Cheap Thrills in Provincetown
It may be more challenging to afford the price of eggs right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the best kept secrets and cheap thrills of Provincetown. There are plenty of free and affordable activities, theater, dining, art, and exploration to enjoy year-round. Here are a few of must-try favorites.
Please check individual business websites for updates, as business hours, offerings, and pricing may change.
Art & Theater
Art Gallery Strolls & Feminist Stoop Readings
Friday nights in town are abuzz with late night activity, but especially in the East End, where the Provincetown Art Association & Museum’s (PAAM) entry is free from 5-8pm. Many galleries often keep their doors open later into the evening on Fridays as well, inviting you in with lively receptions and wine tastings. Womencrafts hosts Feminist Stoop Readings on Friday nights as well. For additional art events visit Provincetown Art Gallery Association and the Provincetown Arts Society.
Cody Plays
This community-driven theatre production calls the Gifford House home and offers a donation-based entry for their monthly Monday night shows.
Fine Art Works Center
The Fine Art Works Center hosts a variety of free, year-round, public programming, including Fellow Fridays, poetry readings, open mic nights, artist talks, and more.
Self-Guided Public Art Tour
Take a wander down the pier to view the Provincetown Public Art Foundation’s newest murals and go exploring for additional pieces they’ve recently commissioned around town.
Twenty Summers
Twenty Summers is a month-long festival in late Spring featuring a series of free and low-cost performances, installations, conversations, and workshops held in the Hawthorne Barn.
Dining
Breakfast
Start your day right at Bagel Hound, Joe’s Coffee, or the Portuguese Bakery, where you can still walk away with a breakfast sandwich for less than $8.
All Day
You’ll be hard pressed to find a better deal any time of day than at Bay Cafe! Their wallet-friendly $10 menus are available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including omelettes, French toast, cheeseburger sliders, veggie potstickers, French dips, and more!
Lunch & Picnic Fare
For a bougie lunch, treat yourself to Vorelli’s Kobe-style Wagyu beef burger for just $18.95 or pack a beach picnic on a dime with tasty salads, sandwiches, and snacks from Angel Foods, East End Market, Far Land Provisions, and Salty Market.
Seafood Happy Hour
For a great deal on bivalves, don’t miss Mac’s Seafood, Red Inn, and Victor’s. All three local hotspots offer seafood-focused happy hours, including options like half-priced oysters, shrimp, and clams.
Dinner
Delicious fine dining for less can be enjoyed at Victor’s on prix-fixe Mondays for just $28 or any day of the week at Fanizzi’s with a view! Fanizzi’s Early Bird Dinners are served daily between 4:30-5:30pm for just $20.99 and include options like fresh mussels over linguine, pan-seared salmon, and steak tips. Thursday nights are for ‘All You Can Eat Fish & Chips’ at Mac’s Seafood from 4-8:30pm for a mere $20.99.
Entertainment & Activities
Free Hidden Treasures
Two of the most unique hidden treasures of Provincetown include a half-scale replica of the Rose Dorothea Schooner built inside the Provincetown Library and available to enjoy for free during Library hours. In addition, you’ll want to visit the off-the-beaten-path Spinnaker Exhibit. This impressive exhibit features a fully preserved skeleton of an 11-year old humpback whale, housed at the Center for Coastal Studies, open to the public Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 1-4pm or by appointment.
History With A View
The Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum (PMPM) offers a great, low-cost cost and family-friendly attraction. The lobby museum is always free and features an exhibit on the complicated relationship between the Indigenous Wampanoag and the Mayflower Pilgrims, as well as an anecdotal LGBTQ+ history of the last century of Provincetown. Entry to the Monument itself is $20, $16 for Seniors, Veterans & Active Duty, and children (13-17). Children (4-12) are $9, and a special adult joint package ticket is $30, which includes entry to the PMPM and PAAM.
Live Shows & Karaoke
Many live shows sans cover charge can be found year-round and all over town in popular venues like Tin Pan Alley, the Post Office Cabaret, Piano Bar at the Crown & Anchor, and no visit to Provincetown is complete without a visit to Drag Queen Karaoke at the Governor Bradford.
Outdoor Adventures
Bike Trails & Beaches
Biking and hiking trails abound in the National Seashore and offer some of the most spectacular coastal views and nature trails on Cape. Borrow or rent a bike from Coast Provincetown or Ptown Bikes and take the afternoon to explore everything from Boy Beach to the Beech Forest and Herring Cove to Race Point.
Hiking & Lighthouses
The Provincetown Causeway, or the ‘Breakwater’ as it is more commonly called by locals, is a must-visit attraction on the West End. You’ll find the Breakwater rock wall jetting out into the bay from across First Landing Park, a site commemorating the arrival of the Pilgrims on the Cape in 1620. This causeway is just over a mile from the West End to the Wood End Lighthouse, and with no shade covering, this slightly challenging hike is best enjoyed with sunscreen protection, a water bottle, and proper footwear. Should you prefer to take in the views from a less strenuous vantage point, hop aboard the Long Point Shuttle operated by Flyer’s Boat Rental for $25 per person round-trip (cash only).
Sunrises & Sunsets to Remember
Provincetown’s sunrises and sunsets are arguably among the most spectacular in the world. Why not enjoy them from a paddleboard or kayak? Coyote Kayak offers incredible guided tours at all times of day, including a Salt Marsh Eco tour, Boy Beach Paddle, and daytime rentals starting at just $30.
