Summer Roadtrips: Rockport, Massachusetts
If you’ve been following us on Weekly Winedown you’ve heard me say it more than once, this summer is the summer of roadtrips! This month we are featuring Rockport, an off the beaten path destination in Massachusetts.
About: Located on the Northshore in the Cape Ann region which comprises four equally beautiful towns, Gloucester, Essex, Manchester-by-the-Sea and Rockport. Each town has its charm and merits its own day of touring. Rockport is about an hour away from Boston up route 95 and you can easily get there from Boston Logan Airport and if you’re already in the city it’s a quick train ride on the commuter rail’s Newburyport/Rockport Line. We chose to drive and started out on our trip around 11 am in order to get there in time for lunch.
Why: After 3 months of quarantine in the city we were ready to hit the road and venture off to the quintessential quaint villages that New England is known for and we found that in Rockport, Massachusetts. Even though social distancing measures were still in place it wasn’t too much of a hassle as there were lots of spaces
The Visit: The town is dotted by little shops that offer souvenirs, silverware and knick-knacks. Unfortunately due to the social distancing rules, you weren’t allowed to go into the shops but you could do curbside pick up if you had ordered ahead. When everything opens up again be sure to stop into the French store La Provence followed by perusing the various art galleries that arc back to the town’s history of being an enclave to resident artists in the early 19th and 20th century.
Chow Down: After spending the day walking about don’t forget to have your fill of food. We stopped for ice cream at Sundays and got the Mango Sorbet. It was creamy and delicious. For lunch we went with the famous Lobster Roll from Roy Moore which we enjoyed atop the rocks at the end of Bearskin Neck. The view at the top of Bearskin Neck was breathtaking and offered some respite from the heat. It was very picturesque and reminded me much of Portwenn; the fictional town in the British drama Doc Martin. We didn’t hesitate to bring back home a lobster from Roy Moore as well for dinner.
Stops along the way: On our way back home we stopped at Lattof Farmhouse Kitchen’s roadside stand that While the kitchen was closed as it was past their lunchtime hours the farm stand was stocked with fresh fruit and vegetables. I however really stopped in for the bread which they get from Virgilio’s bakery in Gloucester. Not to mention the pies (insert yum emoji) that they had available.
Have you visited Rockport yet? Leave your thoughts on the city in the comment section. Need help getting there, email us!
As always Happy Travels,
KJ