10 Best Things To Do
SAILING ON CAPE ANN
SCHOONER ARDELLE
Website Tel: 978-290-7168
With the launch of the wooden schooner Ardelle, North Shore adds another jewel to its crown. For those special occasions when you want the ARDELLE for yourselves, we offer private charters that include company outings, family events, weddings, birthdays, or memorials. We offer the exclusive use of the vessel and our crew for your party. If you are planning a family get together or birthday celebration for later in the season, do consider booking early because our schedule fills up quickly.
SCHOONER THOMAS LANNON
Website Tel: 978-281-6634
Picture relaxing on the deck of this beautiful 65- foot schooner as she sails out of Gloucester harbor on a light southwesterly breeze.A two hour sail gives you a taste for what it was like to sail on a fishing schooner a hundred years ago. Help the crew raise the sails, or just sit back and take in the sights and sounds of Gloucester's coastline.
SCHOONER ADVENTURE
Website Tel: 978-281-8079
Sail into History Aboard Gloucester's National Historic Landmark! Adventure is a 122' historic dory fishing Schooner built in 1926 and is today a living monument to Gloucester's fishing heritage.
KAYAKING
KAYAKING IN ROCKPORT
Website Tel: 978 546-5050
Specializing in fully-outfitted sea kayaking and stand-up paddle board tours. North Shore Kayak Outdoor Center in Rockport provides you with an unforgettable ocean adventure along Rockport's lovely coastline to local islands. Or you can rent a kayak, paddleboard or pedal boat to explore the harbor or coastline at your own pace. In addition to touring, recreational and sit-on-top kayaks, NSKOS also rents bicycles, pedal boats and stand-up paddle boards.
WHALE WATCHING
Gloucester is the ideal place to whale watch because of its proximity to fertile feeding grounds. Gloucester’s whale watch companies are the only ones in New England who can easily reach these feeding grounds on any given trip.
The ledges and banks of these feeding grounds create a rich and productive marine habitat that attracts numerous species of whales
Recommended contacts:
- CAPE ANN WHALE WATCH:
Tel: 978 - 283 - 5110
415 Main Street
Rose's Wharf
Gloucester, MA 01930
- 7 SEAS WHALE WATCH
978-283-1776
7 Seas Wharf
Gloucester, MA 01930
- CAPT. BILLS WHALE WATCH
978-283-6995
24 Harbor Loop
Gloucester, MA 01930
EXPLORING LIGHTHOUSES
Cape Ann’s picturesque coastline is home to five very different lighthouses. With each lighthouse being within a relatively short driving distance to the next. The best way to see the lighthouses of Gloucester and Rockport is by boat or the Cape Ann Lighthouse Tour.
ANNISQUAM LIGHTHOUSE
Annisquam Lighthouse stands on the east side of the Annisquam River. While the actual grounds of Annisquam Lighthouse are now closed to the public, the lighthouse can be seen from Wingaersheek Beach. Some boat tours also pass Annisquam Lighthouse for a close-up view from the sea. Sunset is a beautiful time to be there.
STRAITSMOUTH ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE
Straitsmouth Island Lighthouse can clearly be seen from the tip of Bearskin Neck in Rockport. Originally constructed as a 19-foot lighthouse in 1835 to help direct vessels to the harbor at Pigeon Cove, it was later replaced in 1896 by a 37-foot brick tower and moved 500 feet to its present location.
TWIN LIGHTS
Thacher Island’s Twin Lighthouses are the only surviving multiple lighthouses on the coasts of the United States. Visible from many points of land, The two 124-foot granite towers that stand today, the North Tower and South Tower, were built in 1861. During the summer Thacher Island is open to visitors. A shuttle boat operates out of Rockport Harbor. Ten Pound Island Lighthouse Ten Pound Island Lighthouse is located within Gloucester Harbor. The island itself, named for the number of sheep pens (pounds) that it could hold — boasts housing America’s first Coast Guard Station. Originally constructed in 1821, the lighthouse marks the island and assists in navigating Gloucester’s inner harbor. The lighthouse can easily be viewed from many locations along Gloucester’s waterfront, especially from Stacy Boulevard. Views can also be had from tour boats that pass through the harbor.
EASTERN POINT LIGHTHOUSE
Eastern Point Lighthouse was erected on Gloucester's Eastern Point to mark the harbor entrance in 1832. In addition to the light is a large lighthouse station which continues to serve as housing for the U.S. Coast Guard. Eastern Point light is rather easily reached from downtown Gloucester by following Eastern Point Avenue to its end.
A beautiful coastal State Park filled with old granite quarries. The park is a favorite with scuba divers, and offers the hiker great views up the Atlantic coast. Halibut Point State Park sits on the northeast tip of Cape Ann in Rockport, Massachusetts.You can explore the parks trails and tide pools, picnic on the rocky ledges, and learn about the history of Cape Ann's granite industry. The view from Halibut Point stretches from Crane Beach in Ipswich to Mount Agamenticus in Maine and the Isles of Shoals off the New Hampshire coast. The rocky shore is populated by various tidal pool organisms. In the Visitor Center, one can view exhibits on the park's natural and cultural history and then climb the Center's 60-foot tall World War II fire-control tower for a more panoramic vue.
Viewed from the Beach & King, Shalin Liu is located in the scenic seaport village of Rockport, Massachusetts, Rockport Music presents exceptional musical performances and events year round, including the acclaimed Rockport Chamber Music Festival, which hosts over 20 performances in five weeks during June and July each year. Rockport Music also presents classical, jazz, folk, pop, and world music, as well as a film series and HD broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera and England’s National Theatre.
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HIKING IN ROCKPORT
DOGTOWN
The Beach & King's location is perfect for hikers, bikers and walkers. Listed are just a few of our favorite hikes from the house. HIKE 1. The Headlands and Old Garden Path HIKE 2. Bearskin Neck HIKE 3. Main St. Beach St. and Millbrook Meadow HIKE 4. Dogtown Common Walk via Summit Avenue HIKE 5. The Atlantic Path HIKE 6. Halibut Point State Park HIKE 7. To Cape Hedge and Long Beach
SHOPPING IN ROCKPORT
PEWTER SHOP
Just a five minute stroll from the Beach & King, Rockport’s charming Main Street and eclectic Bearskin Neck are loaded with interesting shops, restaurants and galleries. Explore one-of-a-kind shops. Find fine art, handcrafted jewelry, fashionable clothing, locally made crafts, specialty household items, imported gifts, scrumptious chocolates and so much more. Our friends and favorite photographer Zan Murch have our favorite Rockport store
MUSEUMS
Home to America’s oldest seaport and art colony, the rich cultural history of Rockport and Cape Ann is bound to spark your interest. There are dozens of museums and historical sites on Cape Ann. You can learn how ships are made, see how people lived 300 years ago and visit memorials to fishermen and their families. Explore natural wonders and walk among the sites painted by famous artists. Beauport, Sleeper-McCann House
The summer home of Henry Davis Sleeper, an interior designer and collector, who began building his retreat in 1907. The house grew to 40 rooms filled with a collection that includes period furniture, colored glass, ceramics and curiosities. Open June thru October, with guided tours 10am to 5pm Tuesday – Saturday.
The Museum’s collections represent the history of Cape Ann, its people, its industries and especially its art and culture. View work by some of the area’s most prestigious artists, including Fitz Henry Lane, John Sloan, Milton Avery, Walker Hancock and others. Explore fisheries/maritime and granite quarrying galleries, a sculpture garden and two historic homes.
Lectures, exhibits, demonstrations of traditional boatbuilding methods. The museum collection has 8,000 objects and over 3,000 photographs that embody Essex’s shipbuilding history.
John Hays Hammond, Jr. built his medieval-style castle between the years 1926 and 1929 to serve both as his home and as a backdrop for his collection of Roman, Medieval and Renaissance artifacts. Visitors to the Hammond Castle Museum are welcome to explore the castle on a self-guided tour of many rooms (map supplied) including the great hall, indoor courtyard, Renaissance dining room, two guestbedrooms, the inventions exhibit room, the library, the War room, the kitchens, the Natalie Hays Hammond exhibit room and servants’ quarters.
A Maritime heritage museum featuring a touch tank, working marine railway, boatbuilding projects, the Schooners Ardelle and Adventure and interactive exhibits highlighting Gloucester Harbor’s past, present and future.
Established in 1922, the Association has a membership of 400 artists, recognized nationally and worldwide. Workshops, classes, lectures, auctions and exhibits are offered May- October.
Located in the heart of Rockport’s Cultural District, the Rockport Art Association is one of the nation’s oldest and continuously operating galleries. With over 25 exhibitions of fine art throughout the year, it represents many of the finest regional artists of New England. The multiple galleries are always free to browse, but donations are welcome. Visit the Rockport Art Association and discover the artistic and cultural splendor of Cape Ann.
Since the turn of the century, the Rocky Neck Art Colony has been at the center of our nation’s art history. Today, over 30 working artists display their work in Rocky Neck galleries and studios. In addition to the galleries, area restaurants provide gourmet cuisine, waterfront views and an eclectic atmosphere.
1782 home of Judith Sargent-Murray. The museum is a fine example of high-style Georgian domestic architecture. Open Memorial Day through Labor Day Weekends, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 12pm – 4pm.