Comfort food is the specialty at Chach, located just northwest of the town’s center. A classic diner vibe is in full effect here, and tables of close friends pick up on the previous day’s conversations without missing a beat. Fuel yourself with vanilla-infused French toast topped with fresh fruit ($15) or eggs Benedict with applewood-smoked bacon, tomato and avocado ($17). You’ll find that same inviting atmosphere — and more brunch favorites — at the West End’s Liz’s Cafe, Anybody’s Bar, which also offers outdoor dining. Go for the chicken and waffles ($15) and order a plate of Portuguese flippers — sugar-dusted hole-less doughnuts ($11) — for the group.

Since you’re now a bit sweaty, return to the center of town to pick up sandwiches and drinks at Far Land Provisions or Pop+Dutch and then head to one of Provincetown’s two marquee beaches ($15 per entry on foot or bicycle, or $25 per car, during the summer). Herring Cove Beach is a bit more social, with a snack bar, a summer concert series, and separate areas favored by gay men, lesbians and those who prefer to sunbathe au naturel. Race Point Beach offers bigger waves, as well as more striking visuals with steep dunes behind you and the expanse of the Atlantic stretching out endlessly ahead. It’s also frequently a lounging area for a horde of seals — as well as the great white sharks that cruise the shoreline to feast on them. Keep your distance.

Provincetown’s legal ban on national chain stores isn’t airtight, but it has helped usher in an array of quirky shops that line Commercial Street in the heart of town. Book lovers have several winning options, including Womencrafts’ unabashedly feminist-themed stock (look for its “48 Years Grateful for My Abortion” street sign), East End Books’ carefully curated new titles, and Tim’s Used Books’ selection of Cape authors and out-of-print art catalogs. Yesterday’s Treasures is packed with all manner of town ephemera, vintage postcards and unique gifts (a copy of “The Ethel Merman Disco Album,” anyone?). Mauclère Leather features handcrafted belts, bags and sandals; the Old Baby offers locally themed clothing with a wry edge; Respoke repurposes haute couture into no-less-haute hats and footwear (its motto, “I once was an Hermès scarf,” says it all).

Stay on Commercial Street for dinner in an invitingly casual setting at the Irish-pub-style Squealing Pig, where you can order the lightly battered fish and chips ($23) and pair it with a glass of Guinness stout ($9). The Nepali chicken curry ($19) is a less obvious, but no less savory, option (thanks to its Nepal-born chef). Or grab a seat in the Canteen’s backyard, where the beach party atmosphere draws a lively cross section of Provincetown — townie and tourist, young and old, gay and straight alike. Start with the crispy brussels sprouts ($10) and then settle in for a classic New England lobster roll ($28). The outdoor bar makes it easy to linger over drinks and bask in the harbor view as the sun sets behind you.

Once the bars close at 1 a.m., Provincetown quickly goes dark. One of the few exceptions is Spiritus, started in 1971 by two visiting hippie entrepreneurs who were astonished to discover the town was without a single pizzeria. Over five decades later, Spiritus is still owned by the co-founder John Yingling, though you are more likely to find his grandchildren behind the counter, slinging pizza slices ($4) and scoops of locally made Lewis Brothers ice cream ($4.25) to hungry late-night revelers until 2 a.m. A fun crowd tends to gather out front in the wee hours, but the benches facing the street are prime people-watching real estate day or night.