I know there are plenty of places to visit in Massachusetts: Boston, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard. But what about other places besides the usual tourist destinations? Today, I present to you Rockport, Massachusetts, a place that still attracts tourists, but is still so unknown that whenever I tell out-of-state friends about it they ask, “where?” So, for the intrepid adventurer who isn’t really intrepid or adventurous, but who just simply wants to take a Snickers break somewhere still slightly unknown, and by the sea, I highly recommend that you keep reading this article and decide to take a trip to Rockport.

Traveling Info

A small town on the Northshore with amazing sea food and equally amazing views, Rockport can be accessed either by car (obviously) or train, via the commuter rail exiting out of Boston. There are plenty of adorable B&B’s, motels, and inns, if you want to stay the night/week, but that, of course, doesn’t mean you can’t take a day trip to relax and rewind. I suggest visiting on a weekday, especially sometime in the middle of the week, like Tuesday or Wednesday, that way you don’t end up getting the weekend rush or the late-week scramble (the crowd that decides they’re going to go for a three day weekend). If you’re going by car, please keep in mind that you will have to pay for parking once you get there, just like you would anywhere else, so keep your pocket change close and your credit cards closer (in case you forget your pocket change!). The fares aren’t that expensive, it’s about a dollar an hour, so if you’re not staying anywhere and you plan on spending the day, just be prepared.

The Fun Stuff

I love Rockport, from its colonial homes to its small, intimate beaches, the place is pretty perfect in my mind (I know, I’m gushing, I apologize...sort of). I suppose I should begin with the beaches, since, you know, it’s summer and everyone’s looking for a good swimming hole. There are three beaches that I know of in Rockport: Front Beach, Back Beach, and Old Garden Beach. There are plenty more beaches, I’m sure, these are simply the ones I know and visited. Front Beach is the busiest and most crowded beach, being the one that’s closest to town and the most visible. It’s long and wide enough for everyone, but still a little too cramped for my style (less people, more surf). However, there are bathrooms right in front of the beach and an a lifeguard on duty, so it has the modern conveniences (and safety precautions) that any beachgoer could want. Back Beach is a little rockier than Front Beach, but not too bad. Less people, more surf, and just a brisk walk down the street from Front Beach. However, Old Garden Beach is my favorite of the three. Located on a backstreet, there’s a path that you can follow that will take you over cliffs looking out onto the ocean, and to a set of stairs down to the beach. Few people travel to this gorgeous little piece of sandy paradise, so you’ll have plenty of room to stretch out, smell the roses planted on the grassier shore, and swim through the icy-cold Atlantic.

After taking a dip in the sea, why not head back to town to do a little shopping? Local shops line main street and reside in droves on Bearskin Neck, a small piece of land that juts out into the ocean, creating a bay for sailboats, fishing boats, and kayaks. A few stores I recommend checking out is Toad Hall Books, a firehouse-turned-bookstore where amazing reads can be found, Wicked Peacock, for some cool clothes and accessories, and The Pewter Shop, for gorgeous jewelry and housewares. For art-lovers, there are tons of art galleries around town and walking past their windows makes you feel awed and self-conscious about that scribble you drew in first-grade at the same time. There is also the Shalin - Liu Performance Center, where you can catch a jazz concert or a classical symphony, if you wish.

There’s so much to do while in Rockport that I really can’t list it all here in a short article. I’ve just highlighted the things that I love most about the town, (excluding the food and candy, which I plan on doing a more in-depth article on later, ‘cause it’s just that good), and I hope it’s enticed just a few more travelers to the town. So, take the time to google Rockport, fall in love with the pictures, and see the beauty yourself. Great times + beautiful landscape = great memories, and I can tell you right now, I’m no math whiz, but I know a good vacation equation when I make one up.