Water and Granite
The twin towns of Rockport and Gloucester showcase gritty New England coastal living at its finest. This is the place to immerse yourself in the past and present of the region’s commercial fishing industry and, not coincidentally, to get your fill of fresh seafood.
Rockport and Gloucester, Massachusetts
Distance from Boston: 39 miles (Gloucester); 43 miles (Rockport)
Gloucester is the oldest fishing port in America, and home to an estimated 10,000 fishermen lost at sea; in 1879, 249 fishermen and 29 vessels were lost during a single, terrible storm. Pay tribute at the Gloucester Fisherman’s Memorial, the eight foot tall bronze fisherman that’s looked out over the harbor since 1925.
No frills, just fresh: The Roy Moore Lobster Co in Rockport is the place to get your just-off-the-boat lobster cooked “in the rough.” Grab your food and a picnic table (oh, and plenty of napkins), and dig in.
Explore the trails and tide pools of Halibut Point State Park, once a focal point of the regional granite industry. On clear days, you can see Maine’s Mount Agamenticus, a full 81 miles distant. Take a guided tour and witness a live granite-splitting demonstration, or just meander the trails on your own.
Local, seasonal, imaginative, delicious: That pretty much sums up Duckworth’s Bistrot, which is exactly why you should make it your Gloucester area dinner destination. The menu is ever-changing in accordance with the season and the chef’s whims, but one thing remains constant: It’s always amazing.
