Growing up in southeastern Massachusetts, I spent many a summer vacation “down the Cape.” Whether we’d booked a hotel room or rental cottage, my family exclusively stayed on the Nantucket Sound side of Cape Cod, in Mid or Lower Cape towns like South Yarmouth, West Dennis, and Harwich Port.
We liked what we liked, and when my siblings and I grew up and had kids of our own, we still went back to the same spots for big multigenerational trips. Lots of Massachusetts families are like this, with fierce loyalty to either the Nantucket Sound or Cape Cod Bay sides of the Cape.
So when I recently found myself headed to Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club in Brewster, Massachusetts, which is situated on Cape Cod Bay, I wondered what my experience would be like on what my family considered the “wrong side” of the Cape. I soon learned it was just as appealing as all my familiar spots, and that of course there’s no “wrong side” of Cape Cod.
Whether you’re a first time visitor to Brewster like I was or a longtime fan of the area, Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club has all the ingredients for a stellar family getaway. From a range of lodging options to activities and amenities that will please your whole crew, Ocean Edge delivers both classic Cape Cod vibes and a genuinely great family vacation experience.
“We’re in the business of memory making,” says Brendan Carey, director of marketing for Ocean Edge. “It’s really a resort for everybody.”
Here’s everything you need to know about Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club and why it should be on your family vacation list.
Where you’ll stay
The entire resort spreads across 429 acres and offers a variety of ways to stay. The circa-1912 Nickerson Mansion is the centerpiece of the property. Originally built as a summer home and later serving as a retreat house and seminary for the Missionaries of La Salette, the property opened as a resort in 1986.
The Victorian-style building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and this side of the resort directly fronting Cape Cod Bay is known collectively as The Mansion. If you opt to stay on this side, which is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World and Historic Hotels of America, you’ll call either one of The Mansion Wing guest rooms or one of the Bay Pines villas home.
I stayed in a Signature King guest room in the East Mansion Wing, done up in beachy neutrals with an ultra-comfy bed; a large sitting area; a vintage-style bathroom with penny tiles, beadboard, and a pedestal sink; and a dressing space with another sink. From my balcony I could glimpse the bay over the lushly landscaped grounds. The room was spacious and well-outfitted, and there are also double queen guest rooms available in this section of the resort.
Perhaps my favorite part of the day was when I returned to my room after dinner and turndown service. The lights were dimmed, my slippers were waiting beside the bed, and a video of the resort’s beach area played on the TV, complete with the soothing sound of waves washing up on shore.
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The Bay Pines villas offer more room to spread out, with two- and three-bedroom options that can sleep up to eight guests. In addition to the sleeping spaces, the multi-level villas include dining areas, kitchenettes with refrigerators and electric cook tops, fireplaces, walkout decks, and washers and dryers.
If you stay on The Mansion side of the property, you’re in walking distance of the beach and many of the resort’s restaurants and amenities. But if you’re a golfer, staying in The Villages section across the road may be more appealing. The 220 one- to three-bedroom units here (some of which are pet friendly) offer living areas, kitchenettes, washer and dryer combinations, and patios or terraces. (The other units in The Villages beyond those 220 are privately owned and not part of Ocean Edge Resort.)
You’ll enjoy easy access to—and maybe a view of—the tree-lined fairways of the resort’s 18-hole golf course (Cape Cod’s only Nicklaus Design course), as well as pools, pickleball courts, and Blueberry Pond for kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding. And Villages guests can also enjoy all of the amenities on The Mansion side of the property.
Summer 2026 marks the first full season of the resort’s sister property, The Charm on Main. The one-time charm school (hence the name) turned inn now offers a stylish adults-only getaway just minutes from Ocean Edge Resort. Antiques mix with more contemporary wallpapers and fabrics, creating a comfortably eclectic vibe.
“My goal was to make it look like a home, like somebody’s really cool home that was a little quirky and just very collected,” says Megan Madigan, cofounder of interior design firm Madigan Schuler, which did the redesign of the inn when Ocean Edge took ownership. “I don’t like things to feel contrived.”
Guests enjoy the feeling of staying in a small luxury inn with its own ambience and amenities, like a heated pool, rear deck, and outdoor fire table. But they also have access to all of the amenities at Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club.
Where you’ll eat
No matter what kind of dining experience you desire, you can find it at Ocean Edge Resort. On The Mansion side of the property, the seasonal Ocean Terrace ranks as the resort’s signature restaurant, where guests can dine on oysters and other fare alfresco overlooking Cape Cod Bay.
The Roscommon Room serves as an indoor extension of the Ocean Terrace and offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A portrait of Mary Merrigan Corcoran, the matriarch of the family that currently owns the resort, hangs behind the bar, and the decor of the space was inspired by her home of County Roscommon, Ireland. Whether you’re dining in the Roscommon Room or on the Ocean Terrace, the lobster roll is a wise choice.
Head to Bayzo’s Pub on the lower level of The Mansion for an English tavern vibe, family-friendly pub fare, and live music some nights during the summer season. When you leave, take the back stairway up to emerge through a hidden door into the main hall of the Nickerson Mansion.
The Mansion’s Front Lawn is the place to be during summer evenings, where both guests and locals gather for lawn games, light bites cooked in a wood-fired oven, and live music some nights. And the seasonal Beach Bar down by the shoreline offers great views of the bay and regionally inspired cocktails (try the Cape Cod Mojito).
Over on The Villages side, the seasonal Shark Bah serves up frozen drinks, kid-friendly sandwiches, and soft-serve ice cream (plus a dash of Boston accent humor). And even if you’re not a golfer, don’t miss a meal at Linx Tavern, where you can dine inside the clubhouse or outside overlooking the course. The mocktails in particular were a big hit with our table.
What you’ll do
Summertime vacationers head to Cape Cod for the sun, sand, and surf, and Ocean Edge boasts a 700-foot stretch of private beach for guests. Complimentary beach chairs and towels are available down by the sand, and beach fire set-ups with s’mores and kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals are available over the summer. Indoor and outdoor pools provide other ways to cool off.
The resort’s beach sits along the Brewster Flats, a 12,000-acre expanse along Cape Cod Bay. At low tide, the bay recedes and exposes more than a mile of rippled sand, tidal pools, and sandbars. It creates an otherworldly landscape for strolling, photography, wildlife watching, and unique activities like low-tide mini golf, an Ocean Edge invention where guests can putt for par right on the sand. It’s a truly fun spin on the common vacation pastime. (Take note of the tide schedules each day so you don’t get surprised by the tide coming back in.)
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The resort also offers complimentary oyster bed tours at low tide for guests during the summer season. The guided walk across the Brewster Flats introduces participants to local oyster beds and the craft of oyster farming, and some of the oysters farmed right off the shoreline end up on the menu at Ocean Edge. Guests can also book a private oyster bed tour, and Ocean Edge donates $25 of the fee to a local oyster bed foundation.
Head to the expansive Front Lawn for croquet, cornhole, and other games and activities. You’ll find nine tennis courts and 10 pickleball courts throughout the property, offering introductory clinics and workshops for players of all skill levels, as well as private lessons and junior programming. I can tell you firsthand that the resort’s pickleball pro Todd Zukowski is an extremely patient instructor. If you need a reset after a tough workout, The Beach House Spa is a dreamy spot for a massage or body treatment.
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, daily shuttle service around the property is available on a continuous loop. Guests can also rent Freedom Flyer cruiser bikes to pedal around the property and to nearby shops like Brewster Book Store, The Brewster Store, and Pelo Mar boutique. For a longer ride, hop on the more than 25-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail.
During the summer 2026 season, Ocean Edge is debuting a new partnership with Boat Cape. Guests can book private, customizable boating experiences to explore the area from the water. Sunset cruises and day trips to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard are among the options, but the excursions can be tailored to each group.
From June 19 to September 7, 2026, the resort is also celebrating what it’s calling “Self-Love Summer” with a full lineup of wellness programming. Complimentary classes for guests include yoga on the beach and Front Lawn and Pilates on the beach.
There are also paid experiences like a floating sound bath in the resort’s Bayside indoor pool ($40 per guest) that’s well worth the investment. I tried it during my stay, stretching out on an oversized float, sliding my eye mask on, and drifting in the pool while listening to the sounds and feeling the vibrations from singing bowls. The water amplifies the vibrations, helping stress and negative thoughts disappear.
Maybe that’s when my misconceptions about the Cape Cod Bay side of the Cape floated away. But whenever they left me, I’m glad that they did.
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