A Weekend in Provincetownby Elizabeth GehrmanContrary to popular belief and most grammar-school lesson plans, the Pilgrims did not land in the New World at Plymouth Rock. They first laid anchor, in November 1620, at Provincetown Harbor, where they signed the Mayflower Compact and spent about a month before moving on (they ran out of lack of fresh water). Things have changed a little since the Puritans walked these shores, but their ideals of acceptance, respect, and equality have become the very oxygen of Provincetown.  Since the turn of the last century, when New York artists were quietly welcomed by the Portuguese fishermen who dominated the village, Ptown has been celebrated for embracing the unorthodox. Known as the birthplace of American theater (Eugene O’Neill got his big break here in 1916), this remote and ardently independent community, separated from the rest of Cape Cod by a huge expanse of protected land, picked up its party atmosphere as a bootlegging center in the Roaring ’20s and solidified its liberal air with the entrenchment of the gay population in the 1970s. Today, the little end-of-the-earth outpost is part natural beauty, part Mermaid Parade, and all about the art of life — so it’s easy to make your weekend getaway a masterpiece.
FridayThere’s so much to see and do on Commercial Street, the town’s main drag, that it can be a little overwhelming. Take a short stroll before dinner to acclimate yourself or, better yet, pick up the $9 Provincetown Trolley in front of Town Hall for a history-laden 40-minute tour of the town and the dunes just outside it. You’ll find a half-dozen restaurants with the sort of refined decor and sophisticated cuisine normally associated with New York dining, but these don’t capture the flavor of the Cape the way the Lobster Pot does. A 1950s fishing shack turned Ptown institution, its plain-Jane look and high-decibel seating arrangement do not invite lingering; but moderate prices and live-lobster tanks make it the first choice for seafood. The $15 seafood crepes are a standout on a menu of mainstays, but the big surprise is the fabulous desserts, like the $6 Triple Chocolate Tower, a rich fudge brownie with dark chocolate mousse encased in a dark- and white-chocolate shell and served with four fresh-fruit sauces. The weekend scene gets started at the three dozen or so galleries of the East End, which coordinate their openings so that at least one is happening every Friday. Prices range into the thousands, but you can still pick up innovative originals for a song — and you never know which might be by the next Robert Motherwell, who helped to catalyze the midcentury explosion of abstract expressionism in a converted barn on nearby Miller Hill. For a nightcap, sample a few of the 74 kinds of tequila at Lorraine’s Cafe, and after awhile it will hardly seem odd that this Mexican restaurant’s bar is made from a dory sawed lengthwise down the middle, or that its walls and ceiling beams once belonged to a schooner. The place is reminiscent of a time when mooncussing — luring ships aground and then raiding their cargo — was Ptown’s favorite sport.   People-watch at Little Fluke Cafe while scarfing down cornmeal-blueberry pancakes ($7.50), apple-smoked bacon ($3.50), and savory rosemary homefries ($2.50). On your way back down Commercial Street, detour up Center to gawk at the private garden across from the Heritage Museum. The plantings are beautiful, but what makes the place sensational are the two bigger-than-lifesize winged figures sculpted out of found metal, the arched stone wall inset with quartz crystals, and the fork-tongued mosaic snake that curves around a bathtub Mary and up the side of the house.
SaturdayIf your hotel does not provide free bicycles, rent one at Arnold’s and head west toward the Province Lands National Seashore bike path. The entire loop is only about 9 miles, but it gets pretty hilly and in any case, you’ll want to dawdle. At the west end of Commercial, look for the houses with a blue-and-white wave-design plaque; these are among the 38 that were floated across the harbor in the 1800s when a settlement at Long Point disbanded. Once out of town, you’ll wind past salt marshes and tidal flats, and through the scrubby dunes and the shady Beech Forest. At about midpoint is the Province Lands Visitor Center on Race Point Road. Take a break at the observation deck, where on a clear day you can see as far as Boston. After almost a decade in business, Bubala’s, with its funky, Picasso-esque mural and retro feel, has become a frontrunner in the most-popular-lunch category. Try the best-selling Thai chicken salad ($9) while watching the boats come in and out of the harbor or the tide of humanity wash across Commercial Street. For dessert, put on your best Lana Turner sweater and duck into Adam’s Pharmacy for a cappuccino or frappe at the 1950s soda fountain.  From the water bustling Provincetown looks almost like the sleepy fishing village it once was, stretching out serenely from either side of the towering Pilgrim Monument. Keep an eye out for harmless basking sharks, and bring your bathing gear for a swim at romantic Long Point Light, built in 1875 at the very tip of Cape Cod. The beach is rockier than at the more popular Herring Cove, but huge stretches of it are totally secluded, and the dune that holds the World War II memorial cross affords magnificent views. Rent a skiff (about $60) or take a water taxi ($12 round trip) from Flyer’s Boat Rental. If you’re of a less independent inclination at the moment, opt for a whale watch ($20) instead; Dolphin Fleet originated whale-watching on the east coast and brings a Center for Coastal Studies naturalist along on every excursion.
You’ll have time to shower, change, and snack on a hand-rolled, secret-recipe hot pretzel and homemade ice cream at Twisted Sister before making your way to tea dance, Provincetown’s famous daily afternoon saturnalia. Some tea dances cater primarily to men or to women, but the Boatslip welcomes gay, straight and anything in between, and more important, is where it all began, back in the early 1970s, with a few guys hopping around to their favorite tunes. Today everyone seems to end up at this high-energy meet-and-greet with music so loud it even gets the 500-foot boardwalk vibrating. For those who prefer a more intimate preprandial experience, several outfitters offer sunset cruises; by far the most beautiful vessel among them is the Hindu, a 79-foot Grand Banks fishing schooner replica built in 1925. Follow the year-rounders over to Napi’s, whose consistently good international fare, substantial wine list, and relaxed atmosphere are enhanced by a huge collection drawings, paintings, and sculptures that includes many Provincetown scenes by local artists. Try the clam chowder ($5 a cup) — not your typical overthick sludge but a light, buttery broth with tender chunks of clam an unexpected hint of onion — and the scallop stir-fry ($20).  On Saturdays, Provincetown is so packed with performances — among them folk, jazz, swing, doowop, and comedy — that it would be hard to choose if you weren’t in the drag capital of the world. A stroll down Commercial Street will give you plenty of previews: Performers like the inexhaustible and adorable Painted Ladies or the off-the-wall Dina Martina get out on the street and woo the crowd, posing for photos and chatting up passers-by. The two premier venues are the Post Office Cafe and the Crown & Anchor.
You can’t go to bed early on a Saturday in Ptown. Stop by the Squealing Pig, a relative newcomer that’s gaining a loyal following, to make a few friends among the summer workers and anyone else who happens by. It’s an Irish pub in the best nothing-fancy tradition, with free live music on weekends and a perpetual good vibe. After the bars let out, the party continues at Spiritus Pizza), where the street fills nightly with revelers grabbing a slice and a couple more hours of mingling. SundayAfter breakfast at your hotel, rent an umbrella at the Beach Market and take a bike, taxi, bus, or car over to Herring Cove Beach, where people tend to segregate by tribe. Heterosexuals and families hover about the services building next to the parking lot; women are down the beach a bit to the left, and, beyond them, the men. The four-decades-old, Portuguese-influenced Tip for Tops’N — as in, the tip of the Cape for the tops in seafood — does the best after-beach lobster roll, made to order and a bargain at only $8.95. After lunch, say goodbye to Ptown in style, atop the 252-foot Pilgrim Monument. From here you can see the entire curve of Cape Cod — and get a sense of just how thoroughly Provincetown stands alone. Getting thereCape Air (800-352-0714; www.flycapeair.com ) runs a few 25-minute flights daily, starting at under $100, from Boston’s Logan Airport into Provincetown Airport at Race Point. Since you won’t need a car while you’re here, this is a great no-hassle option. Where to stayWhere you stay in Provincetown can depend on your sexual orientation; a few inns cater exclusively to gay men. One excellent choice that is women-run but welcomes everyone is Gabriel’s (104 Bradford St.; 508-487-3232; www.gabriels.com ); winter rates start as low as $95, and the high in summer — for a full apartment, with a queen-size bed, sofa sleeper, kitchen and fireplace — is $350. A good bet for families is the Provincetown Inn (1 Commercial St.; 508-487-9500; www.provincetowninn.com ) a sprawling 102-room complex charging $69 to $409, depending on the room and the season. It’s a bit of a hike into town, and the accommodations are typically simple motel-style, but the views of Provincetown Bay amply compensate. What to doAdam’s Pharmacy: 254 Commercial St.; 508-487-0069 Arnold’s: 329 Commercial St.; 508-487-0844 Beach Market: 144 Bradford St.; 508-487-4849 Boatslip: 161 Commercial St.; 508-487-1669 Bubala’s: 183 Commercial St.; 508-487-0773 Crown & Anchor: 247 Commercial St.; 508-487-1430; www.onlyatthecrown.com Dolphin Fleet: MacMillan Wharf; 800-826-9300; www.whalewatch.com; reservations required Flyer’s Boat Rental: 131A Commercial St.; 508-487-0898; www.flyersboatrentals.com Hindu: MacMillan Wharf; 888-666-HINDU; www.theschoonerhindu.com; reservations required Little Fluke Cafe: 401 Commercial St.; 508-487-4773 Lobster Pot: 321 Commercial St.; 508-487-0842; www.ptownlobsterpot.com Lorraine’s Cafe: 463 Commercial St.; 508-487-6074 Napi’s: 7 Freeman St.; 508-487-1145; www.napis-restaurant.com Pilgrim Monument: High Pole Hill, 508-487-1310; www.pilgrim-monument.org Post Office Cafe: 303 Commercial St.; 508-487-3892 Province Lands Visitor Center: 508-487-1256 Provincetown Trolley: 508-487-9483; www.provincetowntrolley.com Spiritus Pizza: 190 Commercial St.; 508-487-2808; www.spirituspizza.com Squealing Pig: 335 Commercial St.; 508-487-5804 Tip for Tops’N: 31 Bradford St.; 508-487-1811 Twisted Sister: 293 Commercial St.; 508-487-2695 | 