A wonderful small fair inside an amazing museum, Something…read morehappening every half hour and tours of the castle as well. Spoke with the Director who called himself Phinn, he gave me a personal tour until he was called away. I would recommend this to any family. Word of advice though, go straight to Stage Fort Park to par your car. There is no parking at the castle for the event.

This was my first time attending the Abbadia Fest and checking out Hammond Castle!!…read more I've been to A LOT of Ren Fests and this one ranks high in my book. Not only did the actors and actresses stay in character the WHOLE time but they all here very helpful with questions on the merchandise and had a great sense of humor while interacting with guests. If you're looking to compare it to King Richard's Faire, the Abbadia Fest actually felt like you were going to a village in medieval times WITHOUT the corporate hype you can get at regular fests! Price was resonable and parking was great since there was a shuttle to and from the Castle. Also the fact it was in Gloucester,MA was great b.c it's a much shorter drive than other fests I attend. Another positive was that the event caters to both adults and children. I never once felt anything was inappropriate for any age. In a nutshell, if you're looking for something new for the whole family or just want a change from the same ol summer routine check out Abbadia Mare Renaissance Festival! Thanks for a great time guys!

Have been here several times and the venue and location are stunning. Rockport is a charming town…read moreso if the weather is nice come early, walk around the harbor, have dinner and/or ice cream, stop into the many stores. My last visit was to hear a mixed media performance of photos taken from the space station accompanied by a wonderful jazzy group. The acoustics are fantastic, and if you are lucky enough to attend a perfomance where the harbor is visible behind the stage (sometimes the curtains are drawn) you are in for a major treat. Parking can be tricky but if you don't mind a little walk on-street parking can be had. It's a bit of a hike from Boston but I would return in a heartbeat,

I grew up in the area but somehow had never attended an event here until very recently. Glad to see…read moreit lives up to the reputation of stunning acoustics, worldly atmosphere and welcoming surroundings. The crowd control entry/exit was a little tight, especially on a cold evening, but nothing to offer major detraction from. Certainly will keep my eye on their continued programming and am glad to now know that many are drawn to Rockport events at this special place.

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!

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!

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!