I am new in town and joined the library on its reopening day. I visited twice and requested some…read morebooks from other libraries. When I came through the front door on my third visit a librarian recognized me and asked if I had picked up the two books that had come in. She went to the hold shelf and picked out my name. I was shocked that she not only remembered my face, but my name after one interaction. Experiences like this reinforce our decision to move to Gloucester.

Waiting for the renovated library to re-open, selection of books less due to re-modelingread more

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

This place is an absolute treasure nestled in the heart of downtown Gloucester!…read more I will preface this by saying that this library will not be for everyone, and I likely represent a niche population. You've been warned. As a doctoral student working to complete my dissertation, I am forever searching for the perfect place to focus, write, and get my dissertation advisor off my ass. For starters, it is absolutely teeny tiny. It is literally a one room library, but that one room boasts an incredible collection of parenting, psychology, and health and wellness material. While I haven't personally utilized this material, I am consistently impressed by the depth and breadth available. Secondly, there is no wi-fi available here. At first, I panicked and immediately planned to leave, but I quickly realized that I'm much, much more productive without the lure of social media and constant e-mail checking. If you want to kill a few hours browsing the internet, don't bother, BUT if you need to complete an assignment or focus for an extended period of time, you will not be disappointed.

This place is a little Gem. I can't believe more people don't use it as a resource. Their books…read moremostly pertain to health, wellness, and childcare. There is no Wi-fi or public bathroom but it is free to rent books and they have a great selection.

Very picturesque place to walk around in the summer. There's not too much to do but it's a nice…read moreview and historic.

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

I received mail that had been opened. My mail was opened by postal deliverer. I called to file a…read morecomplaint and the computer automated system just kept on getting doing circles I could not get to a human to file any sort of complaint so that they can fix the issue.

I've never understood the negative reviews on here. Sure ,there are long lines (this is America) at…read moretimes, but understaffed and let's face it many fellow customers at the window never shut the hell up and make us regulars wait forever. My god do I hate these individuals. Friendly chit chat that doesn't make lines grow, or you're waiting cool, just don't blab endlessly because you're bored. Not good. Then there are the lovely people that are clueless about sending packages. Here's an idea, have your package prepped and taped well before ya get there. Huge helo to all. Now, the revolving door of clueless mailmen that are overwhelmed, oblivious to time, or new that come all hours of the night I hear ya. Maybe get a PO Box for just packages. Huge relief there And they're timely and quick. As for the lobby and service rarely any issues here unless an occasional misplaced package, Bloody hell people, we all lose or misplace stuff. And it's nothing like down south where you're lucky if they scan stuff. Trust me I know. You want bad customer service talk to Comcast. These guys are fine by me. I rarely do things like this so I think that says if all. Lighten up.

Many signs saying private road residents only. Very snobby and exclusive area. Nothing to see when…read moreyou get there. On the other hand, beautiful houses in the area.

You can't get there…read morefrom here The diminutive Annisquam Harbor Lighthouse is a classic. Not many people know it's name or even where it is but millions have seen this light in movies, TV commercials and numerous ads. Very quietly very famous, Rudyard Kipling once stayed at the light to work on his Captain Courageous book. The Annisquam Light certainly isn't massive, tall or physically imposing but perhaps that's part of the appeal. It's gracefully flowing shape and gentle lines make for an extremely aesthetically pleasant sight. It's the light that many people instinctively think of when they hear the word lighthouse. The first lighthouse in the area was built in 1801 but as ship traffic in the harbor increased the small tower was replaced by the present 41 foot high present light in 1897. It originally had a 5th order Fresnel Lens but the lighthouse was automated in 1974 and is presently maintained by the Coast Guard. I would easily give this light five stars except for one important reason. It's virtually impossible to get close to. The only road to the lighthouse was made private and is guarded more securely than most stockpiles of nuclear weapons. The only way to really see the light is by the water or by being very, very sneaky. It is such a special and incredibly beautiful light that it is indeed a travesty that they make it impossible to get near. Damn, it's a lighthouse not a nuclear submarine, access to the light should be given to the public. Another example of bureaucrats doing what is easy but not what is right.

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.

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!