Why You Should Visit the Chatham Fish Pier

In the summer, roughly 3,000 people visit the Chatham Fish Pier daily, making it one of the town's top attractions. As a local, you might want to avoid the crowds, but the pier is still worth checking out from time to time if you wish to experience an atmosphere that is unique to the Lower Cape or grab some fresh fish to make at home.

The pier sits northeast of downtown Chatham off Shore Road, near the entrance to Chatham Harbor. It's also adjacent to Tern Island, which provides a scenic backdrop to experience an authentic fish market.

The great thing about the pier is that you'll find multiple things to do there. For one, you can hang out on the lookout deck watching the boats come into Aunt Lydia's Cove with their daily catches. You can also head into the market to buy your dinner or walk out on the dock to get up close to the ships used by the United States Coast Guard.

The Chatham Fish Pier is where locals get their fish, so once you buy a home on Cape Cod, it's sure to become one of your favorites places, as well.

The Purpose of the Pier

Chatham was built on the commercial fishing industry, and the Chatham Fish Pier is a continuation of that tradition. The pier is the location where fishing fleets unload their catches, which are then put on ice and delivered to markets in New Bedford, New York, and Boston. Some items are sold at local markets, including the one on-site, as well.

The pier is also home to two charter boats that will take you into Aunt Lydia's Cove and beyond to fish or see the sights. Capeshores Charters and Magic Charters both operate from the pier and know precisely where to find the area's best fishing spots. They can take you on whale, shark, or seal watching excursions, too.

The Chatham Fish Pier is a significant part of the town's economy, and locals appreciate having direct access to fresh fish whenever they want it.

You Can Grab Dinner

If you love seafood, the Chatham Fish Market is the place to go through the spring and summer, and even into the fall.

For starters, the market has a selection of pre-cooked fish dishes that you can pick up to enjoy at home or take to a local park to savor as part of a picnic. The lobster rolls at the Chatham Fish Market are legendary, and they also have fish and chips, shrimp baskets, clam strips, New England clam chowder, fish sandwiches, and kid's meals. Sides like French fries, coleslaw, and onion rings are available, too.

If you'd rather take a fresh catch home with you, you'll find anything you could ever want at the market. Fresh live lobster, tuna, striped bass, flounder, sole, oysters, mussels, scallops, prawns, crab, and a variety of other seafood items are available, with all of them being caught just a few miles off the Cape.

Access to fresh seafood is probably one of the reasons why you're considering a move to Cape Cod in the first place, and there's nowhere fresher than the Chatham Fish Market.

The Unique Cape Cod Atmosphere

From the second you arrive at the Chatham Fish Pier, you'll notice that it feels like Cape Cod. There's no other way to describe the experience of standing out on the balcony with the wind blowing and the seagulls chirping than to say that it's a unique Cape Cod vibe that is sure to keep you coming back.

If you're lucky, you might see some seals catching their lunch in the harbor, or even an osprey or two scoping the area before diving into the water. When you head to the Chatham Fish Pier, the smell, the sounds, and the atmosphere will make sure you know that you're on Cape Cod and, most importantly, that you're finally home.

Give the Pier a Visit

When living in Chatham or one of its surrounding towns, be sure to visit the Chatham Fish Pier to take in the sights and check out the market.

Keep in mind that parking is relatively limited, and you'll have to park in the Shore Road lot unless you have a special permit allowing you to have your vehicle directly outside the market. Additional parking is available along Shore Road and Barcliff Avenue, but remember to obey the signs and don't leave your car anywhere that is prohibited because officials do enforce local parking laws.

The Chatham Fish Pier is a special piece of Cape Cod and well worth stopping by once you live in this enchanting part of the world.