A kayaker paddles below a bridge spanning a Wellfleet tide marsh.

Few Cape Cod towns boast a more attractive harbor than Wellfleet, sheltered as it is from Cape Cod Bay by the long, protective arm of Great Island. Adding to its charms are world-class fishing, spectacular natural surroundings, great paddling venues, and a host of shops and restaurants within easy walking distance of the waterfront.

For daytrippers and transient boaters, the only game in town as far as slips and moorings are concerned is the town-managed marina at the head of the harbor. Not to worry, as Wellfleet extends a warm welcome to visiting mariners. The marina features 200 slips, 12 of them reserved for transient boats up to 45 feet. Transient moorings are available for boats up to 55 feet, and dinghies are available free of charge if you need one. The marina also offers electric and water, pump-out, and a fuel dock.

Trailer-boaters can take advantage of the state launch facility, also at the town marina. Rebuilt in 2008, it features floats and ample parking. Most boats can be launched here, save for during the hour on either side of low tide. There is a $10 daily fee to launch and park.

If there’s one drawback to visiting Wellfleet by boat, it’s the harbor’s shallow water and shifting channels. In other words, know the tides and keep an eye on your chart and the channel markers when coming or going.

The Town Marina provides has short term tie-ups for visitors.

If visiting at low tide, you’ll no doubt remark on the scores of black, plastic cages littering the local mud flats. These are oyster grow-out bags, and they support a booming shellfish industry that helps keep Wellfleet a legitimate working harbor. Each October, the town pays tribute to these important bivalves during its annual Oysterfest event.

For paddlers and those with shallow-draft skiffs, there are additional opportunities for fun and adventure. For example, you can beach your craft on the backside of Great Island, part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, and explore the trails and ocean beaches along the eastern shore. Be aware of the dropping tide when making such a visit, or you may end up spending more time on dry land than you planned!

The beautiful, expansive marshes surrounding the mouth of the Herring River behind Great Island are also ideal for kayaking and paddleboarding, and are a great spot to observe shorebirds and waterfowl. Just be sure to plan your trip on either side of the greenhead fly season, which typically runs from late June through July.

More great paddling is available up inside Duck Creek and south of the harbor around Lieutenant Island. When visiting the latter spot, keep your eyes peeled for diamondback terrapins, as the surrounding tidal creeks and flats are home to the northernmost population of these rare, elusive, and endangered estuarine turtles.

If you wish to learn more about the Outer Cape’s natural wonders, visit the Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, which showcases the local beaches, woodlands, salt marshes, and ponds in a gorgeous 1,100-acre setting. Explore on your own or sign up for a birding walk led by a naturalist or a guided tour of the Cape Cod National Seashore.

Natural attractions aside, many boaters love Wellfleet for its village scene. Within minutes of tying up at the marina ($10 per hour), you can be enjoying lunch at the Bookstore & Restaurant or savoring fried clams from a rooftop deck while listening to live music at The Pearl. And of course, there’s Mac’s on the Pier, a Wellfleet Harbor institution offering seafood in the rough. All three establishments are steps from Wellfleet’s pier and marina. From there, a 15-minute walk brings you to the center of town.

There are wonderful shops in the town.

Art galleries, clothing stores, and ice cream shops beckon all the way to Main Street, where more unique and diverse establishments await.  If you’re in the market for original art, you’ve come to the right place, as Wellfleet has hosted a thriving artists community since the early 20th century. This is where celebrated American painter Edward Hopper created some of his most famous works, including “Cape Cod Sunset,” “Corn Hill” and “Seven A.M.”

Cape Cod’s musical arts are well represented, too. The Wellfleet Preservation Hall on Main Street has a full schedule of events throughout the season. Live jazz and folk music, along with independent documentary films, are presented in this renovated former church.

For first-rate theater, stop by the Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater and its Julie Harris Stage, a mile or so from the center of Wellfleet. This impressive theater is renowned for its year-round productions of classic and modern plays, opera, film screenings, and children’s performances. More live theater and screenings of avant-garde films can be enjoyed at the intimate Harbor Stage, just steps from the waterfront.

But Wellfleet’s entertainment options extend to less highbrow fare. Although it’s not close to the harbor, the Wellfleet Drive-In is one of the last of its kind in the country and a local summer institution dating back to 1957. It’ll make you feel as though you’ve been transported back in time, when life was less complicated. A drive-in theater will do that. Then again, so will just about everything in Wellfleet.