In 1945, Art Costa, a Portuguese immigrant, returned from World War II and embarked on a mission to support his family in Provincetown. The son of Portuguese immigrants, Costa was born and raised in Provincetown. While serving in the military, he was awarded a purple heart and an oak leaf cluster. After the war, he decided to combine his love of nature and the Outer Cape to give people dune tours.
With just one vehicle, a 1936 Ford Woody, Art’s Dune Tours was born. Art Costa’s passion and pride for the area set the company apart from other tour groups. His son Rob explained, “We’re the only company doing this because we outlasted the others. At the height, I’d say there were about 15 tours, but we were never in it for the money. So you have good years and bad years but every year he came back. My dad’s love for the area and his passion kept it going.”
Art Costa was a striking man reminiscent of old Hollywood silver screen actors, and he had the charm to match. Everyone in town knew him. “People who talked to my dad cherished the wonderful stories only he can tell in his charming way. If you were downtown and talked to Art, you were chatting with a legend,” said his son. “Everybody knew him. He helped anybody that asked him to. He offered his help to everyone he knew. He was a big part of the community.”
Rob Costa is now the face of Arts Dune Tour, the company he was born and raised to eventually run. In fact, while giving a tour with his mom, Patricia Costa, he learned that his history to the dunes go back further than he thought. “When you get two tour guides in the same vehicle, it’s game on. You’re both trying to tell the best stories. And my mom points over to one dune and says ‘In fact, Rob was conceived right over there.’ It was a bit of a TMI moment,” said Costa.
Rob grew up in the shadow of his father, Art, learning about the unique history and ecology of the area and soaking up the knowledge he’d one day be passing on his customers. “My father always loved to tell the story of when The Thomas Crown Affair was filmed here. He loved to tell his Steve McQueen story. And my mom, she baked a coffee cake for Steve McQueen. He liked it so much he asked her to bake more. I always remember those stories. And I remember my dad always talking about how much he loved my mom.”
Now that Rob is running the business, customers tell him stories of the first generation Costas. “It’s great that we get families who came on the tour with my dad. They are now bringing their kids and I’m giving the tour. They’ll tell me stories that they remember of him and what it was like when they visited before. They always mention how much he would talk about his kids. It’s a family tradition.”
Things have changed quite a bit since the beginnings of Art with his 1936 Woody. In 1953, he moved up to a four-wheel drive Jeep. Internationals were used for a while and now Art’s Dune Tours commands a fleet of Surbubans. However a lot hasn’t changed. The dunes are still very much untouched and Art’s Dune Tours is still very much a family business.
Rob Costa now runs the business with his husband also named Rob. Their wedding was even held in the dunes! Rob’s aunt also works in the office. And he teamed up with his cousin, Captain Russ of Chas’n Tails to create a new tour.
The Land and Sea tour combines a private fishing charter with a Sunset Tour with a unique twist. Following the Sunset Tour, you’ll be dropped off at Mac’s Fish House in Provincetown where your catch has been prepared for dinner. They also created additional tours such as kayaking on Pilgrim Lake which was once a harbor in the 1800’s. The Land and Sail Tour takes groups on either a private charter boat, Moments, or the larger 90 year old schooner, Hindu. The Sunset Tour brings visitors out to Race Point Beach to watch the sunset after a ride through the dunes.
Walking back to Art’s Dune Tours on Standish Street, Rob points out a corner on Commercial Street. “I remember when we were just a folding table there. That was the office. It was cash only. Now we have an office and even online reservations,” said Costa. One thing that hasn’t changed is the passion for the pristine dunes. “I call it the Provincetown Outback. It’s like nowhere else on earth,” said Costa.
Make Art’s Dune Tours part of your next visit to Provincetown. Reservations can be made online or by phone 1-800-894-1951 or by stopping by the Art’s Dune Tours office at the corner of Standish and Commercial Streets. As Rob says, You’ll be Dune-ing Good!
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