Went to a 50th party here Friday. Great location right on the harbor. Meg the owner was very…read morehelpful to the hosts of the event. Large inside room and a outside deck.

We had our wedding in the harbor room last month. If I could give this venue 6 stars, I would. The…read moreoverall experiences with incredible. 1. The venue: The harbor room is an absolute gem of a find. First, you CANNOT beat the view. The balcony has the most amazing view of the pier with breath-taking sunset. The sea breeze entering the room make the entire experience even more amazing. Also, the room itself is beautiful and beautifully maintained with a great sound system as well as a nice bathroom upstairs and one downstairs. 2. The absolute BEST part was the owner Meg, who is absolutely amazing (the best owner you can ever dream of). She was very flexible with us, helped us with so many last minute details and was very present/hands on. She is an absolute sweetheart.

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.

I spent a few days at the Castle Manor Inn while helping my son move to Gloucester. All in all,…read moreI'd recommend it with a few caveats. The pluses. Front desk staff was extremely friendly and nice, added a lot to the experience. While not in the center of town, it was a pleasant walk and good location. Easy and plentiful parking, including for a big van. Room had an air conditioner unit that, while noisy, kept the room cool. The few caveats. I stayed at the motor lodge, did not realize from the pictures not the beautiful main building but something more out of the 60s that lacks curb appeal. They do not make the rooms during the stay (though happily provided additional towels). Overall a solid option with a good team.

Easy check in with a very friendly host. The room was clean quiet and comfortable. Who could ask…read morefor more? Well just sit back and relax on the deck. The sunset was lovely. The sunrise was spectacular.

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!

Cruiseport Gloucester It's a beautiful place don't get me…read morewrong, but don't let life happen to you. Not only will they keep your security deposit, but they will keep the rest of your payments you made as well. So unless your family is in perfect health, you have a great job and nothing is ever gonna happen by the time you get married, I would not recommend booking with this place.

Amazing! Me and mom had lunch here and it was amazing. Staff was great and all around nice place…read more Seems like a very busy place too. Dessert was huge!

We celebrated birthday dinner at the Beauport restaurant. We were able to get a table overlooking…read morethe water. We had to wait 20 minutes but they allowed us to go to the roof deck/pool for a beverage while we waited.

Beautiful location but do not recommend staying there overnight. Restaurant was good but hotel very…read morepoorly managed. Pool is over run by day passes the hotel sells for $20 meanwhile I paid $600/night and couldn't get a seat. When spoke with manager was dismissed and said they are paying guests also. She also lied about their policy. Trash on roof from rooftop guests in photo.

A Spectacular Evening of Music at The Cut in Gloucester!…read more The Cut in Gloucester is an exceptional venue that beautifully combines live entertainment, great food, and a welcoming atmosphere, making it one of the North Shore's most enjoyable destinations. My husband and I recently attended a truly unforgettable event there as guests of our daughter and son-in-law, and we left thoroughly impressed by both the venue and the outstanding performance we were fortunate enough to experience. On August 19, we attended the Gloucester Student Band's tour kickoff concert, and it exceeded every expectation. One of the highlights for us was watching our granddaughter perform on clarinet alongside an impressive ensemble of talented young musicians from local schools in Grades 5 through 12. The band's rich sound came from a remarkable combination of flutes, trumpets, alto and tenor saxophones, clarinets, trombones, baritone saxophones, French horn, and percussion, creating a professional-quality performance that filled the venue with energy and excitement. The students brilliantly performed 15 selections, including crowd-pleasing favorites such as Ghostbusters, Mamma Mia, Bohemian Rhapsody, Copacabana, and YMCA. Every piece showcased the dedication, skill, and enthusiasm of these young performers. A special round of applause goes to the band's talented and passionate director, Jamie Green Klopotoski, whose love of music and genuine connection with her students was evident throughout the evening. Her leadership inspired an outstanding performance and created an atmosphere of joy that was contagious. The Cut provided the perfect setting for this dazzling concert. The lighting, sound quality, seating, and overall ambiance enhanced every moment of the performance. We especially enjoyed seeing the outdoor marquee on one of Gloucester's main streets proudly announcing the Gloucester Student Band and the evening's follow-up concert featuring the Reset Button Brass Band, which included Director Jamie Green Klopotoski on saxophone. Adding to the experience was the scenic drive through Gloucester, with its beautiful coastal views and quintessential New England architecture. The venue itself also offers delicious food and even a fun basketball-toss arcade game, making it a wonderful place to spend an evening with family and friends. We highly recommend The Cut to anyone looking for outstanding live entertainment, a comfortable and vibrant venue, and an opportunity to support local talent. This magical evening was filled with music, community spirit, and unforgettable memories that our family will be talking about for years to come. Bravo to The Cut and to the incredible Gloucester Student Band!

Smaller venue to enjoy some live music and food. Street parking available or small parking lot…read morejust up the street. Not too busy in April, but can imagine summer may be a bit packed. QR codes at rail and high tops for service to your location which saves heading to the bar to get your drinks or food. Staff very friendly and efficient to get in to the concert area which is towards the back of the restaurant game area separated. Acoustics not bad, but with smaller area it is pretty loud so if you have sensitive ears you may want to bring plugs.

I hosted a party for about 85 people at the Elks on June 10th and I have nothing but good things to…read moresay about this venue. Kimberley Banks was my contact leading up to the event; she was a consummate professional when it came to planning the details (big and small). Patty ran the show the day of the event and was always available when I needed her. This venue is unique in that it is both affordable and elegant. Oh, and the water views cannot be beat!

What a nice venue to have a wedding on the water! The space was simple yet elegantly decorated, and…read morethe catering and event services were top-notch. Heads up to any guests of a venue at the Elks - there are benches across the way overlooking the water that are property of the neighboring inn, which means Elks guests can't use them.

Historic little gem in Rockport! Beautiful old building with many open rooms full of local artist's…read morework. The venue itself if free to walk in and browse through the paintings, and house a little gift shop and small donations box. Remember that spare change you've got in your back pocket? Toss it in here! High quality paintings and photography. Personally I know absolutely nothing about art appraisal, and prices so I was shocked to see the prices of some paintings. They seemed to range from $1,200 to $16,000!! That's crazy to me! But hey-- someone put time and effort in their work and it is very evident! There's two floors of rooms as well as another building connected by a quaint little garden area. The whole place takes at least 30 minutes to walk around to admire and take in the work, so give yourself some time!

Rehearsal dinner, superplus! Open floor plan, canvases for all tastes and Big Fish-architecture…read morethat places you inside a wooden beam big top. Two major rooms in the gallery, accessible through a secret garden courtyard. Rustic meets modern, hospital sterile with watercolor warmth and illuminated by whimsically strewn twinkle lights. Fantastic in the literal sense. Definitely worth a look-see if you're meandering through downtown Rockport, and a must if entertaining a reception space.