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Cape Cod consists of three portions:
The "Upper Cape" is the section of Cape Cod closest to the mainland. This portion of the Cape includes the towns of Bourne, Falmouth, Mashpee, and Sandwich. While part of the city of Barnstable can be considered to be located on the Upper Cape, it is more commonly thought to be in the Mid-Cape area. Falmouth is the home of the famous Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and is also the most-used connection to Martha's Vineyard via the ferry.
The Mid-Cape includes the city of Barnstable and the towns of Dennis and YarmouthYarmouth is a town located in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 24,807. For geographic and demographic information on specific parts of the town of Yarmouth, please see the articles on South Yarmou. There are seven villages in Barnstable: BarnstableBarnstable is also the name of one of the villages within the city of Barnstable, Massachusetts. The village of Barnstable is located on the north side of the city and houses the County Complex of Barnstable County, a small business district, and a workin, CentervilleCenterville is a village in the city of Barnstable, Massachusetts. Located on the south side of Barnstable, Centerville is primarily residential and includes a small business district and beautiful beaches. See also List of villages of Barnstable, Massach, CotuitCotuit is a village in the city of Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States. Located on a peninsula on the south side of Barnstable, Cotuit is primarily residential with several small beaches. In years past, Cotuit oysters could be found on menus in resta, HyannisHyannis is a village in the city of Barnstable, Massachusetts. It is a residential area, and it also contains the towns central business/commercial district, which includes town offices and several shopping malls. Hyannis Port is a residential and fishing, Marstons MillsMarstons Mills is a village in the city of Barnstable, Massachusetts. It is primarily residential and located on State Route 28, and is rural in nature. See also List of villages of Barnstable, Massachusetts''., OstervilleOsterville is a village in the city of Barnstable, Massachusetts. Located on the south side of Barnstable, Osterville is primarily residential and includes inlets and harbors for fishing and boating and a small business district. External links See also L, and West BarnstableWest Barnstable is a village in the city of Barnstable, Massachusetts. Located on the north side of the city, West Barnstable is primarily residential and also includes Sandy Neck Barrier Beach. See also List of villages of Barnstable, Massachusetts''.. There are many beautiful beaches in the Mid-Cape area, including Kalmus Beach in Hyannis, which gets its name from the one of the inventors of Technicolor, Herbert Kalmus. This popular wind surfing destination was bequeathed to the town of Barnstable by Dr. Kalmus on condition that it not be developed, possibly one of the first instances of open-space preservation in the US.
The "Lower Cape" is the narrower portion of the cape, which bends sharply to the north. This section includes the towns of Brewster, Chatham, Eastham, Harwich, Orleans, Provincetown, Truro, and Wellfleet.
The area of water enclosed by Cape Cod and the mainland seacoast forms Cape Cod Bay . To the south lie Nantucket sound ; Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard (both large islands); and the mostly-privately-owned Elizabeth Islands in the town of Gosnold, of which the largest is Cuttyhunk .
Cape Cod is connected to the mainland by a pair of canal-spanning highway bridges from Bourne, Massachusetts and Sagamore, and a vertical-lift railroad bridge. The entire Cape is roughly bisected by U.S. Route 6, locally known as the Mid-Cape Highway, which runs as a four- and then two-lane freeway between Sandwich and Orleans, and a surface street thence to Provincetown.