kjoyce4
With Covid-19 restrictions still in full effect, I’ve been feeling a little bit stir crazy lately. So I packed up Chloe and my car and to a little day trip east. I grew up in Massachusetts, but have never been to Cape Ann, so we decided to explore the beaches in and around Gloucester.
Where we went:
- Halibut Point State Park and Reservation
- Bearskin Neck
- Wingaersheek Beach
It’s worth noting that we took this trip in the dead of winter, so many of the beaches and attractions this beach town has to offer were shut for the winter. There is something about wandering around a tourist destination when only the locals are around that I love though.
Our first stop was set to be Good Harbor Beach, but the parking lot was closed for the winter, so instead we headed to neighboring Rockport to check out Halibut Point State Park.
The park has about 2 miles of walking trails, surrounding an old granite quarry. But the real reason we came here was to see the cliff side views of the ocean.
Our entire drive across the state was sunny, but as soon as we reached the ocean, the clouds rolled in. The overcast skies made for a pretty picture along the point though. You can see all the way to Maine and it looked like the heavens were shining down on Newburyport to the north.
After enjoying the views, we ran back to the car to warm up, before trying another beach. Most of the beaches in the area were only open to residents, so we had a picnic in the car instead and headed to the center of Rockport.
Bearskin Neck is an adorable row of shops and restaurants that juts out into the water. It dates back hundreds of years, and is just about as quaint and New England as you can get. We peeked into some of the shops and enjoyed the view of the homes lining the coast. It would be the prefect place to grab some ice cream on a hot summer day.
Before heading back west, we decided to try one more area beach. Wingaersheek Beach is only a few minutes up route 128 and offers a long stretch of sand (and an open parking lot).
Since dogs are allowed off leash on certain days during the off season, we let Chloe run free, which she enjoyed after a long morning in the car.
Other than a few surfers who were packing up, we were the only people on the beach. I’m not surprised though, it was barely above freezing and the wind off the ocean was cold.
Overall, I would say Gloucester is worth a stop the next time you’re in the Boston area. It has a ton of history and opportunities to enjoy the ocean (no matter how cold it it).
Where have you been exploring recently? Let me know in the comments.
