All About Rockport, Massachusetts

Roll up your pant legs, grab your pail and shovel, and head to Cape Ann's beaches because as far as Rockport's concerned, it's Summertime! The moment that 'warm' weather hits (hey, 55 can be warm sometimes!), you'll find people at the beach, and shop owners dusting off their wares to open shop for the Spring.

Rockport wouldn't be the thriving artist colony it is without visitors from all over the world coming each Summer to shop, eat, and enjoy the scenery.

Though some shops wait until Memorial day to really get going, you'll find a large number of the shops downtown open for business already. It's a great time to spend a weekend there now because the inns and bed and breakfasts won't be quite as expensive as they will be after Memorial Day, and it won't be as crowded.

On the more blustery, chilly spring days, I recommend grabbing your windbreaker and heading to Helmut's Strudel for a hot cider and a nice walk along the shore. If you're looking for tips on where to stay or what to do, feel free to send me a message!

Many thanks go to Sunny Gleason for some of the intriguing historical tidbits in this section, as well as our old friend Wikipedia, and a little bit of locally acquired knowledge from my noggin!

In the 1500s, prior to any English settlers, Rockport was, well,...rock! What little soil there was was sandy and virtually unusable (hence the earlier name of Sandy Bay), so the only real attraction for anyone was some light fishing or clam digging. The area was inhabited by the Native American Agawam tribe, later to be mostly wiped out due to disease brought ashore by the European settlers.

French explorer Samuel de Champlain called Rockport "Cap Aux Isles" when he arrived in 1605, prior to the arrival of British settlers. In 1614, John Smith (yeah, that one!) set foot on Rockport soil, observing a "fair headland...fronted by three isles." He called these islands the Turk's Heads, commemorating his victory over three Turkish gladiators while held captive.

Prince Charles later arrived and named the peninsula on which Rockport stood Cape Ann after his mother. The Three Turk's Heads became known by their individual names: Straitsmouth Island, Thacher's Island, and Milk Island. Thacher's Island is home to the "Twin Lights" lighthouses that are one of Rockport's most famous landmarks today.

In its beginnings, Rockport was merely regarded as an extension of its neighbor, Gloucester (pronounced GLOSS-ter, or if you're 'wicked local', "glostah"), and was primarily used for timber for over 100 years before people began to realize its true potential- the granite industry. With so much rock, why not make use of it?! Starting in the 1800s, Rockport's famous granite quarries were developed. The granite industry was a massive push for Rockport's development as a sustainable seacoast village, paired with a plentiful fishing industry. The quarries, while no longer used for granite production today, are open to some local families for private swimming in the Summer.

In 1840, residents of this rocky shoreline decided it was time to make Rockport its own town and separated from Gloucester, hoping to maintain Rockport's tranquility amidst Gloucester's increased urbanization. Quarries continued to thrive through the 1920s, and Rockport became known also for its active and talented artist colony. To this day, Rockport upholds its origins as an artist colony, and it's easy to see why with its picturesque, rocky coastline, beautiful beaches, brightly colored fishing shacks and other sites.

Bearskin Neck is a shop-lined street jutting out to the ocean located in the heart of Rockport's downtown area. Whether you're in the mood for some local seafood, want to find some local artisan jewelry, or you're craving a chunk of triple chocolate fudge, you'll find it down this scenic tourist area.

From Memorial day to Labor day, with some shops open on weekends until Christmas or year round, Rockport is flooded with tourists from all over the place. Whether coming for a weekend or staying for the summer in one of the seaside summer cottages, people flock to Rockport like the seagulls will flock to your food if you eat it at the end of the 'Neck. Unfortunately I speak from experience. I had my french fry basket stolen right out of my hand one time!

But anyway, back to the shopping. Bearskin Neck is so named because a bear reportedly got caught in the tide during a storm and washed up on the rocks. A man found the bear, skinned it and laid its skin out to dry on the rocks at the end of the neck. Originally lined with small fishing shacks for the local fisherman to store their supplies and live in, Bearskin Neck has preserved that original heritage by keeping the shacks intact and converting them into gift shops- some with living space above them looking out over the harbor.

As you take a stroll down the neck you'll see a myriad of stores, all with different wares on display; from the more historical and traditional staples such as the Pewter Shop, The Country Store, and the Roy Moore Lobster Company, to more modern arrivals like the Porticello Pizza Bistro and Earth's Treasures precious gem and jewelry store.

And we couldn't forget the Rockport Fudgery! Famed for its hand-made, hand-packed fudge in delicious and sometimes unusual flavors like chocolate peanut butter, penuche, oreo cookie and pumpkin (seasonally), the Fudgery is one of Rockport's most popular destinations. You can watch the 'fudge-beaters' hand-churning the fudge with paddles in big copper kettles, or step into the back area to purchase a handmade chocolate turtle or an elephant ear pastry. Sweets aren't hard to come by in Rockport, and the fudgery has upheld years of high quality confections, to eat while you walk or to ship back home to family as gifts.

In addition to fresh-off-the-boat seafood, Rockport has some great local stops to satisfy your sugar craving. With three ice cream stores within a 3 minute walk of each other alone, you know it's gotta be good!

If you like good old fashioned chocolates and other candies, be sure to visit Tuck's Candies situated in two locations in the heart of downtown Rockport. The first location is at the center of Dock Square, and it is the candy factory where passers by can catch a glimpse of real saltwater taffy being made by the candy makers, from pulling it through the taffy pulling machines to watching it get wrapped and dumped in the barrels full to the brim of these chewy confections. I'm kind of partial to the coffee, orange, and peanut butter flavors, myself. What's your favorite?

Aside from taffy, Tuck's also has traditional favorites like chocolate turtles, dipped dried fruits, chocolate pretzels, almond bark, barley pops, rock candy, and homemade peanut butter cups. Mmmmm. Oh! And at Christmas time, they make their own big candy canes and hang them from a line above the counter. Think the consistency of peanut brittle with the taste of buttery peppermint (or peppermint and chocolate if you want a chocolate filled one!). Delicious!

As for other local sweets, you can visit the Fudgery as mentioned in the previous section for all the fudge you can handle.

Another local favorite is the Country Store. This store even has its own smell that nothing else smells like - a mixture of candy, popcorn, and just hometown nostalgia. After you're done taking a look at the retro-inspired signs, toys, magnets, and books, you can make your way over to the wall of candy to put together your own candy bag piece by piece just like you did when you were little. Sadly, 'penny candy' isn't quite available for only a penny anymore, but you'd pay more than a penny for things like teaberry gum, squirrel nut zippers and maryjanes anyway, wouldn't you? Just pick out the candy or jellybeans you like, bring them up to the scale and pay by the pound.

Craving more of a bakery item? If you head to the end of Bearskin Neck there's a little shop tucked away called Helmut's Strudel. Fresh, warm strudel wafts all the way outside in flavors like cherry, apple and cheese. You can also get a sticky bun or a croissant, but I say get a piece of flaky, messy strudel and wash it down with a warm cider or an iced chai!

Remember those quarries I was telling you about in the history section? Believe it or not, Rockport has its own state park! For such a small town (only about 7500 people in total), there sure are a lot of places to see.

Halibut Point is loaded with scenic views, walking trails, and wildlife. Formerly known as the Babson Farm granite quarry, Halibut Point offers visitors great picnicking areas on its 440 million year old granite ledges looking out over the ocean. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Maine.

For more information about this beautiful historic park and visiting information, go here, and for some beautiful photography of the park by a Rockport resident, check out this website.

A real local whale watch is just a 5 minute bus trip away to the neighboring city of Gloucester, where you can climb aboard a boat right out of the harbor and find yourself in the midst of some majestic humpbacks in what seems like no time!

Sadly, I've never been able to partake in one of these adventures because I get very motion sick! But if you aren't plagued with motion sickness, this is definitely worth the trip. When else will you be able to get up close and personal with a real live whale in its natural habitat? Seaworld ain't got nothin on this!...ok maybe Seaworld is pretty awesome... but for a non-theme park, this is really cool.

You can go to the Cape Ann Whale Watch website to find out more info and plan your trip.

This may be something that you don't find out about during your trip, or that you would never even think to look for, but it is one of those awesomely obscure things that you just have to see if you make your way to Rockport. In 1922, Elis F. Stenman, inventer of the machine that made paperclips, began building a Rockport Summer home out of paper for fun. The house has a standard wooden frame, and wooden floors/roof, but the rest is layers and layers of pressed, varnished paper.

He was going to use the paper as good insulation, but ended up seriously making a house out of paper! Even the furniture is made out of paper, and you can see the details in the old newspaper clippings and other items that really make it a place you'll want to look closely at so you don't miss something.

He even made a piano out of paper. a piano! Well, technically he took a piano and covered it in paper rolls, but that's still pretty amazing.

For full information on the Paper House as well as visiting information, go to the Paper House website.

The Quarries in Rockport are closed to the public, but if you have a local friend that has a pass, you're in luck! It's one of those insider systems where you have to be grandfathered in by either knowing someone who has passes to distribute, or being related to a certain lineage of families that are connected to the quarries' history in some way. Quarries like Steel Derrick have big ledges that teenagers love to jump off of, and provide a calm and less sandy and salty alternative to a day at the beach. You just have to be very careful, though, because the ledges under the water can drop off suddenly, so it's important to never go alone. You can find a new story about Steel Derrick here.

As for local beaches, most beaches in Rockport are open to the public, but many are only open to residents in terms of parking. Beaches that allow public parking are:

Front Beach and Back Beach
These beaches are the closest to Bearskin Neck and are walkable from all of the downtown attractions. Front Beach is the most popular beach for tourists due to its central location, ample sand and safe surroundings. A public bathroom close by is also a plus. Back beach has little sand and is mostly rock and seaweed. It's lovely for walking or you can snag some sand during the lower tide times of the day, but it's not as popular since there aren't as many areas to really sit or go out and swim.

Other beaches that require a resident parking sticker or must be walked to include:

Long Beach
The longest beach in Rockport, this one is aptly named since it stretches all the way from the South End of Rockport into Gloucester. The most popular beach for residents, Long Beach is home to many Summer residents in its cottages lining a boulevard above the sand. At low tide, there is ample room for volleyball games, tide pool exploration, or just taking a walk with your sweetheart. After a storm, you may even find some local surfers catching some waves!

Cape Hedge Beach
Just on the other side of a big wall made of popple stones lies Cape Hedge Beach. It's also a large beach, though not quite as long as Long beach. There are usually far less people on Cape Hedge at any given time, and it can be difficult to find sand to sit on during high tide (though that is happening with all of our beaches these days). The water is clear and clean and there are tide pools and rocks to explore as well.

Pebble Beach
You can probably guess where this beach got its name. There's a bit of sand here but it's mostly, well, pebbles! This beach is a favorite for locals who want to fish for fun. You'll often find a line stuck in a rock crevice waiting for a bite while its owner takes a walk or takes pictures of the swans in the pond across the street. Divers also frequent this beach.

Old Garden Beach
Located the closest to downtown other than Front and Back Beaches, Old Garden is a small beach that loses most of its sandy spots to sit during high tide. Often caked with seaweed, it hasn't been the most desirable beach to visit in Rockport, but many families that live nearby love to bring their small children for a lazy Summer day. It's very peaceful and is just right for a short stroll if you're passing by.