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.
- Not to be confused with Rockport (Maine).
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
- Motif #1, the widely known subject of many paintings.
- 🌍 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.
- 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 $1.50, children $1.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
| Routes through Rockport |
| END ← Gloucester ← | N S | → Gloucester → Beverly |
| Beverly ← Gloucester ← | SW NE | → END |
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