"The Jewel of Cape Ann" a Rockport Travel Page by emilienoelle

Rockport, MA sits at the very tip of Cape Ann, the "other" Massachusetts cape jutting out from the state's North Shore. Rockport is one of the state's oldest settlements. Once known as Sandy Neck, the town's roots date back to the 1690's. Today Rockport's main trade is tourism, the town's tiny streets crammed with shops, restaurants and inns. The other industry here is fishing, mainly lobstering. During most months of the year Rockport's little harbor is full of lobster boats, their multi-colored buoys dotting the surrounding waters.

Cape Ann, and Massachusetts' North Shore in general, is my favorite region of the state. I like it better than Cape Cod by a mile, better than the Berkshires and even better than Boston. The Cape Ann area includes places like Gloucester and Ipswich; some of the state's best seafood comes from here. In fact the world's best clams come from Cape Ann. You'd have to taste one to know what I mean, but they're most certainly worth the drive from almost anywhere.

If you come to Massachusetts during the summertime and are looking to visit a real seaside town, I highly recommend Rockport. There are few places more beautiful. It's only about an hour north of Boston and there is far less traffic and hassle involved in getting there than driving to Cape Cod or the South Shore. It's also quite close to other nice places to visit such as Salem and Gloucester.