Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
to offer directions and insider info. The
“Gloucester Maritime Trail”
brochure, avail-
able at visitor centers, describes four excellent self-guided tours.
Stage Fort Park,
off Route 127 at Route 133, offers a superb view of the harbor
and has a busy snack bar (summer only). It's a good spot for picnicking, swimming,
or playing on the cannons in the Revolutionary War fort.
To reach
East Gloucester,
follow signs as you leave downtown or go directly from
Route 128, Exit 9. On East Main Street, you'll see signs for the world-famous
Rocky
Neck Art Colony
, the oldest continuously operating art colony in the country.
Park in the lot on the tiny causeway and head west along Rocky Neck Avenue, which
abounds with studios, galleries, restaurants, and people. The draw is the presence of
working artists, not just shops that happen to sell art. Most galleries are open daily in
the summer 10am to 10pm.
The prestigious
North Shore Arts Association,
Pirate's Lane, 197R E. Main St.
(
&
978/283-1857;
www.northshoreartsassoc.org), was founded in 1922 to showcase
local artists' work. The exhibits are worth a visit before or after your excursion across
the causeway. The building is open late May through Columbus Day, Monday
through Saturday from 10am to 5pm, Sunday noon to 5pm. Admission is free.
Also in East Gloucester, the
Gloucester Stage Company
, 267 E. Main St.
(
&
978/281-4099;
www.gloucesterstage.com), is one of the best repertory troupes in
New England. It schedules six plays a season (late May-early Sept); tickets cost $35.
NARRATED CRUISES
For information on whale watches, see the box “A Whale
of an Adventure” (p. 265).
The schooner
Thomas E. Lannon
(
&
978/281-6634;
www.schooner.org) is a
gorgeous reproduction of a Gloucester fishing vessel. The 65-foot tall ship sails from
Seven Seas Wharf downtown; 2-hour excursions ($38 for adults, $33 for seniors, $25
for children under 17) leave about four times daily from mid-June to mid-September,
less often on weekends from mid-May to mid-June and mid-September to mid-Octo-
ber. Reservations are recommended. The company also offers music and dining
cruises, including sunset lobster bakes.
The two-masted schooner
Adventure
(
&
978/281-8079;
www.schooner-
adventure.org), a 122-foot fishing vessel built in Essex in 1926, was completing an
extensive restoration project at press time and is expected to be sailing again in 2009.
The Perfect Storm
Long after the release of the blockbuster movie, Sebastian Junger's best-selling
book
The Perfect Storm
remains a popular reason to visit Gloucester. The
thrilling but tragic true account of the “no-name” hurricane of 1991 centers on
the ocean and a neighborhood tavern. The
Crow's Nest,
334 Main St. (
&
978/
281-2965
), a bit east of downtown, is a no-frills place with a horseshoe-shaped
bar and a crowd of regulars who seem amused that their hangout is a tourist
attraction. The Crow's Nest plays a major role in Junger's story, but its ceilings
weren't high enough for it to be a movie set, so the film crew built an exact
replica nearby. If you admired the movie's wardrobe design, check out the
shirts and caps at
Cape Pond Ice,
104 Commercial St., near the Chamber of Com-
merce (
&
978/283-0174;
www.capepondice.com).
Moments
