This is an homage to American folk art. If that is your cup of tea, you will love it here! All…read morethe things are just as the original owners left it. The tour is a brisk 45-60 minutes packed with lots of information and things to see. There is a walking trail on the grounds. There is a bathroom with indoor plumbing for guests to use. Free parking is available on the grounds.

I enjoy American folk art yet, more often than not, your only opportunity to experience it is in…read morethe sterile environment of a museum display case. Cogswell Grant is the opposite. You get to see an amazing collection in-situ, just as the owners intended. Additionally, you get to experience this marvelous collection within the Little families charming 18th c Essex farm house. The Little's were collecting American folk art before it was "discovered" by high-end collectors (such as Abby Aldrich Rockefeller). My favorite pieces: the decoys, chickens, and other avian representations throughout the home. The hook rugs are magnificent, too. They have some kitsch mixed in with absolute masterpieces. The home is a jewel box! The surrounding farm is open to exploring and is very close to Crane's Beach and the wonders of Essex. So, when you saunter to Woodman's for clams, continue to Cogswell to satisfy your aesthetic needs.

It's an interesting assortment of ships and workshops along a creek feeding into the Essex estuary…read more They built many wooden fishing vessels here, and some artisans are still at work on small craft and repairs. The signage is good, and many exhibits like the block and tackles are clever. It seems a bit down in the heels, I hope they can find funding sources to stay open.

I went to visit the museum , and it was closed for the winter season. But a woman who works there…read morecame out of a building and told me that I could walk around the shipyard and look in the buildings. She was very knowledgeable and even brought me into a woodworking shop where a ship was being restored. After the visit I went to Woodman's Fried Clams which is open year round. That in itself is worth the trip

We had a friend visiting from Michigan and she loves the ocean so this was a great way to sit,…read morerelax, and learn some great facts about the area. The Cider and Donuts were a great touch! Lots of free parking and a little area to hang out and enjoy the cider and donuts. I brought my own coffee and they didn't mind me bringing it on board. And the tour guide was excellent. Very knowledgeable about the area and had a great sense of humor as well. I highly recommend it! Side note: I do agree with another reviewer about the young children. It's not engaging enough for a child under 10. Two hours is a long time to sit still and listen! If you do bring young children, bring some entertainment and food/snacks for them.

This was a fun outing. We hadn't done this before. The cruise was about 1.5hrs and was wonderful…read more The weather was perfect. Along the way we learned about different areas around Ipswich. Essex, and Gloucester. We saw lots of wildlife too. It was truly an enjoyable ride and the staff were great. Our trip was packed with people and the top priority was safety which they did a great job ensuring we all knew about. Definitely something to check out if you're in the area.

this is a nice spot to go on a walk. there's tons of paths & they are well marked. would recommend…read morechecking it out. this is one of the places to park to access the same trail network but there's several other locations to park. there's only room for like 4 or so cars here.

From the owner: Conserving the farmland, wildlife habitat and scenic landscapes of Essex County since 1961.read more

Top notch experience! They are very well organized from the instructions you receive after…read moreregistering to the check-in process and parking for $5 for the duration of your trip. It was great that it was a live narration rather than a recording. So many interesting facts along the way. We took the shoals island tour that included 1 hour at Star Island. The option to take a 1/2 hour tour or explore on your own for about an hour was available. Plenty of time to look around. Snacks and drinks available in boats are affordable or you can bring your own snacks. Overall a great experience.

We went on the M/V Thomas Laighton to and from Star Island…read more These folks are tops in their business. Not only a pleasant trip but also a superb narration of the historical significance of the details and also the points of interest along the route. Comfortable, full bar, snacks and great views.

Clay, Margaret and the staff at North Shore Kayak Outdoor Center set up an amazing kayak trip out…read moreto Thatcher Island during our vacation to Cape Ann. The 1.5 mile open paddle on the Atlantic Ocean was exhilarating and a ton of fun and they were amazing hosts. Thank you North Shore Kayak Outdoor Center for making our dream to reach Thatcher by kayak come true!

This shop is the best, hands down! I have been renting kayaks at North Shore for the past two…read moreyears. Not only do they have a great selection of kayaks and tours but the owner, Clay, is a genuinely awesome guy. During one of my multi-day rentals, Clay travelled all the way to my Airbnb to help troubleshoot a problem with my Kayak. I use the shop mostly to rent kayaks for fishing and its always a great time (see attached photo). I will keep coming back!

Do yourself a favor and skip this tour. Go in buy some cool merch and maybe ask if you can watch…read morethe video they play at the beginning of the "tour" which was about 75% of it. Or just search for YouTube videos on the history of ice. I wouldn't even have minded if they charged you a couple of bucks for this 15 minute tour in which the guide literally shows you some pictures of frequent customers and blocks of ice and then dumps you off at the dock behind the building. Not sure what I expected but couldn't believe that this actually got good reviews at all. Again great merch, got some cool hats and the t-shirts were pretty sweet but the tour...thumbs down!

This is one of the "coolest" and most unique tours I have gone on while hanging out on the North…read moreShore. Our tour guide Sam showed us a movie that told the history of the ice industry, Then we took a little stroll around the modern facility that services the fishing industry and makes bagged ice for the local area. We even saw some seals frolicking near the dock where the ice is loaded onto fishing boats! I imagine this tour would be fantastic any time of year. The length and price were more than appropriate. Besides, they sell neat t-shirts, hoodies, etc. right there in the gift shop. My only regret was that I didn't have any cash on hand to tip our fantastic tour guide. Sam, we owe you are beer! After their tour, you will saying, "Next time, make it Cape Pond Ice!"

Summer break trip to Boston and of course we had to try the tall ship cruise by the Boston harbor…read more This is a 1.5 hours time cruising out into the harbor...passing the airport, terminal, Castle Island, and around the Spectacle Island. We went for the late afternoon time slot because it rained a little bit in the morning. Luckily no more rain in late afternoon and while the weather was cool and cloudy, we still enjoyed the ride. Nice view and relaxing. Our boat wasn't packed with people so I think that also made a difference where folks were spread out sitting around the tall ship. The captain and 2 crews were professional and friendly. They offered a complimentary drink if you would like one. Note that this is not a historical tour. But if you want a relaxing ride to enjoy the harbor view, give them a try.

We had a group of 4 people. Fortunately, we lined up early to board so we were able to sit…read more Unfortunately, the boat doesn't have seats for everyone so people had to stand for the 2.5 hours. The distance we traveled was not too much so overall we wouldn't recommend as we were expecting to leave the harbor area.