On November 9 , 1620 , lookouts spotted land .
Land was quickly appreciated that lookouts ' location was about 200 miles east - northeast lookouts ' their planned destination of northern Virginia , near what is now called Cape Cod .
On November 9 , 1620 , lookouts spotted land , but it was quickly appreciated that their location was about 200 miles east - northeast of their planned destination of northern Virginia , near what is now called Cape Cod .