My best friend, Shawn, came up from Connecticut to visit me today! We contemplated having a quiet day binging movies & stuffing our faces, but decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and take a day trip from the Boston area to Rockport, MA!
Driving time: ~1 hour each way
Sites to see: Halibut Point State Park, The Ice Cream Store, Tuck's Candyshop
You can take the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway if you have the time - just have your GPS bring you to the starting point, near Lynn, and follow the Byway signs! This is really fun because you can just turn your GPS off & enjoy the pretty coastal drive. The entire route goes all the way past Newburyport, and I haven't done the entire drive yet, but I plan to!
Shawn & I decided we wanted to spend more quality time in Rockport, so we took the highway to Halibut Point State Park. It was a sunny, brisk day but I'd actually worked up a sweat by the time we headed back to the car. There's a lot that's normally $10 for out-of-state plates, but parking fees end on October 31st, so it was perfect timing!
The state park includes a trail around a quarry and a trail out to the extremely rocky beach.
The salt air stung our noses and burned so good in our lungs as we muddied our boots & walked through thorn bushes, exploring the rocky coastline & the displays of stone cairns!
We drove to Bearskin Neck, the main drag in Rockport, and found a parking spot to explore the adorable, cottage-like art galleries, souvenir shops, & antique stores in downtown Rockport!
We popped into a vintage bookstore where I became enamored by some colorful postcards, then grabbed wraps at the Bean & Leaf Cafe. Little did we know that right next door at The Ice Cream Store, it was FREE ICE CREAM DAY! How lucky were we??
Shawn got a black raspberry on a cone & I got a Low Tide - a delicious, fudgy, mocha concoction that made my wildest lactose-intolerant dreams come true. Whoops!
We couldn't leave without stopping into a local candy store and dropping almost $20 on an assortment of gummies, truffles, fudge, & chocolate-dipped pretzels. Truly no self control over here.
They call Rockport/Cape Ann the "Cape Cod of the North".
I completely agree. It has all of the New England charm, kitschy stores, nautical touches, and historical architecture that it's sister in the south has. But it's much more accessible to me, and maybe a little bit overlooked!
I live for a day trip. Being a weekend warrior means using your precious days off to get out & explore your local destinations. There is only so much time, and there is so much to see! Use your time wisely & the world is your oyster!
I hope you had a refreshing weekend and are prepped & ready to have a productive, motivated, beautiful week.
No comments