Going to Rockport/Glouscester area in Ma. end of July.Looking for a sweet place for 2 to stay and enjoy the sights.Any advice would be appreciated.

You'll find out more, if you spell it as "Gloucester". There are plenty of inns and B&Bs in both towns, and you can probably find some here at Fodors, but also at the website that is sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Tourism. Also try a search on "Cape Ann".

John... we are Gloucester old timers, having had a summer place ther for many years... in Rockport, try the Yankee Clipper Inn, but stay in the main Inn, not across the road. Try for a room on the ocean side. Rockport and Glaoucester are pretty crowded in season, and the traffic noise on rt27 can be annoying. In Gloucester, you have 2 very different experiences ina accomodations, depending on whether you are on Atlantic Ave, on the ocean, or in town, near the harbor. The harbor area is more crowded, and "colorful" (read: dicy/risky) Atlantic Ave is much more hotel/ coast house. The very best area is Eastern Point, but there are no hotels or inns there, and unless you can rent a house for a week, you can only get onto the point to go eitheer to the historic mansion or the lighthouse. Definatley worth the drive, to see the North Shore in its "glory'. While you are looking, check Magnolia-by-the-Sea, which is also very nice. Annisquam & Lanesville are north of Rockport, and less touristy. The whole Cape is fairly dense at this point: unless you are from a real city,you may feel a bit crowded...head all the way up to Folly Cove at the top end of the Cape for a breather.

http://www.townstuff.com/directory.cfm?town=108&directory=28&id=1992

We live in the vicinity, and the Vista seems to be a popular motel.

We stayed at the Ralph Waldo Emerson in Rockport YEARS ago and liked it very much. We've also stayed at Rocky Shores. Rockport is one of my favorite places, unfortunately it's been way too long since we've been there. Make sure to go to Crane's beach in Ipswich.

Note Rockport is a dry town, and also most locals there don't take kindly to smokers if you are one.

I did enjoy Newburyport and Marblehead... much more than Cape Ann area.

http://www.townonline.com/north/