I like the Cape for sailing and kayaking through marshes and small harbors. Not so much for the beaches. I love painting the landscape. There are some nice art galleries.
But yes, it’s primarily for “water things”. 
Living in CA we enjoy the sense of history, for one thing. Driving down 6A or around town you can find homes back to the 1700s or earlier. Out here in CA “old” means pre-WWII for the most part. I read the book “I Remember Cape Cod” from the library and that’s what brought a different appreciation for visiting the Cape. The author, a professional writer, describes his childhood summers pre-WWI on the Cape. Many of the places he describes are still there, so if you go by them its almost as if you can visit with the long-gone people he writes about in the book.
The Cape has good seafood, town band concerts, knick-knack shops (still miss Colonial Candle of Cape Cod), the rail-to-trail bike path, and the air temp is warm enough at night to still be outside in shorts. I realize this isn’t unique to the Cape, but it is a change from CA. Another difference is the vacation-oriented aspect of the Cape. In CA the weather is mild enough that the beach communities are filled with year-round residents, so it is unusual for people to rent a house for a week on the coast. Most often its a day trip from where you live to the beach.
Cape Cod has always been on my bucket list! Should I reconsider?! 
Maybe just head more north for quieter beaches and quainter (less crowded) towns?
The beach at Truro is pretty spectacular. Basically, sand cliffs But if you’re already on the east cast, you get plenty of historic homes, history, and context. Many of us still ooh and aah about the old homes. But there’s alot of natural beauty along the Eastern Seaboard.
There is plenty to do on Cape Cod beside the beaches. But that doesn’t make the traffic go away in the summer…and the general congestion. And it doesn’t make it less weather dreary in the winter.
@abasket I would say…give Cape Cod a whirl. You might want to go after Labor Day. It’s way less crowded.
September at the Cape can be really nice. Waay less crowded and the water is still warm. Sandwich glass museum is interesting and if your kids read the Thorton Burgess books you might like to see his house also in Sandwich. Cape Cod Potato Chips factory has tours. The little aquarium at Woods Hole is fun. There are even a few wineries!
By my standards the water is never warm on Cape Cod.
@MomofWildChild It’s not as bad as the Pacific!
I would choose Maine over Cape Cod.
I agree with @abasket about Florida. We visit my SIL in Daytona Beach periodically. She tries so hard to convince us we should move to Florida. Uh, no thanks…
Growing up with the Pacific, we gave no thought to body surfing in 68F water, but my family who moved from Texas talked all the time about the cold water. It’s where you grew up, I guess.
I have been to Hawaii many times, Oahu, Maui, Big Island, Kauai, all multiple times; it was lovely each time, but I have several couple friends who go to the same condo, I think on Maui, multiple times a year, year after year. That I don’t get, I don’t see the appeal. And yet I go to a place twice a year that for most people is a one stop bucket list place
Cruise ships do nothing for me, I feel trapped on the boat, not freed by being able to unpack and boat to the stops. I think I am a control freak. I am happy for others to go, but have no interest for me. I’ve cruised to Alaska, a gorgeous deluxe Caribbean cruise paid for by the company, and the Big Red boat. The company paid cruise was well done, but still, not my thing.
Yosemite- glad I saw it, but even in spring it was way to crowded for my taste and there was poison oak all over, to which I am horrendously allergic.
Mexican beach resorts- I’ve been to Cabo, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo; Acupulco, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta; Manzanillo, all perfectly fine. I guess I am not a beach resort person. I enjoyed Mexico City and Michoacan more than the coast.
There are many places in Florida which offer a much different atmosphere than Daytona Beach & Orlando. Judging the state of Florida by these two locations is not reasonable in my opinion.
I am not a huge Florida fan, but loved Amelia Island. It felt more like Georgia. Also like Siesta Key near Sarasota. My sister/brother in law spend half the year at their house in Ft. Myers, and I don’t mind visiting, but have no desire to own property there.
@Publisher, I’ve been quite a few places in Florida. I’m not basing my judgment just on Daytona Beach.
More north is my preference (ME) or south (RI). 
I agree to wait until after Labor Day.
@MomofWildChild : Agree.
St. Augustine & the Florida Panhandle also offer some interesting & beautiful beaches. Pensacola offers a very different vibe than does most of Florida. The Keys are great for those into deep sea fishing. Vero Beach is a great community, but quite expensive. Sarasota & Naples offer beautiful beaches & great quality of life, but you have to like the weather.
I am not a fan of Daytona Beach & only like Orlando for conventions due to the hotels & attractions; I would not want to live there full time.
Clearwater Beach used to be gorgeous, and may still be, but it has been a long time since I have been there.
I haven’t ever been to The Villages in central Florida, but it sounds like my worst nightmare. Seems like a lot of people are landing there for retirement. Not on the ocean and you ride around in golf carts and play pickleball with a bunch of old people.
We loved our brief stay in Laguna Beach in the panhandle. It is just west of Panama City Beach. There are still a few small and uncrowded beaches left for those of us that prefer them. The beach itself was just about perfect - crystal clear water, sugary sand, dolphins frolicking, and blissfully warm water (September). I wouldn’t have liked a more developed beach but some do.
@abasket Go to the Cape in September or June—shoulder months are the best time and you can find beaches that aren’t crazy crowded.
There are a fair number of things to do on the Cape besides beach going. For example, there are tons of bike paths and you can ride for miles. Or—you can go sea kayaking or paddle boarding or deep sea fishing—lots if outfitters will set you up. There are whale watching cruises as well as cruises on sailboats. Away from the water—lots of nature activities at the Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary in Wellfleet. A couple of cool museums—Heritage Museum and Gardens, Sandwich Glass Museum, the Edward Gorey House (think PBS Mystery Theater graphic introduction). You can get some of the best oysters ever at Wellfleet and and watch an oyster shucking contest. Take a day trip to Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard. Visit the Woods Hoke Oceanographic Institution (they do tours in the summer). Best art galleries are in Provincetown—another great town to visit.
I thought of these quickly and am sure I missed stuff. The Atlantic is cold and New England and Massachusetts have lots of very old housing stock. I grew up in the Midwest and that was the first thing struck me when I moved to MA 36 years ago. If you are a sparkle and shine type, you probably won’t care for lots of places in New England.
@MomofWildChild I’ve been to The Villages and it’s scary. Tricked out golf carts and piped music out on the streets.
I was never a fan of Florida and my H strongly dislikes Florida. One of our kids spent a few years living there and we did enjoy a few trips. We definitely preferred the Atlantic beaches to the gulf. St Petersburg didn’t appeal to us at all. A highlight of one Florida trip was swimming with the manatees in Crystal River. Now that my kid is back in Ca I don’t see us going to Florida again.
I felt the same way about Florida, as I used to go to the Atlantic Coast. As an ex Californian, the beaches did nothing for me, and the endless condos, ick. But due to new and cheap flights, went to Fort Meyers/Sanibel very off season last December, and was quite impressed. Not sure if I’d like the place clogged with tourists, but it was lovely at that time of year. Now am reconsidering other parts of the Gulf coast as nice beaches are such a treat in the cold seasons of the upper Midwest.