Falmouth Harbor (shown on charts as Falmouth Inner Harbor) was created in 1907, when an inlet was cut in the barrier beach separating freshwater Deacon’s Pond from Nantucket Sound. Long, deep, and narrow, with a mean-low-water depth of 10 feet, it’s a wonderfully protected spot and makes a great port of call for cruisers on their way up or down the coast, as well as an ideal base for boaters launching shorter excursions to destinations such as Nantucket (27 nautical miles), Martha’s Vineyard (5 nautical miles) and Cuttyhunk (12 nautical miles).

A boat making it’s way out to open waters from Falmouth Inner Harbor.

Servicing boaters in this relatively confined harbor are no fewer than seven marinas, the largest being MacDougalls’ Cape Cod Marine Service. Established in 1938, MacDougalls’ can accommodate boats up to 150 feet along its extensive dock system. It offers a 75-ton Travelift, a fuel dock, showers and laundry, free WiFi, a paint shop, storage, a canvas shop, engine and hull repair and transient dockage for nearly any size vessel.

Across the harbor is Falmouth Marine, another full-service marina offering haul-out, repair, fuel and transient dockage. Farther north and also on the west side of the harbor is the Falmouth Marine Park, a town-managed facility that’s home to the harbormaster’s office and the Falmouth town marina, which offers transient slips. Just north of that is Pier 37, a valet rack-storage and outboard-service facility that’s popular among fishermen and features a lively restaurant.

Back on the east side of the harbor, north of MacDougalls’, you’ll find East Marine, which offers haul-out, service and a fuel dock, and North Marine, which specializes in outboard service and repair.

Adjacent to North Marine is the Island Queen ferry terminal. The Island Queen, along with two other small ferries in the harbor, makes frequent trips to and from Martha’s Vineyard. In other words, be aware that Falmouth Harbor can be a busy place, particularly on summer weekends. Watch out for other vessels when approaching and leaving the harbor, especially at night or in the fog. Aside from marine traffic, however, the approaches are relatively wide open and free of hazards.

If you like to fish, you’ve come to the right place. Anglers of all types know Falmouth as an ideal jumping-off spot for trips to the productive inshore grounds in Nantucket and Vineyard Sounds, as well as longer forays to the offshore waters south and east of the islands. The harbor boasts a free, all-tide launch ramp with parking for large rigs, not to mention two nearby tackle shops. And for those who want to leave the fish-finding and bait-cutting to someone else, there’s a fleet of top-notch charter crews that specialize in everything from fluke and stripers to shark and tuna. Two party boats also sail out of Falmouth, with full-day and half-day trips available.

Paddlers heading by Grand Ave. towards Falmouth Heights.

Yet another advantage to launching or keeping one’s boat in Falmouth Harbor is its accessibility. For people making the drive from Greater Boston or points south of the Cape, Falmouth is just 12 miles or so by road from the Cape Cod Canal, and there’s usually a lot less traffic to deal with.

But Falmouth Harbor also offers a few good reasons to consider it a destination in and of itself, one being the band shell just behind the town docks, where concerts and other events are held during the summer.

For a good meal on the harbor, visit the Flying Bridge Restaurant. At the head of the harbor is the popular Jim’s Clam Shack, which turns out succulent fried clams and fish, lobster rolls, and more. Eat outside and watch the continual parade of boats entering and leaving the harbor.

Daytrippers in boats under 26 feet can tie up at the town float in the extreme northwest corner of the harbor for up to two hours at no charge. From here you can get something to eat or drink at the nearby Falmouth Raw Bar, or make the short walk to town, where you’ll find an assortment of stores, boutiques, and restaurants, among them the excellent Añejo Mexican Bistro.

It should also be noted that Falmouth is a somewhat overlooked summer vacation spot. The long, white-sand beaches east of Falmouth Harbor are some of the finest on Cape Cod, and offer warmer, calmer water than what you’ll normally find on the Outer Cape.

So, no matter what your pleasure, Falmouth Harbor has you pretty well covered.