A Day on the North Shore

Explore landmarks in North Shore’s classic seaports, including Rockport’s iconic red fishing shack, the fisherman’s statue in Gloucester and the Salem Witch Museum.

After departing from the pier, you will drive across beautiful Cape Ann to seaside Rockport. The magical setting has long inspired artists, including famed American landscape painter Winslow Homer, who was drawn to the area for years.

You will also be inspired as you explore downtown Rockport on your own. Be sure to see Motif No. 1, a red wooden fishing shack on the wharf that has been the subject of so many paintings that it has become Rockport’s signature attraction. The shack has even been featured on a U.S. postage stamp.

You will next stop in to Gloucester, a city with a rich maritime history. The sea has greatly influenced life here, epitomized in the Fisherman’s Memorial, where you will stop briefly for photos of this iconic statue of a fisherman at the wheel of his ship. It was erected as a tribute to the thousands of Gloucester fishermen who have lost their lives at sea.

A bit farther down the coast, you will find Salem, a town forever associated with the witch trails that were held here in the late 17th century. You will learn more about the hysteria and injustice of the witch trails at the Salem Witch Museum. A theatrical presentation will depict how the trials came about, how they were conducted and the aftermath.

Free time in Salem follows.