From its landmark lighthouse to its historic homes, there’s plenty to uncover when you set out to explore Stage Harbor. The Stage Harbor Lighthouse, also known as Harding’s Beach Lighthouse, may just be one of the most recognizable sites in this part of Cape Cod.

It’s actually the region’s youngest lighthouse. Constructed in the late 1800s at the entrance to Stage Harbor, the lighthouse is privately owned today, but you may still find time to see it during the occasional tour. It does open to the public during a designated week in May.

It’s still possible to see the lighthouse from afar, though, with some of the best views possible from Harding’s Beach. You may also be able to get a good view from the other side of the harbor.

If historic

With sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Monomoy Islands, Morris Island is the place where nature and luxury meet in Chatham. Found on Chatham’s south side, Morris Island includes the waterfront neighborhoods of Quitnesset and Stage Island, two of the area’s most prestigious local communities.

It’s not uncommon to find homes topping $1 million on Morris Island, although one of the priciest homes in the area just sold for more the $14 million. The six-bedroom estate enjoys a full two-acres of private property, bordering the nearby Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge.

Other homes in the area also provide easy access to the trails of the refuge, found right next door to the Quitnesset community. You’ll find some of the best views on Cape Cod from the

Serving students of Chatham and Harwich, Monomoy Regional High School in Harwich continues to be a shining example of new technology and innovative ideas for success. A project more than a half century in the making, the new regional high school officially opened just a few years ago, serving more than 600 students in 8th through 12th grade.

Now part of the Monomoy Regional School District, the building is the only high school in the district, fed by the Harwich and Chatham Elementary schools plus Monomoy Regional Middle School. It wasn’t an easy solution, though, for either community.

In fact, it took decades for town leaders to come up with an agreement, reached by voters in 2010. It then took $49 million to complete the vision, funded by tax money

Photo: Allison Richards

Cape Cod is known for its stunning scenery and abundant marine life, but it seems some of the Cape’s seals are getting a bit feisty as of late. There have been two recent reports of seals coming in contact with children along the Cape this summer, including a girl who was bitten on her hands in mid-August at Ryder’s Cove. Just one day later a young boy was also bitten.

Apparently in the first incident the teenager was preparing to board a boat at the town landing when it happened. The floats are at water level here, whereas most of the rest of the pier is elevated. It’s likely the seals are approaching people here in search of handouts.

That’s a problem, as feeding or interacting with the seals causes them to become too

Cape Cod isn’t just a place to go relax out on the sand and the water. It’s also a place to enjoy true relaxation from one of the many spas that dot the area. Particularly in Chatham you’ll find plenty of options for indulging in pure relaxation.

Chatham Bars Inn

The Chatham Bars Inn takes the entire experience up a notch with its inspirational spa suites. The resort personalizes the spa treatment to each guest, from music to aromatherapy and products. The rejuvenating experience takes advantage of using natural ingredients and products tied to local farms.

Oasis Salon and Day Spa

Meanwhile, Oasis Salon and Day Spa is located just on the outskirts of town with a relaxing setting and a number of different treatment and massage options to choose from. Along

Photo: Leslie_atFlickr

A true Cape institution, Chatham Bars Inn serves up more than a century of charm and history on Cape Cod. This luxury resort is the epitome of elegance, a world-renowned destination that continues to draw in guests to rave reviews.

Originally designed as a hunting lodge for wealthy vacationers from the Boston area, the site transformed itself into a real destination. In fact, some of the prominent names in American history have once stayed here, from William Rockefeller to Henry Ford. The inn even once registered the likes of European royalty.

It remains to this day a popular location for vacationers, with many returning again and again, year after year to experience another Cape summer like only the inn can provide. Recently

With plenty to see and experience, the summer season is the ideal time of year to enjoy the Cape Cod National Seashore. It’s the place of beaches, woods and ponds, with all of it stretching along Cape Cod’s eastern shore.

In fact, the Cape Cod National Seashore exists within the towns of Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro and Provincetown. With that in mind, it’s no surprise then that the Cape Cod National Seashore includes around a half-dozen beaches.

This includes Herring Cove Beach and Race Point Beach in Provincetown, Head of the Meadow in Truro, Marconi Beach in Wellfleet, plus both Nauset Light Beach and Coast Guard Beach in Eastham. Despite some current limitations due to nesting piper plovers and some limited off-roading options,

Several Cape Cod communities are banding together to help protect Pleasant Bay now, and for years to come. The towns of Chatham, Brewster, Orleans and Harwich all share its watershed.

Just recently they joined together, gaining issuance of the first Watershed Permit ever in the state. While it may seem that everything came together in recent weeks, it’s actually been a work in progress for a couple of decades.

That’s when the four towns first adopted a Pleasant Bay Resource Management Plan, and began implementing it via the Pleasant Bay Alliance. The new permit, however, specifically outlines all of the measurable steps the towns plan to take together and individually, all aimed at addressing threats to the health of the Bay.

With it, the towns are

Family-friendly entertainment is on tap all summer long with live music strolls in both Chatham and in Harwich Port. While the tradition has been a long-standing one in Harwich, the fun just spread to Chatham this summer season.

Dubbed Mondays on Main, the new Chatham addition brings musicians, bands and other types of live entertainment to Main Street. The Monday evening event stretches for eight weeks this summer, from locations including the Chatham Wine Bar to the rotary, and features a variety of themed nights designed to especially appeal to families.

Entertainers are stationed in courtyards, on lawns and on patios just off the main sidewalk to encourage visitors to enjoy the entire area. The idea is to give people a fun and unique way to

Exploring Cape Cod doesn’t necessarily always mean out on the water. While boating is, of course, a popular pastime, it’s not the only way to see all that the region has to offer.

Chatham, in particular, is a great location to view on two wheels. With that in mind, there are plenty of bike trails in Chatham to take on, most notably the Chatham branch of the Cape Cod Rail Trail. Often used by bicyclists, the trail winds through a generally wooded area of Chatham, often crossing over existing roads.

To help ensure the safety of cyclists, especially at these points, Chatham town officials are now pushing for millions of dollars in improvements to fund a bicycle master plan for the community. This involves everything from possibly installing new signs to