The tour was great! The captain and his son were fun and knowledgeable, and very patient with our…read morenine year old's many questions. The boat was very comfortable and I appreciate that there was a roof covering the seating area to keep us out of the sun. Highly recommend this for ages 9-89.

This IS the thing to do when visiting Gloucester! Caught the first boat out Saturday, about 9 of…read moreus onboard. Owner pointed out boats, historical spots, points of interest, lively old salt with lots of stories. $10 paid onboard with 3 stops, hop on/hop off all day. What a way to see the harbor, learn some history of the port, brush up on nautical terms, points of interest on shore, and be entertained!! Such a value! Very fun & don't forget to get a picture with Cathy. Captain Patrick was entertaining with stories and landmarks, slowed down so we could see Wicked Tuna taping a show. Talked about fishermen bringing in their catch to the auction, very informative. First mate, Decklin did a poetry reading, very dramatic, well done. Well worth the $10!!

The family and I had an amazing time on Artemis sailing with Captain Rick and his wife Deb. What…read morean amazing experience to sail on such a beautiful yacht and with such wonderful people. If you've never sailed or are an experienced sailor, you will truly enjoy this great experience and discover Gloucester and the surrounding area. This sailing yacht is super stable, fast and fun. Make new friends, new experiences and memories! Sail Artemis!

From the owner: Set sail for an unforgettable experience aboard ARTEMIS, a 65-foot high-performance sailing yacht…read moreoffering luxury sailing tours along the stunning coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts. Meal included. Maximum of 6 guests. Daysails, sunset sails and more. Enjoy 3-hour or 4-hour excursions for 1-6 passengers featuring breathtaking coastal views, smooth sailing, and farm-to-table meals that elevate your journey. Departing from Historic Gloucester, you’ll have the chance to explore ports like Marblehead, Salem, and Beverly, soaking in the beauty of New England’s waters. With 45 years of combined boating experience, Captain Rick & Deb Miles ensure a safe, comfortable, and truly special adventure. Whether you’re looking for relaxation, exploration, or an elevated sailing experience, ARTEMIS is the perfect choice. Contact us today to plan your custom voyage and experience sailing at its finest! Learn more at Artemissails.com

Great activity for families or large groups. We were 10; small children, parents, and grandparents…read more It was very enjoyable for all ages. The Captain, did a great job of teaching us about the Essex River, but also NOT talking and letting us experience the river. They really get that part right. It is beautiful, fun, educational, and accessible.

If you are looking for a loud, rowdy "Booze Cruise" then this is definitely for you…read more When I purchased tickets the website clearly advertised a relaxing, scenic boat cruise with bird watching and some narration of the history of the area. Perfect for my elderly family members birthday. Imagine my surprise when a large group of intoxicated people showed up and ruined the entire experience for everyone on board. They continued to drink throughout the tour making it even more intolerable. At one point two of the drunk men stumbled over to where I was sitting for a "better view." They got so close that I was pinned against the boat and one of their friends had to intervene. The captain however, did not intervene. I observed him being tipped by this group which gave him incentive to turn a blind eye to their behavior. I wanted to address all of this at the time but did not want to make a scene in front of my family. Furthermore, I would've had to complain to the captain right in front of the drunk people which would leave me open to retaliation. I did reach out to the company the next day via email and outlined everything that took place. I received an email back a few days later from the captain denying that anything happened. No apology, no compensation of any kind. He had total disregard for the safety of everyone else on board who had their experience ruined. One last note to put things in perspective. I work at a night club. I deal with intoxicated people all the time and have a high tolerance. This behavior was unacceptable and unreasonable, especially since all of their advertising leads you to believe this will be a peaceful experience.

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!

Over the top value in local history of New England thoroughly enjoyed my day trip there.read more

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.

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!

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

Had so much fun touring Rockport today! Got to see a taste of several fabulous local artisans, and…read moremet some fantastic people. Looking forward to my next excursion!!

From the owner: Plug-In Cape Ann Tours offers a new way to be entertained, while discovering the beauty and…read morebewilderment lying at latitude 43. Be it your first visit to the north shores of Boston, your annual pilgrimage to Cape Ann, or just an escape for some fresh air

My mom and I toured Beauport when we visited Gloucester for a day a week or so ago and it was one…read moreof the many highlights of our Cape Ann trip. The house was built in 1908 as the summer home of interior decorate and antique collector Henry Davis Sleeper. Sleeper designed this unique house, where he lived until his death, when it was bough by Charles and Helena Woolworth McCann. They preserved most of Sleeper's designs and decor (making only a few modifications) until their heirs donated the house to Historic New England in 1947. The house is full of incredible decor: a kitchen that utilized 17th century paneling from his mother's ancestral home, a central hall with an incredible amber glass cabinet, a dining room with incredible views of the Harbor, an Octagon Room, and so much more. We reserved our tour ahead of time, and three others joined our tour. Our guide was wonderful, and we learned so much about this unique house, Henry Davis Sleeper, and the McCanns. Our time in Gloucester was wonderful, but Beauport was one of the highlights of our time there. It's a really incredible house, and I'm so glad we had time in our itinerary for a tour!

My girlfriend and I toured Beauport, the Sleeper-McCann House, on Friday, August 8th…read more The house was beautiful and we enjoyed the wonderful interior designs, but unfortunately our tour was tainted by our rude, disrespectful, and unprofessional tour guide. Shortly upon beginning the tour, our guide, Alberta Hill, made an extremely rude and uncalled-for comment, slut-shaming and embarrassing my girlfriend in front of the entire tour group for her clothing. Her outfit was not that revealing- it was a hot day and she had on shorts and a tank top- but even if it were, it would not grant a tour guide the right to treat a guest in this manner. It's sad that what was otherwise such a fun experience was impacted by an insensitive guide who made my girlfriend feel uncomfortable and self-conscious. It's disappointing that Historic New England would employ someone with such an old-fashioned mentality, someone who would go out of her way to police another woman's body and enforce traditional gender norms. This is especially troubling to see at the Beauport Sleeper-McCann House, a space that was once a sanctuary for the queer Henry Davis Sleeper and a pinnacle of early individual expression. I would expect those employed by the Beauport house to reject moral conservatism and embrace personal freedoms and expression, but sadly Alberta did not.

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!