Rainy Day Adventures During Your Rockport Holidays

Rainy Day Adventures During Your Rockport Holidays

Yes, the skies do have a habit of opening up on occasion in Rockport, unconcerned by the fact that you are on your holidays, but there are things to do here regardless. Many of our guests decide to lounge around in their room for hours after breakfast, oblivious to the weather forecasts, but when you do resurface, here are some suggestions.

For the hardy soul, if you are equipped with rain gear or umbrellas, we love to enjoy the wild seas along the coast, Bearskin Neck, at Granite Pier, or along Bass Rocks in Gloucester. You can also have a nice lunch or dinner downtown while enjoying the surf through the window. During the winter, we have a nice cozy fire going in the living room, if you like to cuddle up with a good book and a hot cup of tea...you are always welcome.

Of course, the draw of shopping (or threat, depending on your perspective) is always available downtown as well, because most of the shops and galleries will be open. We enjoy meandering through the Rockport Art Association and the North Shore Art Association in Gloucester to view some of the multitude of Cape Ann artists. Then we love the Cape Ann Museum for its vast collection of Fitz Hugh Lane paintings, along with its collection of maritime artifacts. You should check out Beauport and the Hammond Castle in Gloucester as well.

For the children , you might check out the Gloucester Marine Heritage Center. There are 20 lanes of candlepin bowling to be had in Gloucester as well...over near the first rotary. For theaters, there is a triple-plex in West Gloucester, as well as Hollywood Hits and a huge Loews Cinema 15 miles away in Danvers.

If you're up for a brief drive or train ride (station is just 3 blocks away), you could go to Salem, to see the House of Seven Gables, various witch related attractions, or tour the wonderful Peabody-Essex Museum or the Phillips House, all of which are readily accessible. Then a longer ride away (about an hour) will open up all the museums and attractions of Boston as well. Our favorites being the Aquarium, the Children's Museum, the Science Museum and the glass flowers at the Fogg Museum.

If you are a dedicated shopper (one of my least favorite things to do) then you'll be in your glory here, with antiques galore in Essex, two huge malls in Danvers and Peabody (25 minutes away), or an easy drive to the outlet stores in Kittery, Maine (1 hour and 15 minutes from us).

You'll find all of the above along with a multitude of other things to do here on a rainy day and we'll be happy to give our recommendations and directions. Or you're welcome to sit back with that book by our fire and just relax a bit as well, because that's one of the reasons for you to get away also!