Provincetown, MA, USA

P-Town, as the locals call it, is tucked into the curlicue of Long Point, the curving extreme end of Cape Cod. The point is dotted with lighthouses, and the town is a venerable haven for artists and craftspeople who sell their wares seasonally in its many shops and galleries. This was the actual first landfall of the ship Mayflower, where the English Puritan pilgrims signed the Mayflower Compact before repairing to the site of Plymouth across the bay. The towering Pilgrim Monument was built in the early years of the 20th century. It was a famous fishing and whaling harbor, and still is, although whales are now pursued just for the thrill of seeing them. Much of the peninsula is actually protected wilderness as part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Visit the Race Point Lighthouse, peruse the cozy Provincetown Museum and stroll the compact Historic District, or travel a short way to Race Point or Herring Cove beaches.