Wianno Club

I grew up in South Dennis — not too far from here — but I belonged to the salt-of-the-earth class of the Cape, not the Vineyard Vines, pink-shorts-wearing, Waspy world just across town. Fast-forward about two and a half decades. A dear friend of mine spends part of every summer here — usually four to ten days, depending on how life’s going. Her family are members & she is as well they summered here for years when she was a kid, and she’s kept the tradition alive. I arrived a day or two after she’d settled in, armed with nothing but a suitcase, too many tattoos, and an open mind. Trusted by preppies, dressed by chaos, I tried to inhale the waspy salt air and blend in. The property itself is stunning — especially in early August. It’s one of those perfectly picturesque places where time seems to stand still, and everyone else seems to have old money and a yacht named Tradition. Most of the guests have been coming here for generations; they’re the sort who would’ve been seated first class on the Titanic — pearls, posture, and probably a lifeboat waiting. One of the first things I learned upon arrival was that, in the dining area or any common room, I needed to cover all visible tattoos. It was August. Everything I packed was short-sleeved. And yes — I am, shall we say, decoratively inclined. So off I went to Mashpee Commons, where I purchased some Vineyard Vines gear and fully committed to cosplaying as the preppiest version of myself imaginable. Once properly disguised, I had an incredible time. The rooms were simple yet elegant — exactly what a beach club should be. The beach itself was lovely, though I’m more of a bayside guy. Still, they raked and cleaned the seaweed daily, which felt wonderfully excessive in the best possible way. The food was consistently fantastic, and the staff — truly world-class. We even had a full moon one night, glowing perfectly over the water. It was unexpectedly romantic, a little spiritual, and entirely unforgettable. For a week, I got to pretend to be a WASP — and honestly, it suited me far better than it should have.

This passed as a beach side club, geared more to tennis and golf. Some beach facilities but not developed to it's full potential. Nor are decors/infrastructures up to par for a beach front club for the 2020's and Internet age. Management should perhaps look to peers/reciprocal clubs for their experience how to modernize a 100-200 years old club. I do like the polite staff and their efforts to help reciprocal members like me, however.

Beautiful venue, but I definitely got the stare down from the staff, which doesn’t feel great as a person of colour.