One Traveler's Opinion: Rockport and Cape Ann
Jun 7th, 1999, 01:32 PM
#1
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One Traveler's Opinion: Rockport and Cape Ann
Some thoughts on Cape Ann, Gloucester, Rockport, and getting there.
We took a day trip this weekend to Cape Ann after an absence of more than ten years. Our goal was a good lobster eaten with an ocean view, browsing for antiques, and perhaps some good art for our home. Herewith some observations.
Rockport. Rockport has changed immensely and, unfortunately, not for the better. Bearskin Neck, the traditional tourist destination, has sprouted no fewer than five tarot readers and enough tee-shirt shops to tip the entire area over into the "tacky" column.
I remembered 15-20 antique shops and a handful of galleries selling good to very good local art. I found a few of the antiques stores; they had fled Bearskin Neck for Beach Street, Main Street, and Atlantic Avenue. Galleries had multiplied in Rockport, but the inverse square law about quality now applied.
Bearskin Neck was once a hotbed of small restaurants; a great place for a shore dinner or just a cup of chowder. One "takeaway" lobster place survives (The Fish Shack), most of the restaurants have closed (to be replaced by candle and tee-shirt shops), and those restaurants that survive are now the kind that post menus without prices. An exception appeared to be the Portside Chowder House (Doyle's Cove Rd. in Bearskin Neck), but by then, we had lost our taste for lobster, and for Rockport.
Gloucester. Downtown Gloucester appears to have been hit by the Wal-Mart neutron bomb. A few of the big harborside restaurants survive (Cameron's stood out), but central Gloucester is no more.
There are two ways out of Cape Ann; Route 128, which becomes an expressway and can get you to where ever in half an hour; and Route 127, the shore route. Route 127 is the only way to experience the North Shore. From a point a few miles out of Gloucester down to Beverly, Route 127 winds past stately mansions, private schools, and some of the most beautiful churches this side of England. Some of the mansions are visible, some are just quick glimpses down very long driveways. The villages of Beverly Farms, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Prides Crossing constitute the archipelago of towns that are worthy of exploration, either on foot or bike.
We never found our lobster, but we did find Scoops. The official summer religion of the Boston area is ice cream, and Scoops, in Pride's Crossing directly on Route 127, is a worthy cathedral. The ice cream is all home made, the fruit flavors even have seeds as well as bits of berry in them. The double Dutch chocolate was heavenly.
In the end, Rockport was a dud (but then maybe our standards have changed), but getting there and back turned out to be well worth the trip. May this help some other traveler contemplating a similar journey.
We took a day trip this weekend to Cape Ann after an absence of more than ten years. Our goal was a good lobster eaten with an ocean view, browsing for antiques, and perhaps some good art for our home. Herewith some observations.
Rockport. Rockport has changed immensely and, unfortunately, not for the better. Bearskin Neck, the traditional tourist destination, has sprouted no fewer than five tarot readers and enough tee-shirt shops to tip the entire area over into the "tacky" column.
I remembered 15-20 antique shops and a handful of galleries selling good to very good local art. I found a few of the antiques stores; they had fled Bearskin Neck for Beach Street, Main Street, and Atlantic Avenue. Galleries had multiplied in Rockport, but the inverse square law about quality now applied.
Bearskin Neck was once a hotbed of small restaurants; a great place for a shore dinner or just a cup of chowder. One "takeaway" lobster place survives (The Fish Shack), most of the restaurants have closed (to be replaced by candle and tee-shirt shops), and those restaurants that survive are now the kind that post menus without prices. An exception appeared to be the Portside Chowder House (Doyle's Cove Rd. in Bearskin Neck), but by then, we had lost our taste for lobster, and for Rockport.
Gloucester. Downtown Gloucester appears to have been hit by the Wal-Mart neutron bomb. A few of the big harborside restaurants survive (Cameron's stood out), but central Gloucester is no more.
There are two ways out of Cape Ann; Route 128, which becomes an expressway and can get you to where ever in half an hour; and Route 127, the shore route. Route 127 is the only way to experience the North Shore. From a point a few miles out of Gloucester down to Beverly, Route 127 winds past stately mansions, private schools, and some of the most beautiful churches this side of England. Some of the mansions are visible, some are just quick glimpses down very long driveways. The villages of Beverly Farms, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Prides Crossing constitute the archipelago of towns that are worthy of exploration, either on foot or bike.
We never found our lobster, but we did find Scoops. The official summer religion of the Boston area is ice cream, and Scoops, in Pride's Crossing directly on Route 127, is a worthy cathedral. The ice cream is all home made, the fruit flavors even have seeds as well as bits of berry in them. The double Dutch chocolate was heavenly.
In the end, Rockport was a dud (but then maybe our standards have changed), but getting there and back turned out to be well worth the trip. May this help some other traveler contemplating a similar journey.
Jun 7th, 1999, 06:31 PM
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Rockport is one of our favorite destinations (for more than, ugh, 20 years). We try to get there for a weekend every year. For one thing, it's economical compared to other seaport towns in the area. There are some gorgeous oceanside inns and B&B's, but our favorite place to stay is the simple little motel right on Bearskin Neck (with a well located parking space included) that's perched on the rocks. The sunsets are awesome and waking to the waves lapping at the rocks is something we really enjoy. We love to throw on shorts and go across the street to Helmut's Streudel where it's served fresh out of the oven with terrific coffee (you can also get muffins and sandwiches and other goodies). If you go out the back door, there's a deck where you can enjoy your repast overlooking the harbor. I love the charming shops (guess I didn't even notice the tarot readers) and walking all over. My husband gets his hair cut at the barber shop and wishes the barber lived in our town. There's lots of talent on view at the Rockport Art Association (housed in a former tavern and barn). If the weather's nice, a one-hour sail is fabulous. The deck of the Hannah Jumper Tavern (again, overlooking the harbor) is a wonderful place for lunch or afternoon refreshments. Nearly always, there's someone performing on Bearskin Neck. There's lots of romantic dining. Our favorite is My Place By the Sea (next door to our motel), the last building on Bearskin Neck, perched on the rocks. Rockport is a dry town, but you're welcome to bring your favorite libation. The food here is "interesting" and wonderful. On the expensive side, but worth it. I always time our reservation for sunset and we stay until the moon and stars are shining on the waves. Best budget dining includes Ellen's Harborside (wonderful for hearty breakfasts), The Greenery (nice salad bar) and Portside Chowder House (excellent, moderately priced food - awesome clam chowder and lobster stew); all with water views. We always pick up tee-shirts for our grandkids. I think the quality of the artwork in Rockport is excellent, though there are fewer galeries. For stunning art, you can always visit the Cape Ann Historical Association in Gloucester and gape at the amazing works of Fitz Hugh Lane, Winslow Homer and others. What I really love about Rockport is the flowers - everywhere! I hate "tacky" and this is definitely not a word I would associate with Rockport. I have wonderful things in my house I picked up in Rockport (a gorgeous Art Nouveau stained glass mirror, a beautiful pottery kitchen utensil jar, my brass vanity mirror, the brass keyholder hanging next to our front door...) that I've never seen anywhere else. But, please, oh please, listen to Neal. Choose another destination. Keep those rates down and the crowds away.
Jun 8th, 1999, 12:34 PM
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Audrey, I think Donna and I are seeing the same town, but through different expectation prisms. Donna has been back every year for 20 years, and so for her, changes are gradual and easier to get used to. It's like seeing parents or friends regularly; you don't notice the changes from one visit to the next.
For me, however, it was like seeing an old friend after an absence of more than a decade. My "old friend" hadn't aged well. The Rockport I remembered (and romanticized -- we set out for our day trip having dug up Tom Rush's "Rockport Sunday" and put it on a tape, which shows how old I am!) -- was a beautiful town with a kind of "hippy" feel. Lots of antique shops, galleries with very nice watercolors and crafts. Best of all, though, there were a dozen restaurants -- little more than shacks, really -- where you could enjoy a lobster on a deck open to the sea.
If Donna first went to Rockport 20 years ago, then she and I made our first visits there about the same time and we were likely attracted by the same conviviality and laid-back spirit. But I never went back after leaving the Boston area in 1990, while Donna and her family continued to make an annual journey. For her, that which changed did so gradually.
Time doesn't stand still, but some places resist change better than others (take a walk down Commonwealth Avenue in Boston, for example). Rockport apparently didn't put up much resistance, as evidenced by the tarot readers, tee-shirt shops, and candle stores that were not there in the late 1980s, and the seaside lobster shanties that had morphed into yogurt stands.
It pleases me that Donna and her husband can return to Bearskin Neck and find the same barber and enjoy the same haunts, and I dearly wish I had stumbled onto the Rockport Art Association. But My Place By the Sea was one of those restaurants that displayed a menu where everything of interest was "market priced," and long experience has taught me to be wary of establishments that are coy about what they charge.
I guess my general rule of thumb is that when the tour buses start coming, it's time for me to leave. I never remember seeing a tour bus in all the times I went to Rockport in the late '70s and through the '80s. Last Sunday, I counted three.
And Donna, while I know it's out of your way going back to New Hampshire, I do whole-heartedly recommend the ice cream at Pride's Crossing. Al, if you get up this way you may wish to ponder the meaning of the two benches outside of the Pride's Crossing commuter train station: one is marked "Democrats," the other, "Republicans."
For me, however, it was like seeing an old friend after an absence of more than a decade. My "old friend" hadn't aged well. The Rockport I remembered (and romanticized -- we set out for our day trip having dug up Tom Rush's "Rockport Sunday" and put it on a tape, which shows how old I am!) -- was a beautiful town with a kind of "hippy" feel. Lots of antique shops, galleries with very nice watercolors and crafts. Best of all, though, there were a dozen restaurants -- little more than shacks, really -- where you could enjoy a lobster on a deck open to the sea.
If Donna first went to Rockport 20 years ago, then she and I made our first visits there about the same time and we were likely attracted by the same conviviality and laid-back spirit. But I never went back after leaving the Boston area in 1990, while Donna and her family continued to make an annual journey. For her, that which changed did so gradually.
Time doesn't stand still, but some places resist change better than others (take a walk down Commonwealth Avenue in Boston, for example). Rockport apparently didn't put up much resistance, as evidenced by the tarot readers, tee-shirt shops, and candle stores that were not there in the late 1980s, and the seaside lobster shanties that had morphed into yogurt stands.
It pleases me that Donna and her husband can return to Bearskin Neck and find the same barber and enjoy the same haunts, and I dearly wish I had stumbled onto the Rockport Art Association. But My Place By the Sea was one of those restaurants that displayed a menu where everything of interest was "market priced," and long experience has taught me to be wary of establishments that are coy about what they charge.
I guess my general rule of thumb is that when the tour buses start coming, it's time for me to leave. I never remember seeing a tour bus in all the times I went to Rockport in the late '70s and through the '80s. Last Sunday, I counted three.
And Donna, while I know it's out of your way going back to New Hampshire, I do whole-heartedly recommend the ice cream at Pride's Crossing. Al, if you get up this way you may wish to ponder the meaning of the two benches outside of the Pride's Crossing commuter train station: one is marked "Democrats," the other, "Republicans."
Jun 8th, 1999, 05:27 PM
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Well, Neal, I'm a HUGE Tom Rush fan, and Rockport Sunday is one of my favorites - especially the version done as a medley with No Regrets. However, some changes are beyond wonderful - such as all my old (worn out)albums being available in "digital" on CD Rom (which sound a lot better than LP's on the old KLH). No, Rockport has not remained exactly the same. But, we still love it. It's still beautiful and it's still charming. I'm kind of glad the "shack" dining establishments are gone (where, to me, the cleanliness was suspect). In my advanced years, I prefer flatwear which does not bend or break. I'm also beyond being timid when it comes to restaurants. So, I'll just ask the prices and if, after booking, the menu does not appeal go elsewhere. As for ice cream, we are blessed to have a place called Hayward's right down the street. Their home made ice cream has spoiled us for any other (along with our waistlines). If you think Rockport has changed, you should see Tom Rush!
Jun 9th, 1999, 10:31 AM
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Well then, you two huge Tom Rush fans, may I assume that you know of, or perhaps even have been to, the Folkway in Peterborough where Tom Rush performed many times (not to mention lived here for a while)?
I agree with Neal about Commonwealth Avenue; the only (well, not the only) thing that's changed is the rent; not many students living there any more.
I lived in Boston (in Back Bay) when one could ride a bike up to Charles Street and for $2.98 have a OK steak, salad, and baked potato and then go on to Brigham's for really good ice cream.
Oh man I'm dating myself...
I agree with Neal about Commonwealth Avenue; the only (well, not the only) thing that's changed is the rent; not many students living there any more.
I lived in Boston (in Back Bay) when one could ride a bike up to Charles Street and for $2.98 have a OK steak, salad, and baked potato and then go on to Brigham's for really good ice cream.
Oh man I'm dating myself...
Jun 9th, 1999, 12:07 PM
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My husband and I drive up to Rockport every Sunday a.m. for coffee (he also gets a pastry) at Helmuts. It is really nice to sit there or to take the coffee up to the "rocks" area and gaze out upon the sea. Bearskin Neck does have character with all those neat old buildings. However, I must agree with Neal re the "tackiness" that is encroaching upon an area that was unique. There's something about tarot readers and oriental goods(and I don't just mean- made in Asia someplace) on and around Bearskin Neck that just doesn't fit.
Jun 9th, 1999, 07:24 PM
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What memories, Bailey's behind Filenes on Franklin street, great place for lunch.
Rockport was one of my favoite places, have not been in many years, it is sad to imagine the changes mentioned above. I prefer to remember it the way it was. All the craftsman, galleries, silversmiths, artist etc.
Rockport was one of my favoite places, have not been in many years, it is sad to imagine the changes mentioned above. I prefer to remember it the way it was. All the craftsman, galleries, silversmiths, artist etc.
Jun 10th, 1999, 05:25 AM
#13
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Bailey's was very civilized.....the sundaes were served in a silver dish with silver tray....the hot fudge always dripped over the sides onto the tray...and everyone scooped the extra fudge off the tray.
(excuse me...while I run off to visit Ben and Jerry's)
(excuse me...while I run off to visit Ben and Jerry's)
Jun 10th, 1999, 05:51 AM
#14
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Sorry Neal that this has turned into a Memory Lane 02116, but what fun! I remember not only Bailey's, Brigham's, the aquarium before Quincy Market et al when you could go down and visit the seals in the evening, but also Fenway Park when bleacher seats were about 50 cents and not assigned seating, Durgin Park when it was not a tourist spot, the Esplanade being considered safe at all times, the efforts to save the Elms on Commonwealth Avenue, The Fatted Calf on Boylston Street...
Jun 10th, 1999, 06:17 AM
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This is a walk down memory lane for me also. I lived on Comm Ave (near Mass Ave) in 1976-1977, in a 4th floor walkup apartment with my husband (then a jazz music student at Berklee) and two large Old English Sheepdogs. I worked for the Mass Secretary of Economic Affairs, and then later for the mayor of Salem, Jean Levesque, in a community consortium involving Beverly, Gloucester, Marblehead, Ipswich, and other towns.
Our apartment rent was $220 per month, which we thought was highway robbery. On Saturday night, we would clean out pockets and purses to put together $2.49 for a bottle of Riunte wine, or two beers at a small bar down the street where the toilet paper was padlocked to the holder.
I now return to Boston frequently on business. In April, I visited with my 15 year old son. We stood in front of the building on Comm Ave, and he couldn't believe that his dad and mom had lived there. Our house had been renovated back into the lovely mansion it once was.
We also visited Salem last October, (Halloween, in fact) and it was much glossier than when I worked there. I would suspect that the rest of the North Shore has changed. Is that little restaurant "The Wharf", still in Marblehead, and does it still serve lobster sandwhiches?
And above all, what is Crane's Beach like now? We used to take our sheepdogs up there in the fall and run them on the beach, the solitary party among the dunes.
Our apartment rent was $220 per month, which we thought was highway robbery. On Saturday night, we would clean out pockets and purses to put together $2.49 for a bottle of Riunte wine, or two beers at a small bar down the street where the toilet paper was padlocked to the holder.
I now return to Boston frequently on business. In April, I visited with my 15 year old son. We stood in front of the building on Comm Ave, and he couldn't believe that his dad and mom had lived there. Our house had been renovated back into the lovely mansion it once was.
We also visited Salem last October, (Halloween, in fact) and it was much glossier than when I worked there. I would suspect that the rest of the North Shore has changed. Is that little restaurant "The Wharf", still in Marblehead, and does it still serve lobster sandwhiches?
And above all, what is Crane's Beach like now? We used to take our sheepdogs up there in the fall and run them on the beach, the solitary party among the dunes.
Jun 10th, 1999, 06:45 AM
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AJ, Crane's beach is still beautiful. We've been going there a couple times a year for about 15 years now. Its more crowded, the parking lot fills up by 10AM on a nice weekend, and costs $20. But if you are willing to walk far enough down the beach you can still walk away from the crowds. But with lime disease, and bird nesting, and restoration they really don't let you walk among the dunes anymore. But I still like to go there, its my favorite North Shore beach.
Jun 11th, 1999, 06:09 AM
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Sandra, yes they do still have the annual Sandcastle contest. I think its in August, although I'm not sure. I went the day after the contest a couple years ago and saw the remnants on the beach. They are the most amazing sand structures I had ever seen.
Jun 11th, 1999, 03:06 PM
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I'm glad that your post wasn't done prior to our spending a week in Maine the end of April--I think I might have been tempted to cancel. But since I had only spent part of the day in the Kittery/Wells/Freeport area 3 years ago with my sister, I wanted to go back with my husband. We spent a wonderful week at the Samoset Resort in the Rockport/Rockland area, spending time going along the coast from Freeport to Acadia NP, and wandering the back roads We visited some of the towns & areas you mentioned, but since we didn't know how it 'used' to be, we looked at it with new eyes.
It's never easy to go back--it is never the same. Our daughter moved to Key West 22 years ago, after she finished college and we have seen so many changes--some good and some bad. If you want to see T shirt shops, go there!But Key West, as with Maine, or any other "tourist" place has some unique things about it, that draw people to it, and with that comes change. When people want information about Key West, I try to tell out of the way places to visit, eat, see, not what it used to be like, quiet, laid back, non-touristy except in the winter when the older snow birds flocked down.
Sometimes it would be nice to 'go back', but just isn't possible.
I'm sorry your trip back was a disapointment, but ours was great, and we want to go back again--in the fall this time. The other posts were wonderful to read--brought back a lot of memories for a whole bunch of people and that is good.
It's never easy to go back--it is never the same. Our daughter moved to Key West 22 years ago, after she finished college and we have seen so many changes--some good and some bad. If you want to see T shirt shops, go there!But Key West, as with Maine, or any other "tourist" place has some unique things about it, that draw people to it, and with that comes change. When people want information about Key West, I try to tell out of the way places to visit, eat, see, not what it used to be like, quiet, laid back, non-touristy except in the winter when the older snow birds flocked down.
Sometimes it would be nice to 'go back', but just isn't possible.
I'm sorry your trip back was a disapointment, but ours was great, and we want to go back again--in the fall this time. The other posts were wonderful to read--brought back a lot of memories for a whole bunch of people and that is good.
