# Rockport (Massachusetts)

Rockport is a town of 7,000 people (2020) in Massachusetts on Cape Ann. The town, once famous for granite production, got its start as an artist colony in the late 1800s. Rockport is a favorite vacation spot and day trip for many who come to enjoy the concentration of shops and galleries on Bearskin Neck, the rugged, rocky coastline or some ultra-fresh lobsters or other seafood.

## Get in
### By car

Interstate 95 to Route 128 to Route 127. Downtown has parking meters ($.25 per half-hour) and often has no spots. Rockport has a free parking facility, the Blue Gate Parking Lot (open June-Oct), located as you arrive on Route 127 about 1/4 mi (400 m) past the Rockport Visitor Information booth. From the parking lot, it is about a 3/4-mile walk to downtown Rockport, but a shuttle to town only costs $1 each way.

### By train

The commuter rail run from Boston's North Station is about a 70-minute trip and costs $7.75 one-way. Rockport's station is off Railroad Avenue, less than a mile from the center of town.

### By bus

The Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA), ☏ +1 978-283-7916, runs buses from town to town on Cape Ann.

## Get around

The main tourist areas are very compact and walkable. Having a car lets one explore some of the other coastal areas.

## See

* 42.659269-70.6148751 Motif #1. the widely known subject of many paintings.
* 42.6895-70.6332 Halibut Point State Park, Gott Av (3 mi north of town on Rt. 127), ☏ +1 978 546-2997. Daily dawn to dusk. Beautiful coastline views, visitor center, walking trails, and tidal pools. A renovated World War II fire tower provides a scenic view. Weekend quarry tours and granite cutting demonstrations take place in summer. Great place to picnic. Parking $10, MA Residents $5.
* 42.672972-70.6346393 Paper House, 52 Pigeon Hill St (Rt. 127 north to Curtis St.), ☏ +1 978 546-2629. Daily Apr-Oct, 10AM-5PM. Bizarre 1922 vintage house built entirely of 100,000 newspapers even housing a newspaper-covered piano. Admission: adults $3, children $1. (updated Jul 2024)
* $^{[deadlink]}$ I.N. Kamalic Gallery, 8 Main Street suite B, ☏ +1 978-546-2654.

### Galleries

* An Artful Touch Gallery, 5 Main Street, ☏ +1 978 546-7244.
* Borsari Gallery, 12 Tuna Wharf, ☏ +1 978 546-9683.
* John Caggiano Gallery, ☏ +1 978 546-2414. 66 Bearskin Neck (also 4 Main St.).
* Nancy Caplan, 5 Gott Street, ☏ +1 978 546-1649.
* Correale Gallery, ☏ +1 978 546-9135. 23 Dock Square.
* Cynthia Curtis Pottery, 80 Pigeon Hill Street, ☏ +1 978 546-6186.
* Fielding Gallery, 12 Dock Square, ☏ +1 978 979-2384.
* Good Dog! Gallery, 6 Dock Square, ☏ +1 978 546-1364.
* Harborview Gallery, 67C Bearskin Neck, ☏ +1 978 546-7103.
* Harvard Babson Gallery, 10 Jewett Street, ☏ +1 978 546-6164.
* Kanegis Gallery, 13 Bearskin Neck, ☏ +1 617 875-2999.
* London Venturers Co., 2 Dock Square, ☏ +1 978 546-7161.
* Don Mosher Gallery, 13 Main Street, ☏ +1 978 546-3666.
* Tom Nicholas Gallery, 7 Wildon Heights, ☏ +1 978 546-9647.
* North Shore Galleries, 18 Bearskin Neck, ☏ +1 978 546-7601.
* $^{[deadlink]}$ Reverie Gallery, 21 Mt. Pleasant Street, ☏ +1 978 546-6660.
* Square Circle, 11 Dock Square, ☏ +1 978 546-7100.
* Paul Strisik Gallery, 89 Marmion Way, ☏ +1 978 546-2871.
* Summer House Gallery, 23 Dock Square, ☏ +1 978 546-3189.
* Thistle Fine Art, 8A Main Street, ☏ +1 978 546-2020.
* Tidal Edge Gallery, 3 School Street, ☏ +1 978 546-3196.
* Traveling Paintbrush, 8 Pasture Road, ☏ +1 978 546-2789.
* $^{[deadlink]}$ John Walker Gallery, 60 Bearskin Neck, ☏ +1 978 546-8136.
* Wenniger Art Gallery, 19 Mt. Pleasant Street, ☏ +1 978 546-8116.

## Do

* Rockport Golf Club, 60 South Street, ☏ +1 978 546-3340.
* North Shore Kayak Outdoor Center, 9 Tuna Wharf, ☏ +1 978 546-5050.
* Windhover Performing Arts Center, 257(R) Granite St, ☏ +1 978 546-3611.
* I.N. Kamalic Gallery, 8-B Main Street, ☏ +1 978-546-2654. Original paintings and sculpture by Ivan N. Kamalic

### Fishing

* Tuna Hunter Charters, 4 Heritage Drive, ☏ +1 978 407-1351.
* Sandy B Fishing Charters, 2 State Pier, ☏ +1 978 729-2575.

## Buy

* Country Store, Bearskin Neck. Get candies that are hard to find in other shops.
* Village Silversmith, 6 Tuna Wharf, ☏ +1 978 546-3227. (2nd location at Dock Sq.). Beautiful, unusual stones in artisan silver work. One of the best collections of cut agate anywhere.
* Rockport Quilt Shop, 2 Ocean Av, ☏ +1 978 546-1001. Over 100 antique quilts.
* Tuck's Candies, 15 Main Street, ☏ +1 978 546-6352. and Dock Square.
* Bearskin Neck Leathers, 7 Old Harbor Rd (to the left on Bearskin Neck), ☏ +1 978 546-2258. An unusual array of fine quality leather goods. Outerwear, Handbags, Wallets and accessories. Best selection of Dansko Clogs, NAOT Sandals and Minnetonka Slippers. Same location since it was established in 1974.

## Eat

* Brackett's Oceanview Restaurant, 25 Main St, ☏ +1 978 546-2797. Seasonal. Su-F 11:30AM-8PM, Sa 11:30AM-9PM. Lunch $8-20, Dinner $11-27.
* The Greenery, 15 Dock Sq, ☏ +1 978 546-9593. 8AM-9:30PM.
* My Place by the Sea, ☏ +1 978 546-9667. Bearskin Neck. Wonderful, breathtaking spot at the very end of Bearskin Neck.

## Drink

A dry town for 70 years until 2005, restaurants and inns serve liquor, but there are no bars or liquor stores.

## Sleep
### Motels

* Bearskin Neck Motor Lodge, 64 Bearskin Neck, ☏ +1 978-546-6677.
* Captain's Bounty Motor Inn, 1 Beach St, ☏ +1 978 546-9557.
* Eagle House, 8 Cleaves St, ☏ +1 978 546-6292.
* Motel Peg Leg, 10 Beach St, ☏ +1 978 546-6945.
* Sandy Bay Motor Inn, 183 Main St, ☏ +1 978 546-7155.
* Cape Hedge Inn, 151 South St, ☏ +1 978 546-3436.

### Inns

* Emerson Inn by the Sea, 1 Cathedral Ave., ☏ +1 978-546-6321, ILAEmerson@ila-chateau.com. This charming oceanfront hotel 35 miles NE of Boston combines modern comfort with traditional graciousness. Try the popular whale watching tours. This particular in is set on a beautiful piece of property overlooking Bearskin Neck and Halibut Point. What is interesting about this particular in is that it is set in the middle of a residential neighborhood, unlike the other inns in Rockport. Not only do guest enjoy their stay their, but locals who live in the community enjoy dinners and drink there. A simply charming place to stay. From $125.
* Seaward Inn, 44 Marmion Way, ☏ +1 978 546-3471.
* Yankee Clipper Inn, 127 Granite St, ☏ +1 978 546-3407.
* Addison Choate, 49 Broadway, ☏ +1 978-546-7543, addisonchoatehouse@gmail.com. 7 rooms, free parking.

### Bed & Breakfasts

* Beach Knoll Inn, 30 Beach St, ☏ +1 978 546-6939.
* Bullfinch House, 96 Granite St, ☏ +1 978 546-9656.
* Captain's House, 69 Marmion Way, ☏ +1 978 546-3825. 5 rooms, oceanfront.
* Hedges by the Sea, 165 Granite St, ☏ +1 978 546-0158.
* Lantana House, ☏ +1 978 546-3535. 22 Broadway.
* Linden Tree Inn, 26 King St, ☏ +1 978 546-2494.
* Mooring Stone Bed & Breakfast, 12 Norwood Av, ☏ +1 978 546-3111.
* Pleasant Street Inn, 17 Pleasant St, ☏ +1 978 546-3915.
* Rocky Shores Manor House, 65 Eden Rd, ☏ +1 978 857-1619.
* Sally Webster Inn, 34 Mt. Pleasant St, ☏ +1 978 546-9251.
* The Seafarer Inn, 50 Marmion Way, ☏ +1 978 546-6248.
* The Tuck Inn B&B, 17 High St, ☏ +1 978 546-7260.
* Windmere Guest House, 24 Smith Rd, ☏ +1 978 546-0039.
* York House, 35 King St, ☏ +1 978 546-9994.
* Yuletide Inn, 51 Mount Pleasant St, ☏ +1 978 546-9004.

## Go next

Boston, the White Mountains or Southern Coast of Maine are nearby destinations.