One of Boston's most wonderful aspects is its proximity to seaside hamlets for summer escapes. Provincetown is picturesque and party-perfect, offering quaint B&Bs and excellent art galleries, beaches and bike trails, and also a thriving nightlife scene. So hop on the ferry and set sail for a weekend of seafood, shopping, cycling and sunbathing.

Shops
Commercial Street is lined with shops and shops behind shops. Many of them are of the tourist variety, but sleek new spaces have sprouted lately. For fun tabletop accessories and bath needs in every hue, pop into Utilities. Need something more refined? Cottage has a well-edited collection of home furnishings and select furniture, both antique and reproductions, from wool crewelwork pillows, marble frogs and door doorstops, to a vintage Hitchcock chair and comfortable upholstered pieces with clean lines. For whimsical kiddie clothing and a smattering of toys, including Groovy Girls, go to Kidstuff. Just a dog? You must stop into Paws & Whiskers for a yogurt and carob-dipped bone. Souvenirs are a dime a dozen; if you actually want a T-shirt you'd wear, buy a silkscreen design at Birdie. Also, since you won't find fancy shells on the beach, grab a basket at The Shell Shop and load up on seaglass, sugar starfish, sand dollars and tiger cowrys. For the days that you are on the beach, bring a kite from Outer Cape Kites; and of course, a book, from local mainstay, Provincetown Bookshop. For a quiet night or rainy day, stock up on games and puzzles at Puzzle Me This.

Galleries
Provincetown is a long-established artist community. The galleries range from dreck to divine, so wander in and out of the East End galleries with your eyes open wide. For the cream of the crop visit artSTRAND. This is the cool crowd who left one gallery to start their own. The works are an investment; interesting and beautiful. We also love Ernden Fine Art Gallery for its blend of abstract and illustrative paintings and mixed media works. Another notable space is the Packard Gallery, housed in a distinctly New England historic church. The gallery shows masterful, inspired works by the Packard family, mom Anne and daughters Cynthia and Leslie, all whom live in town.

Food
In between taking in the art and scenery, you will need a snack. We love WAYDOWNTOWN for cupcakes, sandwiches, mojitos and a view. For an organic coffee and a quick email check, head to the Wired Puppy. And for a truly coastal dinner, dine at Pepe's Wharf for straightforward Italian fare in a room that juts right into the bay. If you prefer a glossier experience, book a table at Ross's Grill, where you dine on a balcony above the bay. If you prefer more complicated flavors and don't mind a darker space with no view, the menu at Cafe Edwige is easily the best.

- Marni Elyse Katz

Utilities, 393 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508.487.6800
Cottage, 277 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508.487.7770
Kidstuff, 381 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508.487.0714
Paws & Whiskers, 259 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508.487.3441
Birdie, 355 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508.487.3388
The Shell Shop, 276 R. Commercial St., Provincetown, 508.487.1763
Outer Cape Kites, 277A Commercial St., Provincetown, 508.487.6133
Provincetown Bookshop, 246 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508.487.0964
Puzzle Me This, 290 Commercial St., Provincetown, 888.789.9537
artSTRAND, 494 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508.487.1153
Ernden Fine Art, 397 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508.487.6700
Packard Gallery, 418 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508.487.4690
WAYDOWNTOWN, 265 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508.487.8800
Wired Puppy, 379 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508.487.9486
Pepe's Wharf, 371 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508.487.8717
Ross's Grill, 237 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508.487.8878
Cafe Edwige, 333 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508.487.2008