Sitting about 900 feet off Eastward Point, Strong Island is hard to miss. Despite this, the large island just happens to be one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Chatham.

That’s because the island only has one home. So, who lives on Chatham’s Strong Island? The answer stretches back almost an entire century.

Prior to the mid 1930s, there weren’t any full-time island residents. That’s until a banker purchased the island for his family and built a summer home.

For years, it’s said the family traveled to the island for the summer season. By the early 1950s, though, the banker was ready to put the island on the market once again.

Another family took over, once again using it as a summer destination. Flash forward several years, and the

With dozens of beaches, hundreds of charming shops and some beautiful homes, it’s hard to point out just one great location on the Cape. However, some of the most exclusive areas of Cape Cod are appreciated for their extreme luxury and privacy.

Chatham

Chatham is said to offer one of the Cape’s most scenic golf courses. Eastward Ho! Country Club dates back to the 1920s and is known today for its ultra-exclusive membership. It’s not easy to become a member and the dress code at the golf club is strictly enforced.

For luxury dining and hospitality, Chatham Bars Inn actually features four restaurants and two private dining rooms. It also includes a private beach with cabanas, daily boat shuttles, swimming and more. 

West Yarmouth

West

Traced back to the beginning of Chatham, the Nickerson family still retains strong ties to the region. This dates all the way back to the times of William Nickerson, who’s considered to be the founder of Chatham.

Earlier this year, the owner of a home believed to have built by the son of William Nickerson in the 1700s was donated to the Nickerson Family Association. It’s thought to be the oldest house in Chatham, and the donation helps spare it from demolition.

Plans called for moving the one-room house to the Nickerson Family Association campus. The Association is hoping to use grant money and other funds to move and restore the oldest portion of the home.

A larger structure was reportedly built around it in the early 1800s but isn’t part of

If you’re searching for a luxury condo community on Cape Cod, you’re certainly in luck. There are several great options to choose from, offering up everything from swimming pools to tennis courts.

Seacrest Village- Chatham

Exclusive Seacrest Village in West Chatham is home to just ten single-family residences on a cul-de-sac. All of the homes feature more traditional Cape Cod style points on the outside, as well as modern interiors.

While the homes do give the feel and space of a single-family home, the lifestyle is more similar to a condo development. All landscaping, maintenance and plowing is covered by the development’s association. Owners also enjoy access to a tennis court and a community swimming pool.

Residences at 350 Bradford -

Photo: Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism

With thousands of acres of freshwater ponds, dunes, marshes and ocean to explore, there’s plenty to see and do at the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge. Found just to the southwest of Chatham, the federal refuge includes a visitor center, beach, and plenty of nature trails.

Established in the mid 1940s, the main purpose of the refuge is to help protect migratory birds and their natural habitat. It also gives people a way to see and explore the natural beauty of the area.

You’ll find nearly 300 different species of birds at the refuge, including some federally protected ones. This includes the piping plover and the red knot.

In fact, the beaches of Monomoy are where you’ll find some of the highest

Boating is an important part of a Cape Cod lifestyle, and Chatham is, quite simply, a boater’s dream. This charming town sits on the elbow of Cape Cod with miles of white sand beaches to explore and two distinct harbors.

An extremely popular summer destination, Chatham opens to both Nantucket Sound and the Atlantic. This longstanding trading, fishing and whaling port has transformed itself over the years into a charming Cape Cod town.

Chatham Harbor sits to the east, providing access to the Atlantic and Pleasant Bay. That’s where you’ll find the majority of the area’s fishing fleet. It’s a bit trickier, though, for small boats. Boaters sometimes head to the Harwich side of Pleasant Bay to tie up for dinner and drinks at Wequassett Resort.

From boating and the beach to area museums, there’s plenty of fun to find around Chatham Neck.

Atwood House Museum

While it’s hard to miss the waterfront, there are other options to consider, including learning more about the region’s history. Chatham’s Atwood House Museum is a great place to spend an afternoon.

You’ll find a large collection of books, photographs, paintings and more spread out across 12 galleries in the former home of a local sea captain. The museum also commonly hosts lectures and other festivities. You’ll find it on Stage Harbor Road

Stage Harbor Lighthouse

It may be the youngest lighthouse in Cape Cod, but Stage Harbor Lighthouse is also one of the area’s most visible landmarks. While it’s not exactly open to the

Photo: Chatham Labyrinth

Whether you’re simply looking for a place to take a quiet walk or a place to promote spiritual growth, the Chatham Labyrinth aids visitors and locals alike in personal reflection. A labyrinth is a single winding path that leads people to its center and back out again.

Unlike a maze, you won’t find any dead ends with a labyrinth. Instead, they are often created as a place for people to take a quiet and meditative walk. These sacred places are generally used for personal reflection, to refresh the spirit and relax the body.

The Chatham Labyrinth, in particular, was first thought up as a way to bring peace and well-being to those who find their way to Chatham. Clergy members from a number of different local churches came

While this summer may be a bit different than summers past, the iconic Chatham Fish Pier remains a long-standing tribute to the beginning of the summer season. The Town of Chatham is, no doubt, the Cape’s largest tourist destination, and most tourists in Chatham are drawn at least once to experience the excitement of the Fish Pier Observation Deck.

It just so happens that the peak tourism season on Cape Cod coincides with the peak commercial fishing season. The site is home to not only an observation deck but also a fish packing building and some other waterfront structures.

For visitors, it’s a chance to watch as fishing boats return back to port with their haul. The fresh catch of the day is then taken to refrigerated trucks and transported

The oldest house in Chatham is about to get a new address and a new purpose. Believed to have been built sometime around the late 1600s to early 1700s, the old one-room home can be traced back to the son of the town’s founder, William Nickerson.

After failed efforts to sell the property, the owner recently agreed to donate the oldest section of the home to save it from likely demolition. According to records, the home may have been built around 1700, but it was added onto several times, including in the early 1800s, the early 1900s and the 1920s.

Only the oldest portion of the home is being saved for now. It’s been donated to the Nickerson Family Association.

Plans call for moving it from its current location on Shell Drive to the Nickerson