Herring Cove. Gay boys most often bicycle to this beach, bringing little more than a towel and a bottle of water. They lock their bikes to a fence and wade across a tidal pool to get to the dunes. There’s also a parking lot, but it’s farther away from the action. At the end of the beach is where men tend to go au natural.

Race Point. Farther from town, Race Point gets far fewer people. It has a gorgeous stretch of sand, bike trails, and a gleaming white lighthouse.

Ballston/Newcomb Hollow. For some, the only real beach is the sand that gets pounded by rough surf, beneath high dunes, extending along the Atlantic coastline of Truro and Wellfleet. Summer parking is reserved for residents, so hike to it, or bike to it, or get a local hotel for a day permit. In the 1970's this became one of America's biggest "free beaches" with thousands of naked people each summer weekend and holiday. Word soon came from Washington to shut it down, so things are quieter now. Only a few still strip off, then watch for Park Police patrols. Off-season the parking rules relax, so this magical place is more accessible, and even less frequented. Official website: Cape Cod National Seashore.

Henry David Thoreau once said of this place: "A man may stand there and put all America behind him."

Dominating the town is the Pilgrim Monument (High Pole Hill Rd), copied from a tower in the Italian city of Florence. (Yes, it does seem oddly out of place in Cape Cod.) Climb the 116 steps for an eye-popping view.

The Provincetown Public Library (356 Commercial St), whose towering steeple can be seen for miles, houses a half-scale replica of an early 1900s fishing schooner on its second floor. It’s a great place to learn about the region’s history.