Forget Cape Cod — visit New England's Less-Crowded Destination With Fresh Seafood And Pristine Beaches

Shingled houses overlooking the water? Check. Long stretches of beach, hemmed in by a sea wall? Check. A half-dozen seafood restaurants scattered through town? Double-check. You could amble through the village of Ocean Bluff-Brant Rock, Massachusetts, and assume you were on Cape Cod. These are exactly the surroundings you'd expect of New England's most famous peninsula. At the height of tourist season, you might just wonder: "Where are all the crowds?"

Ocean Bluff-Brant Rock isn't in Cape Cod. In fact, this little community of just 4,600 residents occupies a special place on the Massachusetts coast. It's technically part of Marshfield, located a bit north of Plymouth. Highway drivers between Boston and the Cape will completely bypass Ocean Bluff-Brant Rock, and you could live in the Bay State for years without visiting. In fact, what most people love about it is the fact that this village doesn't absorb hordes of beachgoers every summer. The population does double during the warmer months, but the influx hardly compares to the 2 million tourists who pour into Provincetown each year.

At the same time, Ocean Bluff-Brant Rock is well prepared for visitors. This village encompasses several different beaches, including Brant Rock Beach, Sunrise Beach, and Old Rexhame Beach, which all face Cape Cod Bay and frame the eastern shore with pristine sand and scattered rocks. You'll find a number of places to stay, including an inn and cottage rentals, along with a cozy culinary scene.

While Cape Cod is frenetic with motorboats, sports bars, and retail outings, Ocean Bluff-Brant Rock is quite a bit calmer. Most businesses are clustered around a single intersection, where Dyke Road meets Ocean Street. You can walk the village's 4-mile length in about an hour, passing almost every important landmark along the way. What sets this skyline apart from any other on the Massachusetts shore is the Brant Rock Tower, an imposing eight-story structure that looms over residential rooftops. Originally built by the Coast Guard in 1943 as a watchtower to help spot German U-boats surfacing on the horizon, this stark edifice has since turned into a private residence.

The beach is basically continuous, from the curving coast and peninsula of Brant Rock Beach to the northern parkland of Rexhame Beach. Brant Rock Beach is clean and scenic, if a bit rocky. It's better suited for gazes and long walks than swimming and water sports. The sea wall that lines the edge of town is a nice place to stroll and hang out as well. Rexhame Beach, in the northern corner of town, has wide sands for sunbathing and shallow waters for wading and paddling.

Once hunger strikes, seafood lovers can pick from several local spots, including The Point Restaurant, a seafood joint that sits right on the water and dishes up coveted hot lobster rolls. Or you could let your hair down at The Jetty, an easygoing bar-restaurant that serves fish tacos, haddock sandwiches, and a "hangover burger." The bounty of the sea is just one reason Ocean Bluff-Brant Rock should be among Massachusetts' best stops sandwiched between Boston and Cape Cod.

The only reasonable way to get to Ocean Bluff-Brant Rock is to drive, as mass transit could take hours from Boston or the Cape, and nearby Marshfield Municipal Airport specializes in charters, not general commercial flights. You can drive here from Boston's Logan International Airport (BOS) in less than an hour. There are many scenic stops along the way, including Weymouth, a coastal city with scenic beaches, seafood, and historic charm between Boston and Plymouth. The aforementioned Marshfield, a charming town with shops and beach beauty, is also well worth strolling around, especially considering it's just minutes from Ocean Bluff-Brant Rock. You could easily incorporate Ocean Bluff-Brant Rock into a longer road trip through Massachusetts, too.

The Fairview Inn is one of the only places in town that you can spend the night. It's a shingled beauty with a fine dining restaurant on the first floor and rooms above. The original building was constructed in 1874. After a fire leveled it in the late 1990s, the owners commissioned a new inn and restaurant that closely resembled the first. The grill serves expertly presented seafood and international wines, and some of the seven rooms come with ocean views. Given the limited lodging, many travelers will treat Ocean Bluff-Brant Rock as a day trip from Boston, while others will find options in Plymouth, about 15 miles down the road.