Sandwich is the oldest town on Cape Cod, founded in 1637 by settlers from the Plymouth Colony, and it has the air of a place that has been looking at the same view for a very long time. Houses with weathered grey shingles stand around a village green, a mill pond and a small, historic grist mill, and the old Dexter Grist Mill still grinds corn on certain days. The town was home to the Boston and Sandwich Glass Company, founded in the 1820s, whose colourful pressed glass was once sold across America, and a museum on the main street displays the best pieces.
The Cape Cod Canal, completed in 1914, cuts across the base of the peninsula just beyond the town, with the Sagamore and Bourne bridges arching over it. A path runs along both banks, and watching the ships go through is a good way to spend an hour. The canal turned the Cape into an island, in the technical sense, and saved ships the long and dangerous passage around the outer shore.
The road that gives the ride its name is Route 6A, the Old King's Highway, which runs along the north shore of the Cape from Sandwich to Orleans. It is one of the loveliest roads in New England, a narrow, tree-lined lane that passes ancient houses, salt marshes, antique shops and sea captains' mansions. The speed limit is low, the bends are gentle and the surface is generally good, though the road is crowded in summer, when traffic crawls and parking is scarce. Early spring and late autumn are the quiet seasons, with fog, wind and light that is soft and silver. The Sandy Neck, a long barrier beach to the east, is a haven for birds, including piping plovers, which nest in the dunes in spring.
Sandwich has about three thousand people, with Sagamore and East Sandwich close by, and there are fuel stations and shops on Route 6A and on the main roads. For a wider choice, the nearest bigger town is Mashpee, about twelve kilometres south. Traffic on the bridges over the canal can back up badly on summer weekends, so aim to cross before eight or after six. In the off season, many restaurants and shops shut, so check before you set out.