Gloucester has historically been and remains a working
city with the ocean as its fundamental backbone. Originally
the city was named “La Beauport” when French
explorer Samuel de Champlain reached the shores of Gloucester
in 1604 after the time of the Vikings. The harbors arrangement
and immediacy to the ocean waters has allowed the city
a flourishing fishing industry and the creation of many
jobs. Often the book “The Perfect Storm” is
associated with Gloucester by locals and tourists and
will give visitors a good idea of what life’s like
in this ocean side city.
Gloucester Massachusetts is an internationally acclaimed artist’s association, home to a significant Portugese community, and enjoys one of the last remaining fishing fleets in New England. There are a number of historical points of interest in Gloucester Massachusetts and even a half day or days walk wandering around the city and taking in the daily life of the locals is a great way to spend some time. Many people combine a visit to Gloucester Massachusetts with a trip to the lovely seaside village of Rockport.
Gloucester is located just north of Salem and about an hours drive from Boston. The best times for Gloucester travel are the early spring, late summer and early fall. These times provide respite from the summers blazing heat and crowds of people. Weather along the coast can be very beautiful although sometimes, being in an ocean side location, it can be slightly unpredictable. When planning your Gloucester travel, keep in mind that Boston is the central hub for flights and services the majority of flights that arrive in the immediate area.
Once in Gloucester there are numerous attractions
worth taking a look at. Hammond Castle (of Hammond organ
fame) is one of them. Hammond had men gather bits and
pieces of castles found around the world to creative this
innovative building which stands with authority at the
edge of Gloucester harbor. Whale
watching is the biggest attraction during Gloucester
travel and the best time to do this is between May-October
when whales are most active in the area. Watching these
majestic mammals swim alongside your boat is an unbelievable
experience in itself. Put on by the Italian American community
of Gloucester, St. Peter’s Fiesta which celebrates
the patron saint every year at the end of June is a fun
festival to take part in and has great entertainment,
food and community spirit.
Duly north of Gloucester visitors will find the picturesque seaside resort town of Cape Ann. Cape Ann is well-known for festivals packed with fun and excitement. Live entertainment, music, dance, theater and arts and crafts are just a few things that define Cape Ann festivals. Cape Ann has over 15 beautiful beaches in the area where visitors can enjoy numerous water activities or just chill out in the warm sunshine. There are a lot of historical lighthouses and coves in the area to explore and whale watching is really popular from Cape Ann as well.
Tours run often in the Cape Ann area and include whale
watching, fishing,
river cruises, trolley tours of the town and many guided
walking tours of historical points of interest.
In Cape Ann accommodation comes in the form of waterfront
apartments, cottages, hotels,
inns, guesthouses bed
and breakfasts and more and most enjoy a quaint flavor
that defines Cape Ann in many ways. A visit to Cape Ann
will not disappoint. Tourists have been visiting the cape
town for a long time, returning for the great community
arts and entertainment, wonderful beaches and lots of
things to do for everyone.
