Guest post by Jill Bent of 36 Shea
Happy Fourth to our neighbors cross the border! To celebrate we have a few all American posts today! To start, Jill Bent of 36 Shea is sharing a few of her favorite spots near her home in Cambridge, MA. ~Jan
Hello there and happy summer! Jill Bent here, from 36 Shea in Cambridge, MA. If you're traveling in New England this summer, I wanted to share a few of my favorite spots just 45 minutes north of Boston.
Cape Ann, MA, which includes the towns of Gloucester, Essex, Manchester-by-the-sea, and Rockport, is a lovely summer destination, with rocky beaches, lighthouses, fried clams, lobster rolls, berry picking and the best flea market. So without further ado, here's where to go!
Favorite beach: Wingaersheek Beach, Gloucester, MA. A lovely beach that's especially fun at low tide when you can clamber on the rocks and wade out into the sandbar. Perfect spot for an evening picnic.
Favorite fried clams: Farnham's Fried Clams, Essex, MA. Fresh local clams. Fried to perfection. Try the onion rings and the lobster roll too. Outdoor picnic tables give you a beautiful view of the Essex River, where the clams come from. This view is also Motif # 2 for all you landscape painters out there.
Favorite eat-in-the-rough lobster place: The Lobster Pool (http://www.lobsterpoolrestaurant.com/main/index.php), Rockport, MA. The drive here is beautiful and takes you along the rocky coastline and past the quaint villages of Annisquam and Lanesville. Eat your lobster at a table right on the ocean. Don't forget to wear your lobster bib!
Favorite state park: Halibut Point , Rockport, MA. Where Rockport granite was mined back in the day. Check out the museum and wander around the quarries. Then follow the trail down to the rocky coastline. The waves crash along the rocks and you can walk down the coast with the open sea on your side.
Favorite ice cream stand: The Cupboard, Stage Fort Park, Gloucester, MA. I love this place. Wander over to the ocean side across the street with your ice cream cone and enjoy a view of Gloucester Harbor. Great place to watch boats.
Favorite museums: Cape Ann Museum and the Gloucester Maritime Center , both in Gloucester, MA. Easy to do both in an afternoon and a great way to learn about the maritime history and natural history of Cape Ann.
Don't forget to wander down Main Street in Gloucester for historic architecture and a fun mix of local shops and culture.
Favorite antique shopping: Main Street, Essex, MA. The whole main street is one antique store after another. A mix of very upscale and very funky. Explore!
Favorite orchard: Russell Orchards, Ipswich, MA. All summer there are berries in season to pick. Check out the farm store, where they sell cider donuts. Buy a dozen, they are delicious!
Favorite flea market: Todd Farm, Rowley, MA. Great, funky, flea market. Terrific people watching, lots of bargains.
Cape Ann is 45 minutes north of Boston by car. Take Rt 93 North to Rt 95 North to Rt 128 North.
Cape Ann is also accessible on the MBTA commuter rail. Enjoy your travels!
Visit Jill Bent online and check out her beautiful bags, pillows and scarves she makes from her studio in Cambridge. You can see them at our market this month here and on Etsy here!
Happy Fourth to our neighbors cross the border! To celebrate we have a few all American posts today! To start, Jill Bent of 36 Shea is sharing a few of her favorite spots near her home in Cambridge, MA. ~Jan
Hello there and happy summer! Jill Bent here, from 36 Shea in Cambridge, MA. If you're traveling in New England this summer, I wanted to share a few of my favorite spots just 45 minutes north of Boston.
Cape Ann, MA, which includes the towns of Gloucester, Essex, Manchester-by-the-sea, and Rockport, is a lovely summer destination, with rocky beaches, lighthouses, fried clams, lobster rolls, berry picking and the best flea market. So without further ado, here's where to go!
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| Wingaersheek Beach, Gloucester, MA |
Favorite beach: Wingaersheek Beach, Gloucester, MA. A lovely beach that's especially fun at low tide when you can clamber on the rocks and wade out into the sandbar. Perfect spot for an evening picnic.
Favorite fried clams: Farnham's Fried Clams, Essex, MA. Fresh local clams. Fried to perfection. Try the onion rings and the lobster roll too. Outdoor picnic tables give you a beautiful view of the Essex River, where the clams come from. This view is also Motif # 2 for all you landscape painters out there.
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| Essex River |
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| Lobster rolls at Farnham's Fried Clams, Essex, MA |
Favorite eat-in-the-rough lobster place: The Lobster Pool (http://www.lobsterpoolrestaurant.com/main/index.php), Rockport, MA. The drive here is beautiful and takes you along the rocky coastline and past the quaint villages of Annisquam and Lanesville. Eat your lobster at a table right on the ocean. Don't forget to wear your lobster bib!
 |
| Halibut Point State Park, Rockport, MA |
Favorite state park: Halibut Point , Rockport, MA. Where Rockport granite was mined back in the day. Check out the museum and wander around the quarries. Then follow the trail down to the rocky coastline. The waves crash along the rocks and you can walk down the coast with the open sea on your side.
Favorite ice cream stand: The Cupboard, Stage Fort Park, Gloucester, MA. I love this place. Wander over to the ocean side across the street with your ice cream cone and enjoy a view of Gloucester Harbor. Great place to watch boats.
Favorite museums: Cape Ann Museum and the Gloucester Maritime Center , both in Gloucester, MA. Easy to do both in an afternoon and a great way to learn about the maritime history and natural history of Cape Ann.
Don't forget to wander down Main Street in Gloucester for historic architecture and a fun mix of local shops and culture.
 |
| From Todd Farm Flea Market |
Favorite antique shopping: Main Street, Essex, MA. The whole main street is one antique store after another. A mix of very upscale and very funky. Explore!
 |
| Blueberries from Russell Orchards, Ipswich, MA |
Favorite orchard: Russell Orchards, Ipswich, MA. All summer there are berries in season to pick. Check out the farm store, where they sell cider donuts. Buy a dozen, they are delicious!
Favorite flea market: Todd Farm, Rowley, MA. Great, funky, flea market. Terrific people watching, lots of bargains.
Cape Ann is 45 minutes north of Boston by car. Take Rt 93 North to Rt 95 North to Rt 128 North.
Cape Ann is also accessible on the MBTA commuter rail. Enjoy your travels!
 |
| Sunset at Cambridge Beach, Annisquam, MA |
Visit Jill Bent online and check out her beautiful bags, pillows and scarves she makes from her studio in Cambridge. You can see them at our market this month here and on Etsy here!
