Rockport, Massachusetts

The ultimate perk for living in New England year-round, are the boundless opportunities to explore all of the hottest tourist spots in the off-season! We grabbed just such an opportunity today, and landed in Rockport, Massachusetts,home of the famous Motif #1 with all of its nautical charm on a picture-perfect early spring day.

We rolled into town after church on a sunny Sunday and cheered to see countless parking spaces just begging for us to park! Don’t expect the same results on a summer day! We practically skipped down the street in triumph! We were only about three blocks from the center of town and in minutes were snapping postcard-worthy shots of the harbor, boats,lobster traps and of course our big red friend, Motif #1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motif_Number_1

Cape Ann is home to some of the most picturesque scenes of the New England coast. You’ll never want for a quaint bed-and-breakfast inn, a stunning sunrise or an awesome New England seafood restaurant. The Cape is also home to plenty of art shops, antique stores, ice cream shops, general stores and eclectic shops designed for an afternoon of relaxing strolling and browsing. The off-season is perfect for walking through Rockport with plenty of elbow room and no lines at the ice cream stand!

The seagulls seemed extra-frisky on this crisp and windy day, and their loud calls lent a summer feel that when coupled with the salt air made you feel that you had been on a long vacation, instead of a short excursion.

From Rockport, we wound our way through the back roads of Cape Ann to Essex, Massachusetts for a delicious lunch of haddock, sumptuous sea scallops and the absolute contender for the top spot for onion rings anywhere. (Right at the top with Browns!) You’ll never go wrong if you visit Essex Seafood for lunch or dinner. Just a short hop from the infinitely more famous Woodman’s, Essex Seafood will serve up a hot, fast meal in a cozy, rustic atmosphere. The off-season was on our side as there was no line to order and no wait for a table as there sometimes is in the good-old summertime.

We rolled through the twists and turns of Route 133, through Ipswich, Georgetown, Boxford and North Andover, to emerge back at home, happy to have had a full-scale taste of New England charm without the need for airfare, suitcases or jet lag!
The town will be hopping in a few short weeks, and who knows, maybe we’ll take another ride to enjoy the bustle this time!

Click on picture below to look at more of my pictures of Rockport!

Rockport