Nice park, and the beach area is very nice but very tiny. No food concessions, no changing rooms,…read moreno usable showers. Advance parking reservation is required and expensive. App did not provide confirmation email as promised. I did download my QR code, as required, which the attendant seemed mystified by. He eventually let me in.

Stage Fort Park is off the hook. Gloucester in general is fire the seafood is premium and a great…read morevalue in the local restaurants. My favorite, Causeway Restaurant. Where if you get an order to go you think they made a mistake and gave you two orders because they don't fit in one take away container which are huge to begin with take my advice and go. Thank me later. One.

Simply an amazing park to walk, run or ride your bike. You have a beautiful water view along the…read morepark. The landscaping is absolutely beautiful-all types of Dahlias planted along the park with other types of flowers as well. Such a beautiful pop of color with all those flowers. In addition they had a few statues along the way which paid tribute to their sailing past and present. This park is definitely a place the community comes to. It was nice to just take a stroll and sit and look out into the harbor. By the way when we visited there was plenty of street parking available, definitely a plus.

What a fabulous place to stroll by the shore! We were up in town for a day trip…read more The landscaping is fabulous to look at; beautiful garden beds in color blocked themes: purple, orange, yellow, and more. There are quite a few statues along the walk, including one that is a memorial to the wives and children of sailors out to sea. There's a nice, wide path to walk on and as we did, we observed many people walking together with their dogs, babies in strollers, jogging, kids on razor scooters, bikes, etc. The atmosphere was very friendly and the views were stunning. There are plenty of benches where one could just sit and people-watch or enjoy the sounds of the ocean. We enjoyed watching the drawbridge go up a few times so that boats could pass through to/from the harbor. This is some place we'd walk at frequently if we lived in the area.

Great beach! We love coming here for the soft sand and fun waves. During low tide there are tide…read morepools and a river the kids can explore, plus an island you can reach via a sandbar. During high tide there's still plenty of beach. The parking is great - plentiful and stretches across the whole beach, making it easier to spread out and you never have to walk far.

Good Harbor is still one of my all-time favorite New England beaches, but I haven't been going as…read moreoften since they switched to the app-based reservation system and we moved further away. I understand why they did it, as it's one of the most popular beaches in the area and for good reason. Our recent visit was amazing. We arrived while the tide was low and crossed over to the island, and what an amazing view it was. It was fantastic, but don't stay too long or miss when the tide is coming back, or you might have a hard time getting back and get soaked. If you haven't visited, do yourself a favor and enjoy!

Wow. I've been coming to Rockport to go to the adjacent beaches for half a century and I never knew…read morethis meadow and playground and pond was here. It's a calm, quiet oasis, filled with beautiful flowers and bushes and greens until it isn't. The playground here has a full swing set, and a decent sturdy slide and climbing platform. Plenty of places to sit in solitude or among others. Tons of hidden nooks and crannies with seating including a Lilly pod pond. Huge space for dogs to run. Hidden and on up high is a larger pond that must be filled with fresh water fish. Lots and lots and lots of shade. Perfect area for a picnic. Very very clean and safe.

This is one of my favorite places in Gloucester. I've been coming here since I was a kid; back…read morethen, we only walked the main trail and didn't do very much hiking. When I rediscovered it, I was surprised how many little trails there are! If you're directionally challenged, like me, you'll probably want to pick up a map before you start walking. The parking lot is pretty small and fills up quickly. Even when it's full, though, I rarely run into other people walking the trails. I love coming here to just pretend I'm in the middle of nowhere, away from all traces of human life... this is the one place I'm happy to be alone, with no music, no kind of stimulation besides the woods. Is there anything better than listening to leaves/branches crunch under your feet, the wind through the trees, the faint sounds of squirrels running on the ground? I think not. Best of all, the trails are easy enough for most people. There are many short trails that connect to longer ones, so if you find it too easy, you can just keep going. I tend to walk longer than I should and end up sore the next day-- but it's always worth it.

What a great park for the north shore!!!…read more We struggle to find places our dog is allowed off leash- so this place is a saving grace!!!! Love that you can spend just an hour or a whole day, since there are so many trails. Not a ton of hills or anything, but the occasionally slight ascent / descent. Followed the yellow and blue trails last time (can't remember the names) and there were a few very unavoidable muddy patches, so make sure you have some footwear you don't mind getting dirty. If you plug it into google maps you may get routed to some awkward non-entrance (we had this problem). Make sure you check Yelp or the Maps app (on iPhone) for the actual entrance. As others mentioned, small parking lot with plenty of street parking. Can't wait to go back!

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.

My first time here walking around. We've driven by but this time we decided to get a little…read moreexercise and enjoy the views. We weren't the only ones here. Lots of people from all over. There were families, tourists, college kids, locals, and of course, love birds!! ;) We enjoyed our little walks and stopping to rest. While resting, we enjoyed people watching, the waves, and surfers. What's not to like?!?! The waves are so beautiful and relaxing! It doesn't matter if it's cloudy or sunshine. It's just the doctor ordered!!

Don't go here. I was walking over the rocks and climbing on them and then they HAD to be slippery…read moreand mind you, I don't know how to swim, even though I'm from Gloucester. I fell on a rock, and I struggled to get back up. another time, I decided to go in the water and try to sit on the rock, but the thing is why is the sand so FUCKING DEEP? It could've been like 3 feet and I would've been okay, but it was like 5?! THE HELL? Never in my GODDAMN life that I would've been complaining over a beach but here I am. Why? I am a local and I would rather shoot myself with a hunter's rifle then swim here. Go to Good Harbor instead.

A beautiful trail... It's a nice walk to see both wildlife, landscapes a small beach. Because of…read morecovid, I couldn't see the mansion which was blocked off. You can only go there on the weekends. I managed to see some deer and that was pretty exciting. This place is ideal for a walk and picnicking.

I've always been amazed how hard it is to get a really unspoilt view of the water outside of cape…read morecod. This is it!! No ugly water towers paved roads or chain link fences. Just a big beautiful lawn going out to rocks and the sea! It's a walk thru the woods to get to what they call the ocean lawn; one is via a hill and the other is flat. Trail is well kept and pretty easy to follow, and the fact the you have to walk thru it to get to the ocean lawn and "earn it" probably keeps the crowding down. Technically speaking the ocean lawn is only open fri-sun I think, at least when I visited. One of my favorite Trustees properties!

This place is amazing. It's pretty hidden and up a rocky road but it's worth finding. Great area to…read moretake a walk and see the water. We took our dog on a play date with my father's dog and it was so much fun. Leashes are required during certain times of the year, especially when birds are nesting, but it wasn't required when we went and the dogs had a blast running through the huge field and playing. I observed so many birds - including a hawk that flew directly overhead, wow! It was cool when I went so not too busy but I can see it being quite popular on less windy, warmer days. You have to be aware that there is some private property as there are actual homes scattered around the edges of the public area. Parking is free and the lot was pretty big. Gorgeous spot to walk around - we spent over an hour easily.

For my 100th review - a great place for dog walkers and artists! Come here to throw off the…read moreshackles of your leash - for both can roam free here. Only 1 hour by car from Boston/Cambridge. Oh, and... this place is STUNNINGLY beautiful. Absolutely breathtaking. Now on to more good news: it's free of charge and open 7 days a week. Ample parking at the trail head, and a totally decent compost toilet is in the main barn (unlocked on weekends till 4 pm). The Cox reservation was once the home of a mural artist, and is today the headquarters of the Greenbelt Association, a chain of parks on the north shore. To this day the reservation has kept its artsy flair. Painters flock there to capture the stunning views of the Essex River and the golden marshes.

Located on the Cape Ann coast, this park caught my eye as I was headed to the Hammond Castle Museum…read morehttps://www.yelp.com/biz/hammond-castle-museum-gloucester-2?hrid=DuA-hWCaC0NDlvfQ0pq-SA. There are a few nose-in parking spaces and the trailhead with some signs. The park extends from the road to the seaside and the trails are well worn. The view at the end is amazing and today was a warm and mostly clear day. Please don't stand too close to the edge while you get your selfies. And of course, never hike alone! [Review 18591 overall - 1173 in Massachusetts - 2113 of 2022.]

Around a 5 minute walk to get to the opening. Has great views and easy to walk alongside the coast…read more Beautiful place to take pictures or just sit and have lunch by the ocean.