Plum Island, Massachusetts
Eat, sleep, have a great time...and go home with a souvenir.
Never heard of it? You're not the only one.
Plum Island has to be one of Massachusetts' best kept secrets. Less than an hour north of Boston you will find miles of pristine beaches where you can avoid the crowds and just relax. Great for a day of boating, fishing, bird watching or walking along the shore.
Take a look
Photos from around Plum Island
The first 9 images 'by cr9245' are mine, the others I just thought were amazing and had to include.
Places to Eat
- Mad Martha's Beach Cafe
- Mad Martha's Beach Cafe has a great funky atmosphere perfect for enjoying gourmet breakfasts and lunches with their signature Portuguese sweet bread. Come in for a Wine Tasting dinner on Fridays or a BYOB dinner on Saturdays, prepared by Brad DeLibero Owner & Chef.
- Plum Island Grille
- A fabulous year round dining destination known for it's sensational food, spirited service, and spectacular views.
- Bob Lobster
- Fish market, lobster pound, and seafood eatery on the way to and from Plum Island. I love their fried scallops and clam chowder. Great lobster rolls too...and there's always room for ice cream.
Places to Stay
- blue, The Inn on the Beach
- Suites and cottages on the dunes of one of the most beautiful beaches on the east coast.
- Plum Island Beach Rentals
- If you are looking for a house to rent this is the place to go. They have places all over the island.
- Barre International Realty
- Thinking of buying your own vacation home? Or want to live on Plum Island year round? This is the website of Newburyport area real estate specialist Jean-Francois Barre.
Things to Do
- Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
- The refuge occupies the southern three-fourths of Plum Island and offers excellent wildlife-oriented recreational and educational opportunities with visitor facilities and programs provided to enhance your experience.
- Sandy Point State Reservation
- Sandy Point is at the very southern tip of Plum Island in Ipswich. The 77-acre park is among the state's most beautiful and popular coastal beaches. This is my favorite spot on PI. As you drive through the gate at the beginning of the refuge let them know you are going all the way to Sandy Point and you won't have to pay for parking.
- Plum Island Lighthouse
- The Newburyport Harbor Light is at the northern tip of Plum Island. You can walk around the grounds all year and they have occasional open houses from May through October. Make sure you wear sneakers if you want to climb to the top. You get a great view of the island from up there!
Upcoming Open House Dates: July 26, August 30, September 27, and October 11. 1:00 to 4:00 pm. - Captain's Fishing Parties
- Deep Sea Fishing * Charters * Sightseeing Cruises * Whale Watching * Dinner Cruises
- Plum Island Kayak
- Located in Newburyport. Kayak rentals and guided tours along the Merrimack.
- BoatMA.com
- North shore Tide Charts including Merrimack River Entrance, Newburyport and Plum Island Sound.
- Plum Island Pages
- Plum Island's unofficial website. Or is it official? Either way, there's lots of info and a blog too.
Things to Buy
Plum Island Gifts & Souvenirs
- Plum Island Soap Company
- 100% All natural bath, body and skin care products.
- JCA designs
- JCA designs offers unique, original graphic designs & images on apparel, housewares, gifts and more!
Original * Plum Island * Newburyport * Bermuda * Custom - Plum Island Cookie Company
- The Plum Island Cookie Company specializes in Gourmet French Butter Cookies, hand-made into delicious, delicate sand dollars.
Top 10 Reasons to live on Plum Island
Note:
#2 is just a joke. Please don't hurt the cute little, endangered, Piping Plovers.
They don't have a webpage...
but I can't leave them out.
Plum Crazy: 134 Northern Blvd, NewburyNEW! Part convenience store, part restaurant. They offer breakfast lunch and dinner...and they have an ice-cream window on the side. :)
(Formerly PJ's)
Jeanne's: 2 Northern Blvd, Newbury
Hamburgers, hotdogs, fried clams, and other good things to eat. Takeout or on the veranda. (This has been closed since the summer of 2007 and I'm not sure when or if it will open again. When I find out I'll post it.)
Mr. Moes Package Store: 14 Plum Island Blvd, Newbury
Beer, wine, video rentals, lottery tickets and more. Buy a PI magnet while you're there ;).
Dick's Variety: 29 Plum Island Blvd, Newbury
Groceries and The New York Sunday Times.
Surfland Bait and Tackle: 28 Plum Island Blvd, Newbury
Rods and reels, lures and bait.
Plum Island Airport: 24 Plum Island Turnpike, Newbury
Not exactly on Plum Island, but they offer scenic air tours over the area.
PITA Hall: Plum Island Boulevard, Newbury
The Plum Island Taxpayers Association Hall is available to rent for special events.
Phone: (978) 463-0670
Plum Island clothing and gifts
JCA designs: Plum Island
If you live on the island or just wish you did, there is something here for you.
PI - Organic Cotton Tee
3 Depictions of Plum Island. Colorful graphic maps of Plum Island from The Basin to Sandy Point.
Price: 24.99 
Plum Island and beyond
JCA designs: Newburyport
If you live in town or like to visit, there is something here for you.
Postcards of Newburyport (Package of 8)
Newburyport Massachusetts. Photographs include Market Square, The Firehouse Theater, Oldies Marketplace, Shirley's Place on Inn Street, and the Maritime Museum
Price: 7.99
What a cute little island it is
From Amazon.com
Merrimack River & Plum Island Sound, MA River Chart
Side A: Plum Island Sound and Ipswich Bay Side B: Merrimack River to Haverhill2 points
Plum Island: The Way It Was by Nancy V. Weare
I scanned my copy of this book and added it to Amazon as a customer image. If you click on the link you will be able to see the cover of this book.1 point
Sea Kayaking Coastal Massachusetts: From Newburyport to Buzzard's Bay by Lisa Gollin Evans
From the rocky shores of Newburyport, to the southern waters of Nantucket Sound, Sea Kayaking Coastal Massachusetts details more than 40 ideal sea kayaking trips.1 point
Weather in Newburyport
From one end...
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byWeather in Ipswich
...to the other.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byGoodies from Plum Island Soap Company
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Which do you enjoy most about PI?
The Latest PI News
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byVintage Postcards
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byDayTrippers on Plum Island
I found a video podcast. :)
This is a short clip as two people walk along the beach down to Sandy Point. Click on the link labeled DayTrippers001.m4v to download and view.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand by
For all you Squid fans
Did you know that the 3rd giant squid ever seen on U.S. soil was found on Plum Island in 1980?It's true!
It was 9 ft long and weighed 440 lbs. It's still on display at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.
(Photo by Carla Skinder, Feb. 1980)
SO...what are you waiting for?
Book your flight to Boston ;)
Clicking on image will open up a new page.
Taste of PI
All proceeds from the event go to support beach reclamation at Plum Island and the upkeep of PITA Hall.
Restaurants at previous years' Taste of PI
From Newburyport: Alden Merrell, Black Cow, Bluwater Cafe, Buttercream Bakery, Bottega Tuscana, Domino's, Giuseppe's, Gram's Ice Cream, The Grog, Jewel in the Crown, Leary's Fine Wines, Not Your Average Joe's, Park Lunch, Purple Onion, Starboard Galley, Starbucks, Simply Sweet, and Szechuan Taste
From Plum Island: Bob Lobster, Mad Martha's Cafe, and Plum Island Grille
From Newbury: Newbury Butchery
From Salisbury: Angelina's, and Mapow Sushi
Been to PI? Live there? Come and say hi.
:)
kiwisoutback wrote...
I just linked to this lens on my New England road trip lens. There are actually some Snowy Owls that migrate to Plum Island during the winter just about yearly.
Posted June 30, 2009
Christene wrote...
in reply to giltotherescue Thanks Gil :)
As soon as I saw the theme I ran to this lens to update it. Ha
Posted June 12, 2009
giltotherescue wrote...
Couldn't think of a better lens for the purple theme. Way to go Christene!
Posted June 12, 2009
heipet wrote...
I have submitted this lens to "All 50 States"!
http://www.squidoo.com/50-states
Don`t forget to vote for it.
heipet - SUMMER Group groupmaster
Posted June 08, 2009
Christene wrote...
in reply to Aime I've already got it on the lens. ;) It's the first listing under "They don't have a webpage". It's called Plum Crazy now.
Posted April 25, 2009
Aime wrote
Yup--great place! My family moved there in 1974, and mom still lives there. My kids just spent their April school vacation there--and our street is paved now, so they could ride their bikes! You need to add PJs --- or whatever they are calling it now. A store, mid-island that was a landmark forever, then closed for a few years, recently reopened--renamed, but EVERYONE will call it PJs!
Posted April 25, 2009
Jlyn12 wrote...
Beautiful lens and photographs with lots of interesting links. Absolutely 5 stars!
Posted February 16, 2009
OhMe wrote...
Well done. I have never even been to Mass. but have wanted to go to Boston for some time. Maybe I will get to visit Plum Island one day. Thanks for all the great info.
Posted October 15, 2008
homedadsuccess wrote...
Great lens. My mom used to have a house right on the beach at the beginning of the main drag. I loved going there, especially being next door to some nuns that were always enjoying a few cocktails! I wish my mom never sold the place!
Posted August 25, 2008
miragana wrote...
I like your lens. It is very informative and I also like the scenery on your lens. Hope you could red and rate my lens.
Posted August 21, 2008
newsgirl wrote...
What a lens this one! I really enjoyed reading everything. I cannot add much to this lens, but at least i can leave you my 5*.
Your experience making lens, make me jealous.
Posted July 30, 2008
beachbum_gabby wrote...
very peaceful and along the beach, surely I will love this place. :)
Posted July 22, 2008
cleansweeping wrote...
Ok, I think I need to mapquest Plum Island from St. Louis! We don't have sunrises like yours! And, I want to eat at Mad Martha's!
Posted July 20, 2008
kiwisoutback wrote...
Plum Island is great, it doesn't get enough credit compared to the Cape(maybe that's a good thing?)
Posted May 08, 2008
sandif wrote...
Finally! I see someone mentioned the book by Nelsen DeMille, my favorite writer!
Posted March 28, 2008
