Using the Guide
The seven itineraries featured in the guide have drives and walks to almost 200 stops. There is no set time for discovering the arts on each trail, but don’t plan on rushing through—you’ll miss too many great artists and their stories. Remember, two of the trails are on islands, requiring boat or air connections.
Rough maps guide you around each trail, with starting points and routing that seemed most natural to the editors. But starting at any point, skipping around, and changing direction will still give you a wonderful experience. Combine parts of two adjacent trails, pick a medium and follow it, explore a part of the region you’re not familiar with. Visit the places you’ve been passing for years. The first five trails are on Cape Cod, and a good map of Cape Cod is a nice item to have handy, as are maps for both islands. We’ve given more detailed maps for the island trails, and maps are available at the Chambers of Commerce. You can reach some artists from bike trails and via shuttles in the summer. Walks to galleries in the harbor towns make delightful day trips.
In the shoulder seasons, it’s easy to drive the trails. Most stops are on or near major roads, and many of the artists open their studios year-round. Where the artists have regular hours all year, we note that. Others are happy to open by appointment, which is also noted. If you visit in the winter, be aware that some sole proprietors take short vacations, and you may want to call artists you particularly want to visit and check their hours. The partners putting together this guide are listed on pages 10 and 11 of the book, and are more than happy to assist you before or when you arrive.
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