One of Bourne's prized summer attractions, the enclosed native butterfly habitat is a riot of color on warm, sunny days.

In Butterflies of Cape Cod, you'll learn how to conserve butterflies, visit pollinator-friendly gardens, and the important role butterflies and other pollinators play on our planet.

Using native plants wherever possible, the habitat features butterfly species native to New England and Cape Cod, and you'll be amazed by their size and variety of colors.

Given the fluctuations caused by weather and breeding seasons, this place rewards multiple visits.

7. Massachusetts National Cemetery

At approximately 750 acres, this American National Cemetery was laid out in 1974 along Otis Air National Guard Base south of Bourne.

Since then, nearly 80,000 burials have been made at Massachusetts National Cemetery, including two Medal of Honor recipients.

There are several notable burials here, such as World War II commander Fred J. Christensen (1921-2006) and Charles Sweeney (1919-2004), the pilot who flew the B-29 carrying the Fatman atomic bomb over Nagasaki in 1945.

On the grounds, you can walk a memorial trail featuring more than 50 memorials commemorating veterans from World War I to the modern era.

8. The Lobster Trap

One of the first things that comes to mind when you think of Cape Cod is seafood, and that applies to Bourne as much as anywhere else. A good place to start is this waterfront restaurant next to the ecologically important Back River in Bourne.

Along with the fish market, The Lobster Trap has been in operation since 1969 and is open year-round. You have New England fare like clam chowder, lobster rolls, grilled swordfish, fish and chips, and there's a popular seafood platter with scallops, shrimp, oysters and cod.

In contrast to the tried and tested combination, the Lobster Trap also has an exciting arsenal of fusion dishes like Freak Crusted Salmon, Fish Taco, Tuna Tarte, Shrimp Rangoon, and Yellowfin Tuna with Pad Thai.

9. Lyman Reserve

Managed by the Trustees of Reservations, part of this 210-acre nature preserve is located in the lower reaches of Redbrook within the city lines of Bourne.

The Lemon Reserve stands out as one of the best sea-run trout fisheries in the country: there is an interesting cycle where the river fish hatch in freshwater, migrate to the ocean to grow, and then to freshwater. As adults.

Along the coast, you can enjoy views of the Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge and Buttermilk Bay, while you follow the path of spring water along the sandy beach, through wetlands, pine barren lands and cranberry bogs.

10. National Marine Life Center (NMLC)

Founded in 1995, this independent non-profit organization rescues, rehabilitates and releases marine mammals and sea turtles right here in Bourne.

NMLC's animal hospital is clearly a very sensitive environment, where seals and sea turtles are treated, and there is no public access. But you can learn about and support the organization's work at the Discovery Centre.

Along with the light exhibits, depending on the time of year at the center, there is a wall with box turtles on display as well as native babies.

The gift shop, which raises money for the NMLC, features toys, educational games, arts, locally made jewelry and a variety of other marine and conservation-themed gifts.

11. Briggs-McDermott House

The Bourne Society for Historic Preservation preserves this Greek residence on Sandwich Road as a historic house museum.

The Briggs-McDermott House was built in 1802 and assumed its present dimensions by George I. Briggs, who later had a hand in Bourne's separation from Sandwich.

Along with period furnishings, the house has been restored to its appearance between 1840 and 1910, when the Briggs family was particularly prominent in Bourne's life.

An unusual detail is the fresco on the ceiling of the Music Room from 1890 by the marine artist Charles S. Riley (1831-1925). On the grounds you can enjoy a beautiful old garden and a barn with granite walls.

12. Bourne Scenic Park

Overlooking the canal, in the shadow of the majestic Bourne Bridge, the Bourne Scenic Park was created in 1951 as a picnic and camping spot.

On land leased from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the camp has doubled in size over the past 70-plus years with more than 439 sites.

Most are electric, and there is a list of newly installed cabins and lodges.

Besides being within walking distance of the canal, Bourne Scenic Park has a pool, a recreation hall with movies, video games and scheduled activities for all ages, and a park shop with everything you need for your vacation. May be required during stay.

13. Pairpoint Glassworks

Located directly across the canal in Sagamore, Pier Point Glass Company dates back to 1837, making it the oldest continuously operating glass company in America.

Historically known for its lampshades, Pierre Pointe Handcrafts offers a wide range of glass pieces, from candelabra, chandeliers, accent lighting and custom pendants to vases, barware, bowls and candles, to a collection of bubble-ball ledgers and doorknobs.

If you would like to see the inside of a glass workshop and feel the heat of the kiln, you can make a short visit to observe glass blowing techniques through time using historical tools or you can arrange guided tours.

Pier Point on the Cape Central Railway has its own platform where you can get off, and a shop open Monday to Saturday.

14. Brookside Golf Club

On the Cape Bourne side, this public 18-hole course stands out as the least expensive course in all of Cape Cod.

Despite its relative affordability, Brookside Golf Club strives to create a private club atmosphere, and its courses have plenty of character, and some of the most surprising elevation changes on Cape Cod.

Two of the course's leading architects, Michael John Herdzan and John Sandford, were involved in the design, and the course is balanced between wide open holes and more technical holes embedded in the woods.

All the greens are large and in excellent condition throughout the season, and the driving range also has a well-equipped practice area with raised tees, as well as the option of placing the greens near the clubhouse.

15. Cape Cod Canal Day

On the third Saturday in September, Buzzards Bay Park at the foot of the Cape Cod Canal Rail Bridge hosts a great free community event, with something for all ages.

Cape Cod Canal Day features arts and crafts vendors, local beer and wine, food trucks, children's entertainment, a hotly contested cornhole tournament, and live entertainment.

There is also a 5km trail along the canal, with a fishing line right next to the bridge. The event is attended by more than 10,000 people each year and is a true community celebration, sponsored by more than 40 companies.