Beauport, Sleeper-McCann House

Except for patking, the museum had a nice collection of art and maritime collections…read more We did found off street parking near the area and paid the meter for over 2 hours. Friendly staff and a nice souvenir shop.

My mom and I visited the Cape Ann Museum a week or so ago when we spent a day exploring Gloucester…read more The museum is really wonderful. It's an art and historical museum dedicated to the art, history, and culture of Cape Ann. Their collection includes a collection of Fitz Henry Lane maritime and landscape paintings, the original Thacher Island Fresnel lens, a wooden sculpture that used to top the Parish of Our Lady of Good Voyage Church, and lots of paintings of Cape Ann. When we visited last week (and through September 27, 2026), they have an incredible exhibit: "Avery, Gottlieb & Rothko: By the Sea." The exhibit is presented through a collaboration between the Cape Ann Museum and the Phillips Collection in DC, and it explores the bond between three 20th century artists who shared summers in Gloucester in the 1920s-1940s. The exhibit is really special, so if you're visiting Gloucester before September 27, run don't walk to the Cape Ann Museum. It's a great little regional museum, definitely worth a visit if you're visiting Cape Ann for the firsts time!

Maritime Goucester

4.4

(9 reviews)

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!

Hammond Castle Museum

4.1

(129 reviews)

Castles have always reminded me of fairy tales. But Hammond Castle is a fairy tale with a…read moredistinctly Gothic twist. There was something about the story of its lonely owner and the maze of dark little passageways, hidden entrances, and unexpected exits between rooms that gave me chills. It felt less like I was walking through a castle and more like I had stepped into a fortress where it is eternally Halloween.... Why - because this castle has the unique story of being built from ruins of so many European structures, real structures. Roman pillars from Italian ruins, medieval doorways from French monasteries sometimes even entire rooms dismantled stone by stone and shipped. This inventor (known for the remote control and 400 odd patents), was no doubt super rich, who dreamed and created one of a kind castle to live in. He delighted in calling him the preserver of heritage, some called it plunder and also claimed it was cursed having been built on ruins. No wonder, there are innumerable 'stories' of haunting associated with this castle. There are plenty amazing locations for pictures. The architecture is captivating, it is a popular location for weddings given the dramatic backdrop. Costing anywhere between $6000 to $10K just for the space. I was cautious to walk with my tour group when inside the castle, it was not just to listen to the many interesting scraps of information but also to ensure am surrounded by people......lol Hammond Castle is perched directly on a rocky cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, so its pretty scenic in soo many ways. Its beautiful, its strange, it has loads of mini stories from past and present, something very different. Was I able to pique your interest yet .... ?!

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!

Rockport Art Association & Museum

Things to do in Gloucester

Historic little gem in Rockport! Beautiful old building with many open rooms full of local artist's…read morework. The venue itself if free to walk in and browse through the paintings, and house a little gift shop and small donations box. Remember that spare change you've got in your back pocket? Toss it in here! High quality paintings and photography. Personally I know absolutely nothing about art appraisal, and prices so I was shocked to see the prices of some paintings. They seemed to range from $1,200 to $16,000!! That's crazy to me! But hey-- someone put time and effort in their work and it is very evident! There's two floors of rooms as well as another building connected by a quaint little garden area. The whole place takes at least 30 minutes to walk around to admire and take in the work, so give yourself some time!

Reasonably priced art in a terrific venue...just wished it would have been easier to find someone…read moreto chat with about the art let alone purchase something.

Paper House

4.4

(7 reviews)

What a great find. Not sure if I found this on Roadside America website or here on Yelp, but this…read morelittle house is so interesting. Located in someone's yard, at first it seems odd to just walk in, but that's exactly what you do. We parked roadside. They ask for a small donation: cash in a box by the main house's door, or venmo. Absolutely worth it. It's interesting to see paper walls. Paper chairs and tables. Paper lamps. Paper clock and piano too (with metal innards) of course. I enjoyed looking for dates and headlines on the papers. It's a small cottage making it a quick stop along the way. If you're in the area add it to your itinerary.

We were visiting rock port and heard about the paper house, we had to make a stop!…read more It's in someone's yard but it's completely free and open to the public. It's such an interesting house and all the furniture throughout is entirely made from old rolled newspapers. Such a marvel to see! Doesn't take long but worth the stop.

The Sargent House Museum

5.0

(1 review)

Must see if you are a fan of eighteenth and nineteenth century architecture. This home has been…read moremuseum since 1921 (the met tried to buy part of the interior in 1919 and that spurred the locals into preserving it) since it has been a museum for so long, it is remarkably intact, with little guesswork in the restoration. The interior woodwork is incredible. There is little original furniture, but the house itself is the show stopper. It is only open three days a week but is worth the visit.

From the owner: Built in 1782, this elegant Georgian-style manse, which overlooks the harbor, is the former home of…read moreJudith Sargent Murray (1751-1820), considered the most important female essayist of 18th-century America. View ornate hand-carved woodwork, Federalist-period furniture, and portraits by important early American artists. See unique works by John Singer Sargent, Murray's great grandnephew.

Little Art Cinema

4.6

(7 reviews)

We visited The Little Art Cinema in September 2024, we saw the poster for Terrance Malick's…read more'Badlands' on the notice board outside. Later when we tried to find a website to confirm the screening we weren't able to find one. So we went along at the time on the poster, and found we were the only attendees. The guy running the cinema was a true individual, running a film classic single handed. He initially had trouble with the projection, and asked if I could help out (it was a disc), which I did and we settled down together to watch. Our take on this experience is that to us this guy is a true hero to film, he clearly struggles somewhat with the technology and said he doesn't really do computers (hence no up to date website), but he is single-handedly trying to keep this place alive. Please support this cinema, either by visiting, donating, but most importantly helping out if you are local, or just getting in touch with a message of support. We were visiting from England, and in the interests of full disclosure I am a film cameraman, but to anyone who cares about seeing film on a big screen, this slightly quirky but uplifting experience was one that will stay with us. For those who have seen Capra's 'Meet John Doe' you can meet him personified at The Little Art Cinema, Rockport https://www.littleartrockport.com/

a quirky place to see a film. I felt like I was in some sort of movie being there. It smells…read moremusty, the theater is an open hall space, the seats are folding chairs and the charm is amazing. go here just for the experience, 100% worth it. Good films too. ok, Update time: I have since seen two more flicks here this past summer. I love this place. The owner is really cool, he found us in the theater to give us sparkling water with cups to share before the film began. The films always seem to break, or in one case burn, but it really is apart of the whole atmosphere. My friend and I always end up having a few moments that we end up laughing about later on.... charm, relaxed and quirky.

Settlement Of Cape Ann

4.0

(2 reviews)

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

Marini Farm

4.4

(50 reviews)

•$

Those scones! To die for!…read more So decadent we had to save it for later. Texture and flavor .... Meets exactly price ... very happy with this place. I will def come back again

This was a wintertime visit at Marini Farm for their annual Tree Jubilee, benefiting the Ipswich…read moreHumane Group. There were some trees in their market, especially one particularly cool looking Heat Miser, but inquiring got me through the double doors by their refrigerated case to the greenhouse type structure out back where a multitude of trees and wreathes sat to be admired and won. Admission was free. Tickets were to be purchased for a chance at your pick of the lot. After my visit, I took another shopping eye look through the market and left with a box of 4 fat muffins and a chilled soup - butternut squash and apple - yum!

Holiday Tree Farm

5.0

(3 reviews)

Excellent family owned tree farm. Only open a short time each year as they effectively manage the…read morefarm. Great service and easy one price for trees regardless of size. Be prepared it can get crazy busy but the family and workers manage the crowds efficiently and in a friendly manner.

Absolutely perfect. Great selection of trees, and the owners were beyond helpful, offering to cut…read moreand haul your selected tree (maybe bring a bow saw if you'd rather do it all yourself). They have a system to make sure you get the tree you selected, guide you to a convenient pick up, and help get it into your car.

Beauport, Sleeper-McCann House - museums - Updated August 2026

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Cape Ann Museum

Except for patking, the museum had a nice collection of art and maritime collections…read more We did found off street parking near the area and paid the meter for over 2 hours. Friendly staff and a nice souvenir shop.

My mom and I visited the Cape Ann Museum a week or so ago when we spent a day exploring Gloucester…read more The museum is really wonderful. It's an art and historical museum dedicated to the art, history, and culture of Cape Ann. Their collection includes a collection of Fitz Henry Lane maritime and landscape paintings, the original Thacher Island Fresnel lens, a wooden sculpture that used to top the Parish of Our Lady of Good Voyage Church, and lots of paintings of Cape Ann. When we visited last week (and through September 27, 2026), they have an incredible exhibit: "Avery, Gottlieb & Rothko: By the Sea." The exhibit is presented through a collaboration between the Cape Ann Museum and the Phillips Collection in DC, and it explores the bond between three 20th century artists who shared summers in Gloucester in the 1920s-1940s. The exhibit is really special, so if you're visiting Gloucester before September 27, run don't walk to the Cape Ann Museum. It's a great little regional museum, definitely worth a visit if you're visiting Cape Ann for the firsts time!

The House of the Seven Gables

4.3

(352 reviews)

Excellent site to visit! Beautiful views! We had a great docent lead tour. Our guide shared lots…read moreof details and did a great job trying to answer our group's many questions! Learning about the different architectural phases of this property was very interesting. The Secret Staircase is special! Gift Shop was a fun stop! Friendly staff. They have their own parking lot with ample and FREE parking while you visit. Now that's a plus. Everywhere else in Salem is paid parking, including the Peabody Essex Museum (park and hike!) Highly recommend visiting The House of Seven Gables if you are in the area.

My mom and I toured the House of the Seven Gables when we spent a day in Salem a week or so ago,…read moreand it was one of the highlights of our time in Salem. The house dates back to 1668, when it was built for a wealthy sea captain and merchant. It remained in that family for three generations before it was bought by another family. The house is mostly famous for being the setting and subject of a novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, who was a second cousin of Susannah Ingersoll, who lived in the home for years. In 1908, the home was purchased again, this time by a woman who made it her life's mission to restore the house, protect it for posterity, and to turn into a museum that could be visited by tourists to Salem. The home was renovated many times (by different owners of the house) - it didn't even always have seven gables, but that's a part of its interesting story! We learned all of the above and more from our tour guide on a guided tour of the house. Our tour guide was great - friendly, informative, and interesting! After our tour, we explored Nathaniel Hawthorne's birthplace home, which was moved to the grounds of the House of Seven Gables to avoid demolition. It was a great way to learn a little more about Hawthorne. There was also a gift shop, where my mom and I both bought copies of The House of the Seven Gables, stamped so we always remember where we bought it. Our tour was interesting, and the house is striking and fascinating. It's well worth a visit if you're exploring Salem.

The Salem Museum

3.0

(10 reviews)

I don't want to Salem short because this is a gorgeous building, so I'm gonna give 5 stars…read more This beautiful Old Town Hall in Salem has a bunch of costume people coming out of it around Halloween and it's really fun to watch. It's amazing even without that added bonus, but at that time of year it's great. It's a good place to get your picture taken and if you're a witch you should probably stay away from here because the witches were hung around here bro.

We came in to kill some time while we waited for our table to open up at a nearby restaurant…read more For three dollars, you get to see informational banners in a small room, lol. Nothing exciting, nothing fun.The best part of the museum is that you get access to use their downstairs bathroom throughout the day, if needed. Definitely not a place you want to come, unless you were in a situation like ours and just need to kill 10 minutes (if that).

The Salem Witch Dungeon Museum

3.6

(170 reviews)

Very informative about the salem witch trials. Began with a show of what a trial would look like…read moreand then shows what the dungeons would look like and talk about the accusations of the witch trials in salem.

This is a cute little performance-based museum. You see real actors alongside wax figures act out…read morethe Procter trial. Then you get to tour a dungeon that is replicated off of the original dungeons. The tour guide does a nice job going over the different cells and how you could pay to have more space. You could also pay to have hay to sleep on but most people couldn't afford it. It's a truly sad sight to see these dungeons that are based on real experiences.

Rockport Art Association & Museum

Historic little gem in Rockport! Beautiful old building with many open rooms full of local artist's…read morework. The venue itself if free to walk in and browse through the paintings, and house a little gift shop and small donations box. Remember that spare change you've got in your back pocket? Toss it in here! High quality paintings and photography. Personally I know absolutely nothing about art appraisal, and prices so I was shocked to see the prices of some paintings. They seemed to range from $1,200 to $16,000!! That's crazy to me! But hey-- someone put time and effort in their work and it is very evident! There's two floors of rooms as well as another building connected by a quaint little garden area. The whole place takes at least 30 minutes to walk around to admire and take in the work, so give yourself some time!

Reasonably priced art in a terrific venue...just wished it would have been easier to find someone…read moreto chat with about the art let alone purchase something.

Wenham Museum

4.5

(11 reviews)

What a disappointment!! This used to be a wonderful museum Now it has a fraction of the…read moredisplays and a great deal of open space. Now worth going to

What a small treasure this place is. It is not very big. A lot of interesting things to look at…read more They have a nice collection of dolls. Check it out

Hawthorne Hotel

3.9

(381 reviews)

Great stay at the Hawthorne--had dinner in the tavern, great food and cocktails. Room was clean…read more They said it might be hot and they could bring a fan up but temperature was fine. Great location--right in the center. Two things of note--we stayed on the 6th floor, room 622. The 6th floor is the pet-friendly floor (we didn't have any pets), and my husband opened the door to get ice and there was a mini Doberman pinscher (cute!) desperate to get in our room. Then the owner came around the corner and could not figure out why he wanted to get in our room so bad. My husband went in search of the ice and saw the couple with the dog was staying in the room that would be exactly parallel to ours on the other side. I had a great sleep. Husband did as well except around 3 or so he was awoken to a hard poking several times on his shoulder. He said I was dead asleep and facing away so it was not me. We are both FAR from superstitious and don't believe in ghosts etc, so his mind went to someone broke in--but everything was locked up quite securely. He even checked under the bed! After the fact we found out about its ghost stories with specifically the 6th floor--specifically room 612. Again we were room 622, so does 612 (with the doggie) mirror ours? Other people have also mentioned getting poked as well, which we again didn't see about the hotel till after. So between the desperate dog and the poke, probably nothing--but most creeped out I've been in a while!! (Not so creeped out that we wouldn't go back!)

When we were walking in Salem, we came across an elderly lady in a wheelchair and she was…read morecompletely lost finding this hotel. We all stop what we we were doing and walked safely to this hotel. I went to the front desk to let the lady working on July 9 around midnight about this guest being lost, and she was extremely rude, annoyed and told me that she the guest has been calling the hotel for three hours asking for help. The lady who is working, the Front Desk has short gray hair and was very rude and obviously did not care about a guest at this hotel. If a guest is lost, wouldn't it be the right thing to do by assisting them instead of complaining about a loss elderly guest who was a retired school teacher? When other people in the hotel were leaving, the same lady was talking to another lady about the guest and talking about how rude they were and how much they were drinking, though when I was there, I did not witness any of this. When I recommend going to this hotel based off of the people who represent this Brand, the answer is no.

The Seafarer Inn

(13 reviews)