Dennis is spread across the upper arm of Cape Cod, with Route 6A running through it as a quiet, leafy road past antique shops, white churches and the long, shallow shore of Cape Cod Bay. Founded in the 1600s as part of Yarmouth and incorporated separately in 1793, it was named for the Reverend Josiah Dennis, a local minister, and in the early nineteenth century its sea captains and salt makers did well. Today the town is a mix of old village centres and summer cottages.
The Cape Playhouse, opened in 1927, is one of the oldest professional summer theatres in the country, and over the decades has hosted many famous names, and Bette Davis is said to have started there as an usher. A short walk away, the Cape Museum of Fine Arts shows work by artists associated with the Cape, many of whom were drawn by its clear light. In the village of Dennis, a small stone tower stands on Scargo Hill, the highest point in town, and from the top you can look across the bay to the hook of Provincetown on a clear day. Below it lies Scargo Lake, which legend says was dug by a Native princess for her fish.
The road is a gentle one. The surface is mostly good, the bends are mild, and the speed limit is low, with frequent crosswalks and drivers turning into driveways. Summer traffic is heavy, particularly on weekend afternoons, and bikes share the road with a lot of cyclists on the Cape Cod Rail Trail, which crosses it. Early morning rides, when the marsh is misty and the light is low, are the most rewarding. Evening brings the soft pink glow of sunset across the bay.
Fuel is available in nearby Yarmouth, four kilometres away, and the village has cafés, a bakery and clam shacks serving fried seafood. Dress in layers, since the bay breeze can be cool, and make time to stop at one of the small beaches at sunset.