Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Visit the Official Orvis Saltwater Fly-Fishing School at This Massachusetts Inn

Chatham Bars Inn

Cape Cod is best known for world-class whale-watching, the freewheeling, come-as-you-are lifestyle of Provincetown, and miles of family-friendly beaches and resorts. But there’s one more thing the “arm of Massachusetts” offers that many outsiders are unaware of: Amazing fishing. Now, Orvis – one of our favorite outdoor brands at The Manual – has partnered with one of the Cape’s most famous inns to offer the state’s first and only official Orvis Saltwater Fly-Fishing School.

Over the course of one or two days at Chatham Bars Inn, the unique, professionally led school will provide newcomers with the hands-on experience necessary to fly-fish like a pro. The class teaches saltwater-specific methods and tactics, starting with tackle and fly selection and rigging before moving on to fly casting, fish fighting, and proper release techniques. Students will also receive tutorials in advanced fly-fishing skills and planning like striper feeding habits, essential knot-tying, and how to read the currents and tides.

Recommended Videos

As one of the world’s most recognized outdoor brands, Orvis and its elite wilderness experts are a fitting lead for this unique school. For more than 150 years, it’s promoted, taught, and fostered a great community around fly-fishing and wingshooting. Plus, Orvis stands behind its products with a bulletproof lifetime warranty and is no stranger to killer cross-promotional partnerships like this epic Land Rover restoration with Barbour. What’s not to love?

The century-old Chatham Bars Inn is a quintessential New England inn in every way. First opened in 1914 as a luxury lodge for wealthy Boston hunters, it’s since undergone a $100-million renovation. It retains much of its original, turn-of-the-century charm, however, including a breezy ocean-inspired decor, tastefully designed rooms, and a relaxed, seaside vibe.

For sportsmen, however, it’s the inn’s Chatham location that’s likely to be of most interest. The town straddles the border of both the Atlantic Ocean and Nantucket Sound and serves as the perfect backdrop for some of the state’s best striped bass fishing and flats fishing. It’s often regarded as one of the best places on the planet for sighting striped bass in shallow water. The abundance of other fish species includes bluefish, false albacore, and bonito also doesn’t hurt.

Chatham Bars Inn

The Orvis Saltwater Fly-Fishing School is now available for booking. The one-day school (USD $279) will be hosted on select dates from now through August, while the two-day school ($489) is open on select dates from June through October.

If Massachusetts isn’t “exotic” enough for your fly-fishing vacation fantasies, maybe a once-in-a-lifetime trip to this remote Alaskan lodge is what you need. You just have to promise to take us with you.

Mike Richard
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South…
Topics
Looking for adventure and culture? This city is the best in the world for urban hiking
Here's the world's #1 city for outdoor lovers
Rio de Janeiro

As an outdoor enthusiast, one of the top things I look for in a travel destination is proximity to the outdoors. I'm certainly not averse to pitching tents, but sometimes it's nice to mix in a bit of urban excitement to my travels. Sports Shoes, a UK running retail brand, just completed a study that analyzed the top urban areas for hikers on break. My personal favorite hiker-friendly city is Seattle, which squeaked in at number 12. The number one spot goes to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

The winner was decided through two primary variables: the number of hikes in the area and the average rating and reviews of those hikes. This was averaged out into a hikeability score out of 100, and the only one to get a perfect score was Rio de Janeiro. With a total of 334 hikes averaging a rating of 4.8 stars, this city is officially the world's number one urban area for hikers.
Top hikes in Rio de Janeiro

Read more
Airstream’s new Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired travel trailer is an instant classic
Two classic mid-20th-century design icons combine in this handsome, ultra-exclusive travel trailer.
An Airstream Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian Limited Edition Travel Trailer parked in the desert.

An icon of the all-American road trip meets an icon of mid-century modern architecture in the all-new 2026 Airstream Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian Limited Edition Travel Trailer. By combining Airstream's unmistakable travel trailer design ethos with Wright's Usonian principles, the result is something truly elegant, timeless, and modern. But it'll only be available to a select few.
Everything we know about the Airstream Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian Limited Edition Travel Trailer

Many of the features and design elements in this one-of-a-kind, 28-foot travel trailer are classic Airstream. But it also features a few firsts. Most notable is the dual-purpose lounge/sleep area anchored by a pair of twin beds that convert to a king (the largest bed ever in an Airstream) with the push of a button. Exclusive bolster pillows, tailored slipcovers, and quilted coverlets round out the space. The front lounge also transforms seamlessly between dinette and desk as needed, making this a true live/play/work travel trailer. The entire interior is awash in daylight thanks to 29 total windows—more than any other Airstream in history.

Read more
Capilano Bridge: A gateway to BC’s rainforest, minutes from downtown Vancouver
My guide to a perfect day at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
A pictur of the Capilano bridge surrounded by evergreens and empty

Just 15 minutes outside of downtown Vancouver, B.C., you'll find the Capilano Bridge, a 450-foot-long cedar-planked walkway placed 230 feet above the valley floor. While worth its own pilgrimage, the bridge is more than a one-hit wonder. It's one of dozens of attractions in Capilano Suspension Bridge Park's 27 acres of aerial walkways, carved totem poles, and mist-threaded rainforest. 

The coveted Park pulls off something rare: immersive, big, nature paired with all the creature comforts a visitor could want. While most people come to cross the Capilano Bridge, I opted to explore the other impressive aerial structures and bridges on site, which are equally remarkable and have fewer crowds. 

Read more