Am I really reviewing a town? I guess I am. Gloucester is an old sea town with real fishermen and…read morefisherwomen! They also have white collar folks that summer here. I love love love Gloucester and recommend you come here for a few days just to take in the sweet salt air and look at the sun-kissed skies. You won't be disappointed when you are here.

Things that lurk…read morein the sea. The very first lighthouse built on Ten Pound Island was back in 1821. Gloucester was a very important harbor and since the island sits right in the way of the entrance people sensibly figured a lighthouse on the little island would be a good idea. The lighthouse was cheap and poorly constructed and another light made of cast iron was completed in 1881 and still stands. About 39 feet tall it originally had a 5th order Fresnel Lens that is now in a museum up in Maine. Gloucester can be a spooky place with all kinds of storms and fog and people can see strange things in in the mist. And all kinds of odd and bizarre things have indeed been seen out by the lighthouse. The very first sea serpent sighting was back in the 1600's and so many have been seen that this is sometimes called The Sea Serpent Lighthouse. By the early 1820's sightings of the beast were so common that people use to come here just to get a look at it. Many sworn affidavits by very credible people were signed, describing the beastie in detail. The light is quieter now and very few monster sightings are recorded anymore. The famous artists Winslow Homer lived here for a while around 1880 but he apparently was more busy with his painting than looking for monsters. The lighthouse was restored in 1980 and looks almost like new. The only way to get to Ten Pound Island is by boat but it's less than a mile off shore so it's a pleasant kayak trip. Just be careful to keep an eye open for something large and bizarre that still might be lurking out there.

Pines stones but no…read moreghosts The Old Burial Ground is a very old graveyard indeed. The sign in front says 1661 and it is the oldest graveyard in the town of Manchester By-the-Sea. There are records of an older one but it is long forgotten and no longer exists. This ancient graveyard does look old, very old. Many of the gravestones are worn away and the oldest ones I could read were from the early 1700's. It's obvious that the broken and impossible to read stones are much older. The cemetery is a lovely place, lots of tall pine trees grow around, beside and even up through some of the ancient stones. It actually smells great, with the scent of pine permeating the air. One surprising fact about this ancient place is that there are no legends of ghosts or hauntings. Quite surprising since virtually all old and spooky graveyards have a least a few resident mischievous spirits hanging around. Perhaps it is just so old that even the ghosts got tired and just want to rest.

passing by here, the trees i noticed are especially cool looking! the vibes here are nice & has…read morefresh air quality

The ulimate in island rustica. Everytime I visit The Stack, I feel like I've arrived some place…read more truly special; like a doorway has opened into the happiest place of my soul. Here you'll find impeccable cuisine and service, without the pretentiousness often found in at properties of similar character. Enjoy the views, comfort and unique soundtrack that can only be found on the western shores of the island. The Stack not only is my favorite place on Plum Island, it's my favorite place in the entire northeast. Everytime I open the door, I feel like I can relax, be myself and enjoy the best of times with my favorite people; a true rarity.

Must see if touring Newburyport; exquisite views, amazing food; nuff said, I'm there...I could live…read morehere its so good.

Welcome to the Salem Night Faire presented by the Black Veil! Situated on the grounds where "Hocus…read morePocus" was filmed, you're definitely stepping into a sense of nostalgia with this eerie Halloween presentation Step beyond the veil and into darkness, and experience the dark and Gothic oddities this Faire has to offer. Featuring local vendors and artists, you can find oddities, clothing, self-care items, including spooky bath bombs and soaps There are different actors throughout the grounds that you can interact with for a small tip ($1) and get different souvenir gifts. There are tarot card readings, fortune tellers and different photo opportunities! 7th year in a row but our second time enjoying this dark and gothic October There are beer Gardens and food trucks October 17th ,18th, 24th and 25th 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Pioneer Village is great if you wanna get a small taste of…read more of what life was like in 1630 Salem . Pioneer Village is a living history museum recreating the city of Salem as it was in the 17th century. It also was a filming location for Hocus Pocus! Pioneer Village is where the scenes from the beginning of the movie were filmed. We see a flyover of an old Salem town as the opening credits roll. In one of the small houses is Thackery Binx, who wakes up to find his sister, Emily, missing. There's not a whole lot here other than a few houses . I would recommend planning to spend 30 minutes here .

This is a cool display of public art murals and different things in Salem Massachusetts. This has a…read morevariety of murals and different art projects. It is called artist row and it's just one big long painted street and it's pretty awesome to see

Art, art and more art! We walked through Artist row and saw so many fun, beautiful and cool murals,…read moreeven the sidewalks are adorned with paint! A place I would easily give 5 stars- but none of the artist shops were open today. Maybe I can check again tomorrow- and bump the stars up!

Crocker Park in Marblehead is a great place to sit and watch the ocean. There are several benches,…read moremany up on the hill. I've spent many days there in awe of the ocean and this beautiful world created by a higher power.

Crocker Park boasts absolutely gorgeous views!…read more We randomly visited Salem Willows Park while in the area, and it was amazing! We were exploring the area and happened onto the park and decided to stop and walk around. This brought us upon Crocker Park, and the views were phenomenal! Seeing all of the boats and harbors was breathtaking. We sat on a bench for a while and just took in the sites. The park has plenty of walking paths, and benches and rocks to sit on. It would make a great spot for a picnic. If you find yourself in this area I highly recommend checking out Crocker Park! The views alone are worth the trip.

Yes it's abandoned. Yes it's decrepit. But something about seeing the abandoned pink house on the…read moreway to Plum Island - you know you are there. You can't visit it. You can only look at it from the road. It's eerily beautiful. Alone out in the salt marsh.

This was between buildings- as were plenty of murals. I could spot it from Ward Street- but it was…read moretechnically on Peabody street. The 3 faces of the same (I believe) man was colored blue- gray and then red with different angles of the face. Like turning or changing perspectives. Honestly it invoked the thoughts of maturing, or changing your mind about life priorities. Evolving. Title: Stranger Things Where: 38 Peabody St Artist: Jeff Henriquez Medium: Spray Paint Date: September, 2017

Excellent swordfish--my favorite--worth going out of our way! Tender, melt in your mouth!…read more Chicken tenders for my companion, tender, moist, yum. Great onion rings--not too large, perfect crunch.

One of our favorite places to visit whenever we're in the area. The parking lot is fairly small…read moresince most of the parking spots have signs saying that they're reserved for the ice cream shop. The tables are closely packed together and the restaurant can get crowded at times. The staff are friendly and were able to give us good recommendations. The fried clams were crispy on the outside and very tender on the inside. The smelt were on the larger size so the larger bones were harder to chew on. The pastas came in some of the largest portions that I've ever seen from a restaurant. There were very generous portions of seafood in both of the pasta dishes that we order and I would definitely recommend the seafood marinara and the lobster mac&cheese to anyone who goes. The dishes are great for sharing and I will happily go back the next time I am out there