The Dogtown Common features the Babson Boulders, off of Cherry Street. These boulders (about 3…read moredozen of them), have carved inspirational inscriptions that most people find it worthwhile to stop by for photo-ops. Parking is confusing, as while there's a sign for the Dogtown Common area, nothing is clearly marked or labeled for parking and for access points. You can only enter via walking, so appropriate clothing attire and shoes are highly recommended. It's definitely woody, so make sure you apply much insect repellent! The boulders are not near the entryway, and you do need to walk about 1.5/2 miles inland. I personally did not think it was worth a stop, but those who are in the Gloucester and have some time, may find it of interest. +carved inspirational messages on boulders

overall a nice place to walk with some scenic views. options to take longer or shorter paths too.read more

Things that lurk…read morein the sea. The very first lighthouse built on Ten Pound Island was back in 1821. Gloucester was a very important harbor and since the island sits right in the way of the entrance people sensibly figured a lighthouse on the little island would be a good idea. The lighthouse was cheap and poorly constructed and another light made of cast iron was completed in 1881 and still stands. About 39 feet tall it originally had a 5th order Fresnel Lens that is now in a museum up in Maine. Gloucester can be a spooky place with all kinds of storms and fog and people can see strange things in in the mist. And all kinds of odd and bizarre things have indeed been seen out by the lighthouse. The very first sea serpent sighting was back in the 1600's and so many have been seen that this is sometimes called The Sea Serpent Lighthouse. By the early 1820's sightings of the beast were so common that people use to come here just to get a look at it. Many sworn affidavits by very credible people were signed, describing the beastie in detail. The light is quieter now and very few monster sightings are recorded anymore. The famous artists Winslow Homer lived here for a while around 1880 but he apparently was more busy with his painting than looking for monsters. The lighthouse was restored in 1980 and looks almost like new. The only way to get to Ten Pound Island is by boat but it's less than a mile off shore so it's a pleasant kayak trip. Just be careful to keep an eye open for something large and bizarre that still might be lurking out there.

Excellent swordfish--my favorite--worth going out of our way! Tender, melt in your mouth!…read more Chicken tenders for my companion, tender, moist, yum. Great onion rings--not too large, perfect crunch.

We spent the day at the beach and planned to have an early dinner at Lobsta Land, but the parking…read morewas completely packed on Tuesday afternoon. Hungry and with no time for deeper research, we decided to try Causeway Restaurant after seeing its high Yelp rating. The restaurant shares a small front parking lot with White Farms Ice Cream, but fortunately, we easily found parking in the back. Our first impression was that the place feels quite outdated. The tables are packed very closely together, making it difficult to get to your seat or even visit the bathroom without accidentally brushing against other diners. There's also only one bathroom for the entire restaurant, and it could definitely use some refreshing. The biggest issue during our visit was the heat. It was 86°F outside, and unfortunately, the air conditioning wasn't working. The restaurant was very hot, and I genuinely felt bad for the staff who had to cook and serve in those conditions. We also felt like the cutlery, dishes, and glasses were a little outdated and could use a refresh. Updating these small details would make the overall experience feel even nicer. On the positive side, Causeway is BYOB, which is a nice option. According to the menu, they charge $1 per glass for beer and wine setup. The menu prices are comparable to those at much fancier seafood restaurants. We ordered cheeseburgers from the kids' menu (ours were supposed to be medium but came out a little burnt), as well as smelt and fish-and-shrimp platters. The seafood itself was fresh, although we felt it could have used a little more seasoning and salt. The absolute best part of our experience was the service. Everyone was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and genuinely pleasant. Our server was especially attentive and wonderful with the kids. We even noticed how warmly she greeted regular customers and treated them almost like family. That kind of hospitality really stands out. Overall, I think Causeway has a lot of potential. The fresh seafood and excellent staff are a great foundation, but the restaurant would benefit significantly from some renovations, better spacing between tables, a refreshed bathroom, and working air conditioning. With those improvements, the fairly high menu prices would feel much more justified.

Pines stones but no…read moreghosts The Old Burial Ground is a very old graveyard indeed. The sign in front says 1661 and it is the oldest graveyard in the town of Manchester By-the-Sea. There are records of an older one but it is long forgotten and no longer exists. This ancient graveyard does look old, very old. Many of the gravestones are worn away and the oldest ones I could read were from the early 1700's. It's obvious that the broken and impossible to read stones are much older. The cemetery is a lovely place, lots of tall pine trees grow around, beside and even up through some of the ancient stones. It actually smells great, with the scent of pine permeating the air. One surprising fact about this ancient place is that there are no legends of ghosts or hauntings. Quite surprising since virtually all old and spooky graveyards have a least a few resident mischievous spirits hanging around. Perhaps it is just so old that even the ghosts got tired and just want to rest.

passing by here, the trees i noticed are especially cool looking! the vibes here are nice & has…read morefresh air quality

It's always hard to find great food when traveling and we were thrilled to stumble upon Tonno…read more We had the bolognese, salmon, white beans, burrata and peaches, and finished with cannoli. No misses - just excellent Italian food on a breeze patio.

I came with a friend during Sunday, the last day of Fiesta, and it was packed. It was going to be a…read more45 minute wait for the two of us, so they left. I came back 10 minutes later, and Joe was gracious in finding me a single seat at the end of the bar. Kelsey was my bartender, I really liked her personality. Evie was also helpful on the other side. I started with bread service, then maplebrook farm burrata. The bread was good, nothing special. The burrata was very creative with peaches, arugula, white balsamic reduction, roasted pistachio. I felt the flavors were a bit unbalanced. The peaches were a little sour so maybe a little more sauce, like fig, and a bit less arugula, as much as I love it, would be better. For my meal, I tried their chicken parmesan with bolognese sauce (per Kelsey's recommendation), and it was perfect. I would never typically mix beef & chicken that way, but it was great! It was an add-on of $5 though. bread service 7.2/10 maplebrook farm burrata 6.6/10 chicken parm with bolognese sauce 10/10 spicy watermelon margarita 7.7/10 My only complaint is that I was sitting at the very end of the bar by the kitchen where servers were coming in and out, which was not an issue for me at all, I was hungry and wanted good food. Joe went out of his way to find me a spot during Sunday's last evening of Fiesta. The issue I had though, is a server had come over to that area and sneezed without covering her sneeze, which bothered me since my food was within 10 ft distance. I would have rather said something in person, but everyone was running around because it was so busy. For future reference, please try to cover your sneeze, even if it is next to the servers/kitchen area. Tonno Gloucester is an elevated Italian restaurant with a gorgeous ambiance, at the end of main street so easy to get to. It has elevated prices with a gorgeous setting for this fisherman's city. I'd return to try them again. ambiance: 5/5 food: 4/5 drinks: 3.4/5 service: 5/5 Tonno Gloucester: 4.3/5

We've been working our way through all the pizza parlors in Gloucester for the past couple years…read moreand gotta say I really liked the pies here (got a meatball onion). We'll be back plus they're open on Monday!

Such a great place to eat. The service was so fast and efficient and the owner is so awesome and…read morefriendly!!! could go recommend this more!

In the summer Rockport is mobbed with tourists. Filled with art galleries, touristy shops and…read morerestaurants it makes a pleasant day out. Late Spring/early summer or late summer/early Autumn are less busy times. Parking is on street, and pay at the kiosk. Put your receipt on the dash where it can be seen. Parking is also available in the surrounding neighborhoods for no fee. Just plan to walk a ways to get into town. Rockport has become so popular lately, there is simply not enough parking to support the tourist trade. Pro-tip: when parking in the surrounding neighborhood, either 'pin' your vehicle location to your phone map, or remember which intersection you parked near. We found one woman wandering around looking for a particular street. We know an artist who has a studio here and stopped in to see his work. We also stopped in to other galleries during our stay. We considered staying to walk around and get a bite to eat, but decided in the end to just get back on the road. We visited the Paper House nearby.

It is a pretty town witha lot to see, but I wish Bearskin Neck had more trees and a public…read morerestroom.It gets very hot and tiring walking around there. Some trees and benches would make a big difference

Located in Masconomo Park and near the marina, this is a bronze life-size statue of a standing WWI…read moresoldier. He is holding a flag in his right hand and holds his left above his head. At his feet in bronze, "Lafayette we are here." It was sculpted by Philip S. Sears in 1931 and is a memorial to those who served in WWI. The inscription reads, "In honor of the men of Manchster who served their country in the World War, 1917-1918. Erected by the Town of Manchester 1931." On the back, "Died in service" and lists five names. [Review 18587 overall - 1169 in Massachusetts - 2109 of 2022.]

Our favorite local restaurant - we go almost every week…read more Love the seafood, burgers and onion rings. Cocktails are tasty and the brownie sundae is a must have. Morgan is our favorite server and always treats us well.

Food was great. Service was perfect. Lots of leftovers to take home. Everyone there were regulars…read more We are definitely going back. Haddock parm big salad etc and brownie sundae was huge and great. Yum. Like a big happy bar with lots of tables. Nice energy in the air.