If you’re driving to Cape Cod for your next vacation, figuring out the best times to arrive and depart is highly recommended. Getting caught in the Cape’s traffic is a significant concern for visitors, especially in the summer, so you’ll want to do everything possible to avoid it.
Many traffic bottlenecks appear near the Sagamore and Bourne bridges that you’ll use to enter and exit Cape Cod. Other areas known for their congestion include Route 28 between Falmouth and Dennis and the sections of Route 6 with lane drops in Harwich and Wellfleet.
Fortunately, you can learn some clear traffic trends as you plan your trip to limit the time you spend stuck in your vehicle. Here’s some information on the busiest times near the Cape’s bridges so you know when to arrive and depart from your vacation rental.
Busiest Times to Arrive on the Cape
When coming to Cape Cod, the busiest times of day are relatively simple to figure out. Of course, this congestion is far worse between Memorial Day and Labor Day. However, you could encounter significant traffic at other times of the year if there’s a holiday or special event.
On Fridays, you’ll want to avoid driving anywhere near the bridges between noon and 8:00 PM. Those with vacation properties on Cape Cod arrive for the weekend during these hours, so there’s a steady stream of traffic well into the evening. If you’ve booked your vacation to start on a Friday, do everything you can to reach the Cape before noon or find something else to do for the day and get there in the later evening.
Traffic is just as bad on Saturdays, particularly between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM. These hours are when beachgoers arrive for the day and when weekenders coming from further away finally get to Cape Cod. Those arriving on the Cape during these hours should plan to spend significant time in their vehicles when trying to reach their destination.
Although it’s a little lighter than Saturday mornings, Sunday mornings between 8:00 and 10:00 AM are extremely busy on the road, as well. Many day-trippers arrive from nearby towns and cities at this time, so there will be a lot of traffic on a sunny day in the summer.
In addition to these weekend hours, it’s worth noting that holidays often see significant traffic, so you’ll have to be careful about when you arrive if you want to avoid it.
For example, in 2022, the Fourth of July was on a Monday. However, traffic data from the Sagamore and Bourne bridges on that holiday weekend suggested a significant uptick in Thursday arrivals, with most visitors heading home on Tuesday. As a result, the bridges were busiest on Thursday, Friday, and Tuesday and less congested on Saturday and Sunday.
Weekends are the busiest time, but holidays are sometimes exceptions to that rule.
When to Avoid Leaving the Cape
You probably don’t want to think about it too much, but your Cape Cod vacation will eventually come to an end. After leaving your vacation rental, you’ll have to make the drive home, but there are some times you should avoid to make the trek as stress-free as possible.
Much like your arrival on the Cape, the weekends are the busiest time to leave. Many vacation rentals run from Saturday to Saturday, so it makes sense that Saturday mornings have the most traffic congestion when heading off-Cape. As a rule, though, you’ll want to avoid leaving the Cape between 8:00 AM and noon on Saturdays in the summer because that’s when the bridges see the most traffic. If you don’t get going early enough, grabbing some lunch at a local eatery might make sense before crossing the Cape Cod Canal on your way home.
However, the worst day to leave Cape Cod bar-none is Sunday. The bridges are busy from about noon to 7:00 PM on Sundays, when weekenders return to Boston or New York for the week ahead. If you must leave on a Sunday, you’ll want to get going as early as possible to avoid the rush. It’s worth noting that if the weather is bad, weekenders might leave even earlier, so traffic can get hectic by 9:00 AM.
Plan Ahead to Avoid Stress
Your Cape Cod vacation should be a time of relaxation, so you’ll want to limit the stress in your life as much as possible. Skipping the traffic congestion could be a priority if that type of driving stresses you out, and it’s entirely possible if you make a plan before your trip.
By arriving a little earlier and leaving a little later, you not only get to spend more time on the Cape but also avoid the traffic that could force you to start your vacation on the wrong foot. Figure out what works best for you after discovering these Cape Cod traffic trends.
