The Massachusetts Seaside Town That Mirrors the Rugged Coast of Cornwall

Worldly travelers know there are many places along the East Coast of the United States that mimic the look and feel of beautiful places in Europe and Britain—parts of Pennsylvania leave the same impression as the Swiss Alps, and I’ve visited a harbor town in Maine that appears to be a sibling of a Swedish sailing hotspot, for example. Another regional destination with a twin across the Atlantic is Cape Cod in Massachusetts, specifically the town of Truro, which reminds me of Cornwall county along the Southwest coast of England.

Both Cape Cod and Cornwall are on peninsulas, with Cape Cod jutting out eastward, and Cornwall extending westward into the ocean. Their coastlines are dotted with picturesque harbors, sandy beaches, and rocky cliffs. The towns of Falmouth and Truro on the Cape are in fact named after a town and city, respectively, in Cornwall thanks to the Pilgrims, who landed in Provincetown on the tip of Cape Cod before famously settling in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

There’s no shortage of hiking trails with gorgeous coastal views on both peninsulas, my top choice near Truro, Massachusetts being the Pamet Cranberry Bog Trail that’s two miles out-and-back and takes most hikers less than an hour to complete. It’s a bit easier than the Cape Cornwall Circular on the opposite shore, as the nearly four-mile loop has almost triple the elevation gain, but many of the views feel like mirror images with those on the Bog Trail roughly 3,200 miles away.

Besides their twin-like natural landscapes, Cape Cod and Cornwall are home to many lighthouses, with North Truro, Massachusetts’ stark-white Highland Lighthouse bearing a striking resemblance to the Godrevy Lighthouse over in St. Ives. Sailing is big in each destination, for, as all the lighthouses suggest, each boasts a strong maritime culture and prominence in the fishing industry for centuries. As a result, these harbors attract sailing enthusiasts from around the world, while also offering abundant opportunities for visitors without private sailboats to experience the water through local sailing schools and professional cruise services.

In addition to the opportunity to sail along the coast, both destinations feature another of my favorite aspects of maritime culture: a rich abundance of seafood. Famous British fish and chips can of course be found all over Cornwall—and the American version is included on many Cape Cod restaurant menus, too.

Lobster, both whole and served as a salad in rolls, is popular on both peninsulas, though the lobsters themselves do differ. In Cornwall, they catch European lobster, while the species fished for in Cape Cod is known as the Maine Lobster. The former’s shell is typically blue-black and its meat is briny and sometimes even slightly nutty, while the reddish-brown Maine lobster is known for its sweeter taste. Still, a lobster dinner at Mackerel Sky in Newlyn, on the tip of Cornwall, can feel a great deal like enjoying the same dish at the Lobster Pot in Provincetown.

Want to visit a Stateside destination that looks, feels, and tastes much like a vacation to the coast of England? Share this with your travel buddy to start planning your Cape Cod itinerary today.