Our second stop on The Journey was Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where we spent two nights at Cape June Stays in South Yarmouth.
Cape Cod was a pretty big milestone for us because it was where we planned to do our very first photoshoot with the mobile studio we'd spent weeks building into the back of our truck. We still had some work to do before we could actually start photographing, so finding somewhere comfortable to stay with enough space to finish setting everything up was especially important.
And Cape June Stays ended up being one of our favorite places we've stayed.
The house was so homey and inviting. Our host is an interior designer, which made perfect sense once we walked inside. Everything felt thoughtfully put together, with beautiful details, comfortable furniture, and little touches that made the space feel like an actual home rather than a rental.
The bedroom was especially cozy. There was a little picture window that Joey loved looking out of, and a desk that ended up being incredibly useful because, despite being on a cross-country road trip, we still had a mountain of work to do. The bed was comfortable, the couch was great for relaxing at the end of the day, and the kitchen had everything we needed.
But I think my favorite part was the outdoor space.
There was a beautiful yard, a colorful mural painted on the garage, and plenty of room for Joey to run around and play. We had absolutely perfect weather while we were there, so sitting outside drinking coffee in the morning was especially nice.
The neighborhood was also lovely. I took Joey on walks every day and discovered that Long Pond was right across the street. We could walk through the neighborhood with views of the water, which Joey was very interested in. At this point, I think he's decided that every place we stay should come with some sort of waterfront.
One of the things we loved about staying here was how close we were to everything. There were plenty of great restaurants nearby, and we made sure to eat as much seafood as possible while we were in Cape Cod. We tried Seafood Sam's, The Skipper, and Sweet Tomatoes, and had our fair share of lobster rolls and crab rolls.
We also spent quite a bit of time working in the driveway.
One of the biggest reasons this house worked so well for The Journey was that we had somewhere to park the truck and finish installing the lighting inside our mobile photo studio. We'd run out of time before leaving Richmond, so Cape Cod was where we finally got everything wired up, installed, and ready for its first real photoshoot.
It was a pretty surreal feeling to be standing in the driveway of this beautiful Cape Cod house, making the final adjustments to a photography set we'd been dreaming about for years.
Cape June also had a dressing nook in the primary bedroom, which was perfect for me as I got into character as Bev and got dressed for the first time.
Once everything was ready, we headed toward Chatham to scout locations. We visited Chatham Lighthouse, explored the coastline, and eventually found a beach location where we photographed the set for the very first time.
After all the planning, building, problem-solving, and driving, we were finally doing the thing we'd set out to do.
And having such a comfortable place to come back to afterward made a huge difference.
Something we've learned very quickly on The Journey is that where we stay matters a lot. We're driving for hours, scouting locations, photographing, filming, editing, and trying to keep up with everything else that goes into running our business. By the time we get back each night, we're usually exhausted.
Having somewhere quiet and comfortable to relax, make dinner, catch up on work, and just exist for a little while is incredibly valuable.
Cape June Stays gave us exactly that.
We loved the slower pace of the neighborhood, the mornings drinking coffee outside, the walks by the water, and how comfortable we felt in the house. Our host was wonderful, and you could tell how much thought and care had gone into creating the space.
Two nights definitely wasn't enough. We'd happily come back to Cape Cod just to stay here again, preferably with a little less work to do and a lot more time to enjoy it.
