Memorial to fishermen - "They that go down to sea in ships"…read more Enjoyed the breeze and reflecting on those lost over the years.

The Gloucester Fisherman's Memorial is a sculpture on South Stacy Boulevard. It's an 8-foot-tall…read morebronze statue of a fisherman erected in 1925. In a semi-circle around the sculpture are plaques that list the names of people lost at sea between 1716-2001. If you're visiting Gloucester for the first time - like my mom and I were last about a week ago - it's worth your time to park and take a walk on the esplanade and see the memorial for a few minutes!

Adventure, an Essex-built schooner designated a National Historic Landmark nearly a decade ago, is…read morea New England treasure and a throwback to simpler times and the Gloucester fishing industry's golden era. She was conceived and built as a knockabout (to wit, sans bowsprit) fishing schooner in 1926. Always a little quick for her purpose, her propeller and screw were removed and all 121' of her were refitted as a windjammer. In 1989, she was donated to the City of Gloucester with the expressed intention of standing as a testament to the city's fishing legacy and as a living memorial to fishermen lost at sea. Nowadays, the Adventure is berthed at a non-public dock adjacent to Gloucester's new cruise terminal. Its location is far from ideal and a major downgrade from its previous home at the Heritage Center on Harbor Loop (note that the listed address is incorrect). Even so, the restoration effort (led, by and large, by a devoted crew of volunteers) has been remarkable and even from docked and viewed from afar she's a gorgeous and powerful visage.

If you're in Gloucester and looking for something non-beachy to do, I recommend checking out…read moreEastern Point Lighthouse and walking across the breakwater to Dog Bar Lighthouse. First, you have to turn onto a private street lined with ridiculously beautiful mansions that you will never be able to afford in your lifetime and possibly your children's, staffed by a security guard (tell him you're here to see the lighthouse). After you drive past the private beach and the yacht club, all bedecked with No Trespassing and Private Entry Only signs to make you feel as unwelcome and plebian as possible by the 1% of Gloucester, you'll see the parking turn-off for the lighthouse. There, we met a very kind lady from Mass Audubon who explained the various migrational birds roaming around the area. You can't actually see or tour the lighthouse because it's fenced around and, from a distance, looks a little worse for wear. But looping around the side across some rocks, you can hop onto the jetty and stroll around and take in the sights. Great spot for photographers. It was beating down with zero shade and we forgot to put on sunscreen before heading out so we did a quick out-and-back but otherwise, it'd be a neat area to sit. $10 fee per vehicle (cash or QR code). No fee if you walk in. Definitely wear close-toed shoes; sandals or flip-flops on slippery rocks are a recipe for disaster. Also, watch out for poison ivy along the path to the jetty.

Beware: This is not a polished tourist destination. Only visit if you're looking for a bit of…read moreadventure. To get to the Eastern Point Lighthouse, you have to turn down a road marked as private. (Apparently it isn't, really?) Then, you pass some other unwelcoming signs. Then you finally get to a small gravel parking lot with a sign that says "All are welcome!" The lighthouse isn't operational or open for tours. It's surrounded by fencing that makes it look condemned. But, if you walk through some sand and rocks along the water and then do a small bit of rock climbing, you can get a good view of an iconic lighthouse. When I visited, it was freezing rain and very windy. When I climbed up on the rocks to take a picture, the winds up there were so strong I was worried they'd blow my phone out of my hand. Combined with the sense that I was almost trespassing, it was oddly thrilling. There's not enough going on to warrant a long trip, but if you're in the area, want a fun diversion, and are fine driving down narrow, possibly private roads to a small gravel parking lot before navigating sandy, rocky, seaweedy tidewaters to see something iconic, it's a worthwhile diversion.

I visited Hammond Castle Museum with my mom a week or so ago when we spent a long weekend on Cape…read moreAnn, and we loved our time there! Hammond Castle is a 20th century castle! It was built by John Hays Hammond, Jr., who was a very wealthy inventor and all around quirky guy. To make a long story short, Jr. offended his upper crust parents by picking a woman they considered inappropriate to be his wife (a divorcee from a family they didn't consider worthy to marry into the family). They kicked him out of the family castle down the road, so he built his castle - a bigger one. Hammond Jr. was a collector, and he traveled around Europe after both world wars and was able to collect beautiful pieces of European art and architecture that became part of the house. So the castle was built between 1926 and 1929, but it contains elements from 15th, 16th, and 18th century European architecture. You can tour the Castle by self-guided or guided tours, but I highly recommend a guided tour. Our tour guide was Leila, and she was incredible - funny, informative, charming! She walked us around, into several areas of the castle, and then we explored more areas on our own after the guided tour. The castle is incredible. The architecture and art are incredible, and there are great stories behind a lot of both (some pieces and elements have questionable provenance)! The castle also has great views. We had tickets for the first tour of the day on a Saturday. I highly recommend going early and getting a tour in the morning. When we arrived around 9 for our 9:30 tour, the parking lot was pretty empty. When we left around 11, the parking lot was entirely full and there were several cars with their flashers on waiting to be able to pull into a spot as people left. It's a popular spot, so if you're visiting on a weekend, go early if you can. Or be prepared to wait for a parking spot or take a rideshare! Hammond Castle is quirky, beautiful, interesting, fun. It should definitely be on your itinerary if you're visiting Cape Ann if you like art, architecture, history, quirky places... There's so much to enjoy about Hammond Castle!

Visiting family and they brought us here for an excursion. Such a unique experience, both…read morephysically and historically. We so enjoyed our tour with an amazing guide and also just freely exploring the grounds and the various rooms. The variations in architectural design are incredible. Unfortunately the gardens were not open as they are under maintenence. Well worth the time spent.

In the summer Rockport is mobbed with tourists. Filled with art galleries, touristy shops and…read morerestaurants it makes a pleasant day out. Late Spring/early summer or late summer/early Autumn are less busy times. Parking is on street, and pay at the kiosk. Put your receipt on the dash where it can be seen. Parking is also available in the surrounding neighborhoods for no fee. Just plan to walk a ways to get into town. Rockport has become so popular lately, there is simply not enough parking to support the tourist trade. Pro-tip: when parking in the surrounding neighborhood, either 'pin' your vehicle location to your phone map, or remember which intersection you parked near. We found one woman wandering around looking for a particular street. We know an artist who has a studio here and stopped in to see his work. We also stopped in to other galleries during our stay. We considered staying to walk around and get a bite to eat, but decided in the end to just get back on the road. We visited the Paper House nearby.

It is a pretty town witha lot to see, but I wish Bearskin Neck had more trees and a public…read morerestroom.It gets very hot and tiring walking around there. Some trees and benches would make a big difference

Sadly there is no Museum here, just a Historical Marker (see photo) to those brave Puritans who…read morerisked their lives landing on this exact spot in 1623. The group arrived three years after the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock. Initially at Stage Fort Park and later on the other side of Gloucester Harbor. These immigrants were part of the Dorchester Company and had been looking for a location to develop a fishing port. They found it across the bay, naming after Gloucester, England. So only Three Stars, "A-OK" for this minimalistic effort. Heck, the Pilgrims have a granite shrine.

There is an indescribable feeling walking around where my ancestors settled over 300 years ago.read more

Pretty cool little place. Had a very nice clear day to enjoy the short hike. I will definitely…read morebring the family to check this place out

A lighthouse for the…read more birds The area around Cape Ann is a treacherous place indeed and a whole lot of ships have been lost over the centuries. So it is natural that a whole bunch of lighthouse would be built here. The very first light on the small 2 acre Straithmouth Island was back in 1835 but was a poorly constructed pile of junk. It was rebuilt in 1851 but the fierce storms and wild winters soon took a toil on that one too. So in 1896 the present 37 foot light was built and a small 6th order Fresnel lens added. Over the decades all lighthouses were automated and many, like this one, declared redundant and were closed. The little island ended up as private property until 1967 when the island and lighthouse was donated to the Audubon Society. It is now a bird and wildlife sanctuary and is off limits to humans. The light and the few remaining buildings got hammered and damaged in the Oct. 1991 "perfect storm" but the little lighthouse preserved and survived. It can now be seen closely by kayak or from certain points in Rockport and the twin lights of Thatcher island can be seen from certainly angles. Not a tall light and not an exceptionally old light. But it is a tough little guy that managed to survive everything that natural and man could throw at it.

this is an amazing spot. the parking is technically resident only and there's only a few places to…read morepark tho. the snorkeling here is also amazing!! great place for swimming in summer or a picnic. great views!!

Family friendly. The kids loved the touch tanks and the free science lessons on the spot!…read more Maritime Museum is small, so you can easily do that and still have time for a whale watch nearby.

Kelsey (Natural Resources Education) and Justin (Historian) make this museum come ALIVE!…read more This place is an absolute gem. Thank you to the staff for presenting a wonderful display of natural history and seafaring artifacts. We'll visit again!