Coincidentally, our second post takes us back to Sandwich. Maybe I should just call the whole town a hidden gem--where else do the cop cars say Sandwich police? But out of all the towns on the Cape, Sandwich has some of the best spots to visit, from gardens to boardwalks to cafes and selling actual sandwiches.
I’ve traveled a lot around Massachusetts, but The Heritage Museums & Gardens has to be one of my absolute favorite places. One of the best parts about it is how huge it is. There are dozens of attractions to see, spread out over 100 acres. No matter who you’re traveling with, there is something for everyone to love.
Heritage Museums & Gardens has hundreds of thousands of flowers, from exotic varieties of hydrangeas to their famous rhododendrons. Because of this, the gardens are best seen in the spring and summer. But there is still plenty to see in the fall and winter, including lights displays in the winter at their Gardens Aglow event. If you’re looking for a specific flower, make sure to check out the “What’s In Bloom” section of their website to see a monthly calendar of what flowers are in season.
Tickets to Heritage Museums & Gardens are $20 dollars for adults and $10 dollars for anyone 17 and under. Tickets are sold in advance online, so make sure to book before you go. Take a moment to check if you qualify for any discounts though, like free entry for MTA members or half-price passes found at some libraries. Either way, the tickets are absolutely worth the cost.
One of the first things you’ll see when entering the gardens at the top of a hill is a stream of water surrounded by bright red flowers. If you head down the hill, you’ll come across a massive structure called The Flume. The Flume is one of my favorite places in the whole garden, as it is essentially a giant fountain emptying into a pond that looks like it was taken straight out of a Monet painting. It is a relatively new addition to the Heritage Museums & Gardens, as it was only constructed in 2010. This is one sight that you can’t miss-- although that’s mostly because it’s 208 feet tall.
One of the best things about Heritage Museums & Gardens is the sheer number of things there are to see. Case in point: around the flume are a few other sculptures nestled amongst the waterlilies, including a sundial and a dragonfly made out of legos.
If you are not a fan of flowers, there still is plenty to see. Continuing on, you will soon reach one of the museums that give Heritage Museums & Gardens its name. The J.K. Lilly III Automobile Gallery is an antique car gallery with over 40 American cars dating back to 1899. The building itself is gorgeous, a two story cylinder filled with glossy automobiles. Even though I don’t know a Ford from a Ferrari, the displays there are absolutely stunning. There’s also plenty of information on the cars themselves online if you are looking get a head start on your visit.
The car to your right is a 1927 Lincoln Sport Touring made in Detroit. If you wanted to buy this car, you would’ve needed some serious cash saved up because it costs 4 times the average annual income to buy. Even a Mercedes only costs a little more than 2 times the 2021 average annual income.
As you leave the Automobile Gallery and walk along the paths of the garden, keep an eye out for the hundreds of butterflies floating around.
Another great photo spot is the Old East Mill. The windmill was built in 1800 and was in use all the way until 1893. Even though it isn't in operation anymore, the windmill is a very photogenic part of the gardens.
For anyone looking to get some exercise, Heritage Museums & Gardens has plenty of hiking trails to wander around. One of my favorites is a trail that takes you around the lake. The hikes are not challenging, and do offer a nice look at the scenery that you would otherwise miss if you took the main path. I will warn you though, make sure to get a map from the visitor’s center when you arrive. Even though the trails are essentially big loops, I did manage to get myself a little lost.
One crazy fact about Heritage Museums & Gardens is that they actually have a Hydrangea Test Garden. I also was confused about what that was at first. After a little more research, I found out that The Hydrangea Test Garden is a way to experiment with hybrid versions of hydrangeas. Working with the Cape Cod Hydrangea Society, scientists frequently test and observe these specimens to see which types of Hydrangeas pair well together.
Another great place in the Heritage Museums & Gardens is their antique carousel. The first time I ever went there as a kid, I begged to go ride the carousel the entire time we were there, much to my parent’s dismay. And in my defense, it is still pretty cool, even years later. The horses in the Carousel Gallery were all hand-carved in 1908 and have real horse hair tails. You can go on unlimited rides that are all included in the price of admission. Make sure to check that the carousel is operating with the current COVID-19 restrictions. Last time I went there, it was shut down, you should be able to see whether that’s changed on their website under “Explore.”
Next to the Carousel Gallery is a gallery hosting rotating exhibits. Over the summer, they were displaying children’s toys and board games to show the local roots of many of our favorite board games. But no two visits are the same, as there is something new every time.
Some days, Heritage Museums & Gardens also has live music on their Outdoor Concert Stage. I was able to see an extremely talented performer who was playing. Coming up on March 10th, the Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra will be performing the American Refuge concert in the Automobile Gallery featuring a collection of American music. If you want to tune in, visit Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra’s YouTube to watch from home.
If I were to list every single thing I liked in the Heritage Museums & Gardens, this article would look more like a research paper. Some other great attractions are a maze, a massive playground for kids complete with a pretty cool tree house, and a sensory garden designed for people with disabilities.
Since the vast majority of Heritage Museums & Gardens is outside and masks are required, this location is perfect for a day trip without the increased risk of catching COVID. There are some indoor spaces, like the Carousel Gallery and the J.K. Lilly III Automobile Gallery, though both have a limited number of people allowed inside. If you feel uncomfortable going inside at all, there is still plenty to see without going indoors.
If you’re hungry after all this talk of Sandwich, there’s a great restaurant less than a mile away. There is no indoor seating in the summer and you order up at a counter, so if you want, you don’t have to eat the food anywhere near other people. Cafe Chew serves up soup, pastries, salads, and of course, sandwiches. This has been one of my favorite spots to eat for years because of the amazing food without the fuss of a sit-down restaurant.
Make sure to check out their website for more information and virtual classes, like how to grow Hydrangeas, go to https://heritagemuseumsandgardens.org/. Tickets for the 2021 season go on sale soon, so make sure to check it out!
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