The town docks at Bismore Park offer free short-term tie-up for visiting boaters.

For most folks, traveling around Cape Cod in the summer can be an exhausting and frustrating experience, mostly due to the infamous traffic delays. That’s especially true for those headed to Hyannis, the most centrally located Cape town. But for boaters, a visit to Hyannis can be a breeze, in more ways than one, thanks to a thriving harbor that offers easy access to the history, culture, shopping, nightlife, sights and sounds of one of the Cape’s busiest ports.

Getting there is easy too. The wide, deep channel between Nantucket Sound and Hyannis’ inner harbor is maintained to a depth of 11 feet and can accommodate large vessels. If you’ve never visited Hyannis by boat, note that the channel is plied by ferries, tour boats, yachts, and fishing vessels, so use caution if navigating at night or in the fog.

Pirate Adventures is a family friendly way to explore the waters off Hyannis.

If you wish to drop anchor, protected Lewis Bay offers good holding ground in depths of four to  ten feet of water, but watch out for the submerged wreck, which is marked by a buoy. The area behind Egg Island offers good protection from southwest winds, but can be a popular spot in summer. The island itself (actually a sandbar that vanishes as the tide rises) is a delightful place to enjoy a swim or picnic. You can also hop in a kayak or dinghy and explore nearby Uncle Roberts Cove on Great Island.

If bound for the inner harbor, continue north past the replica lighthouse to port and you’ll see the sprawling docks and service buildings of Hyannis Marina to starboard, with the Steamship Authority terminal and Dockside Marina straight ahead. A large, full-service facility, Hyannis Marina can accommodate yachts up to 200 feet and offers fuel, transient slips, seasonal dockage, showers, a pool, haul-out, and repair. Onsite restaurants here include Tugboats and Trader Ed’s, and you can arrange for free dockage (space permitting) while you eat or enjoy a drink.

Another dock-and-dine option is Baxter’s Boat House, adjacent to the ferry terminal. Built entirely over the water and offering sweeping harbor views, Baxter’s is one of the Cape’s oldest restaurants, and a popular destination for locals and visiting celebrities.

Both the Korean War Memorial Park and JFK Memorial Park are just a short walk from the harbor.

If you want to stroll around Hyannis, you may be able to tie up for a few hours at the town-managed Bismore Park, on the western side of the inner harbor, or Gateway Marina at Aselton Park, in the harbor’s northwest corner. Contact the friendly harbormasters on VHF 9 to check on availability. Their office and public restrooms are located in the white building with the red roof behind the seawall at Bismore Park.

Once ashore, there’s much to see, do—and eat—as Hyannis Harbor is home to many restaurants and watering holes. Spanky’s Clam Shack and the Black Cat Harbor Shack are great spots for a casual lunch, while the Black Cat Tavern offers a fun, family atmosphere, an extensive dinner menu, and a hip bar with live music.

A short walk toward South Street brings you to the Cape Cod Maritime Museum, where you can tour exhibits detailing five centuries of local maritime life, including a colonial-era mariner’s chart, traditional Wampanoag fish-harvesting implements, exquisite model ships, and natural-history relics. You can also watch boatbuilders in action or sail back in time on the museum-built 1886 Crosby Catboat replica Sarah.

The harbor’s two parks—Bismore and Aselton—are the summer setting for the HyArt’s artists’ shanties featuring locally crafted paintings, pottery, jewelry, and other unique items available only on Cape Cod. And be sure to look left when you reach the lights at the intersection of Ocean and South Streets, toward the historic Hyannis Armory, site of John F. Kennedy’s presidential victory speech in November 1960. More JFK memories can be rekindled at the JFK Hyannis Museum on Main Street and at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Park farther down Ocean Street.

Ever taken your boat to a baseball game? Well, you can in Hyannis! Within easy walking distance of the harbor is McKeon Field, home to the Cape Cod Baseball League’s Hyannis Harbor Hawks. The Cape League is considered the finest amateur summer league in the country, with more than 250 alums on Major League rosters in 2012.

The “Walkway to the Sea” means Hyannis’ bustling Main Street is now just a stone’s throw from the harbor. Main Street is filled with specialty shops, a miniature golf course, and a plethora of dining choices.

Whatever your desired choice of food or entertainment, it’s all within easy reach from the harbor.