People seem to fall into two camps regarding Cape Cod; they’re either devoted fans or they just don’t feel the love. My husband and kids fall into the latter group. I’ve been vacationing on the Cape since I was a kid, crammed into a rustic cottage a half-mile from the beach with my family of eight. When I tried to share the unique wonders of the Cape with my husband and kids, they were like, “Meh.” “Why do we have to walk so far to the beach?” Well, because the cottages on the beach are a fortune. “Why do we have to drive 20 minutes to get to anything?” Well, because the Cape is pretty big and even though we’re staying in Harwich, I really want to go to the Sundae School in Dennisport. “Where’s the pool?” “Seriously, the cottage doesn’t have AC?” How was I, the vacation-organizer and confirmed Cape Codder, to convert these lost souls? The answer came when I was invited to visit Ocean Edge Resort and Golf Club in Brewster MA with a small group of Macaroni Kid publishers this spring. As I explored Ocean Edge, I came to realize -- this, THIS, will be the answer for families who are looking for a resort experience close to home, who want a cottage-alternative with tons of amenities, all within a reasonable budget.
I’d driven by and admired Ocean Edge Resort several times and seen the ads but never realized how very family-friendly the resort is. We were given a tour of both areas of Ocean Edge -- the Mansion (on the beach side of Route 6A) and the Villages (located just across Route 6A). The Villages are apartment-style units (called "villas") with bedrooms, a living room (with a pull-out sofa), a kitchen and dining area, and a balcony or patio. I was happy to see the bathrooms have a tub, which makes it easier to bathe sandy, squirmy little ones. The villa décor is light, bright and summery – lots of white and blue – with big windows, perfect for a seaside vacation. The beds are really luxurious and look super-comfortable. I loved that all the sheets, towels (even poolside towels), pillows and kitchen items are supplied, which saves a ton of room in your overstuffed vacation vehicle.
OK, comfortable and convenient place to rest your weary heads? Check. Now I wanted to be sure that there would be enough entertainment around to keep my kids happy and busy. My three macaronis crave constant stimulation and are addicted to amusement parks, which is another reason that peaceful Cape Cod is a hard sell. At lunch on our second day, I was handed the Ocean Edge Summer Activities Guide, a little book packed with all kinds of resort activities in tiny print (like, “yes, OK, I need reading glasses” tiny print). In the guide, I found pages filled with Ocean Edge kids camps and classes, tennis lessons, golf lessons, fitness classes, beach information, bike rentals, tee times, plus a little schedule listing their regular weekly family activities (most free for guests) – a beach bonfire, “dive-in” movies at the pools, karaoke nights, bingo night, parents nights out (extra charge), croquet, kickball, crafts, capture the flag, toddler games, pool games, a treasure hunt, and more (see last summer’s Activity Guide here; the 2014 guide isn’t posted yet). Wow! We also drove around the entire Villages and Mansion properties so we could check out the five pools (three outdoor, two indoor), hot tubs, saunas, toddler pools (one with a gently sloped “beach” entry – great for very little macaronis), and tennis courts.
Activities to keep the kids busy, check. Is it possible that on a vacation at Ocean Edge, my husband and I could get some time for us to actually relax and, well, vacate? (If that’s not a verb, it should be… I can’t think of anything better than clearing all the to-dos and should-haves right out of my brain.) Ocean Edge has a gorgeous golf course that is -- lucky for us -- very welcoming to the “family golfer”; i.e., the mom or dad who has to fit the occasional game in around the kids and may be pretty rusty. They have equipment to rent and lessons and workshops. My favorite discovery? The new fleet of Ocean Edge bikes (including tandems and trailers) and the Cape Cod rail trail, which runs right through the Ocean Edge property. We rode at a comfortable pace for only about 20 minutes to get to Orleans, where we enjoyed a decadent treat at the Hot Chocolate Sparrow ice cream and candy store and shopped at the local gift stores. The rail trail continues right on to the National Seashore, if you’re feeling energetic.
On our last day, we explored Ocean Edge’s beach, which is located on the Mansion side. If you’re familiar with the cold-water, riptide beaches on the Mid-Cape and Lower Cape (Dennis, Harwich, etc.), the beaches in Brewster will be a pleasant surprise. At low tide, the water is very far out, leaving warm, shallow tidal pools behind for kids to safely play in and an enormous stretch of packed sand that’s great for football, Frisbees, walking, or sitting and reading a book. At high tide, the water is unusually warm due to the protected bay. We visited an oyster farm that’s located very close to the Ocean Edge beach and enjoyed the incredible views of the coastline extending all the way to the Upper Cape and Provincetown. Resort guests who stay on the Mansion side of the property can access the Ocean Edge beach, but due to its small size it’s not available to Villages guests during the day. Ocean Edge has beach parking passes for other local beaches available for purchase right at the front desk.
Last but definitely not least – the food! We enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Linx Tavern, where they treated us to a spread of appetizers, including clam and corn fritters (deep-fried and just a touch spicy), fried calamari (very light and satisfying), and petite fish tacos, with a nice spicy kick. My huge turkey club sandwich, a favorite of mine, was excellent. For dinner both nights, we were treated to memorable meals at the Ocean Terrace Restaurant, where the coastline view extends forever, the bar drinks are potent and the meals are delicious. The Ocean Terrace is a good choice for a special night out. The crab cake appetizer was excellent – full of jumbo lump crab meat, just barely held together with a light breading. The bouillabaisse entrée was filled with a variety of seafood, including lobster, large sea scallops, mussels, and swordfish, and tiny yellow potatoes in a rich tomato-based broth. Wonderful! Several of our group had the halibut entree served with truffled rice and asparagus, and they all agreed it was excellent and as “tender as butter”.
Part of our group checked out the local sites while some of us cycled into Orleans. They visited the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, which is very close by, and checked out the Brewster General Store. We all stopped by Jomamas coffee shop, located on Route 6A right in the middle of the Ocean Edge property, and the new She Sells shop, filled with Ocean Edge merchandise, resort wear, and lovely jewelry.
Learn more at the Ocean Edge Resort and Golf Club website, where they are currently offering 20% off stays in May, June and July. One-bedroom villas (which sleep four) on the Villages side start at $225 per night (with current discount), plus a daily resort fee of $28 and taxes. Compared to the cost of a cottage, this is very reasonable, especially with all the extra amenities. On the Mansion side, the King rooms with sleep sofa (which also sleep four but do not have a kitchen) start at $450 per night, plus daily resort fee and taxes.
When you visit Ocean Edge, be sure to indulge in their famous S’Mores cookies, one of the best cookies I’ve ever tasted!
S’MORES COOKIES
AS CREATED BY OCEAN EDGE RESORT & GOLF CLUB'S
EXECUTIVE CHEF PHILIP FLATH
Yield: approximately 3 dozen
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2/3 Cup Cocoa Powder
3/4 tsp. Baking Soda
¼ tsp. Salt
1 Cup Butter, Softened
¾ Cup Granulated Sugar
¾ Cup Brown Sugar, Packed
2 Each Eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
½ Cup Graham Crackers, Slightly Crushed
1 Cup Mini Marshmallows, or large marshmallows cut into small pieces.
METHOD
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine Flour, Cocoa Powder, Baking Soda and Salt. Mix and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, preferably with a paddle attachment, add Butter, Granulated Sugar, and Brown Sugar. Beat on medium speed until well incorporated and mixture becomes slightly fluffy.
- With mixer running, add eggs, one at a time until each is mixed well.
- Reduce mixer speed to low, slowly add flour mixture, allowing to be mixed in well.
- Add Chocolate Chips, Graham Crackers and Marshmallows, fold in on low speed. Do not overmix, to avoid crushing chips and crackers.
- Place on an ungreased baking sheet, bake for 8-10 minutes, or until done. Allow to cool for 6-8 minutes, remove to wire rack to finish cooling.
Ocean Edge provided me with two nights accommodations and meals to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.
