Local Area and Boston's North Shore

The best of what Boston’s North Shore has to offer is found on lovely Cape Ann, less than fifteen minutes from The Essex Conference Center & Retreat.

Town of Essex, Massachusetts

Essex is one of four quaint and friendly coastal communities that are collectively known as Cape Ann. Established in 1819, the Town of Essex still maintains much of its small town spirit. Essex was one of the original shipbuilding hubs of New England. The Essex Shipbuilding Museum, in the center of town is an nationally respected museum of this important national heritage. A morning walk or jog from the conference center to Essex Bay is about 2 miles.

Essex is well endowed with antique shops and restaurants, whose menus feature the Essex clam, which is a widely recognized symbol of pride and quality. Clamming is a significant part of the town's economy and there is a celebration for the bivalve in October at the annual Essex ClamFest. Foods can also be sampled from the area’s best offerings at the annual Taste of Essex in May.

Manchester by the Sea

Just 6 miles from Essex, Manchester by the Sea is a quaint town center that wraps around one of New England's best small harbors. Historically rich, The Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea was included in a grant of land to the Massachusetts Bay Colony made in the early part of 1629 by Charles I. In June the same year, the first ship, the Talbot, dropped anchor in Manchester Harbor carrying settlers for the new town. In 1668, a sawmill was built and by 1684, shipbuilding was added to farming and fishing for cod and mackerel, bringing prosperity to the town until the decay of the fishing industry freed workers for the highly lucrative woodworking and cabinet-making jobs.

In 1845, a new phase opened in the town when the first summer resident, poet Richard Dana, built his vacation home. Manchester quickly became a very fashionable place for wealthy people from the city and the town gained an increasingly important summer population. In modern times, Manchester has retained its reputation as a fashionable summer address.

Gloucester

At the center of Cape Ann, Gloucester is a scenic gem. The City of Gloucester is the oldest fishing port on the East Coast of the United States, and boasts one of the finest natural harbors in Massachusetts. Gloucester was actually settled soon after the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth in the early 1620’s and quickly grew to become one of the largest fishing ports in the world in the 19th Century. Gloucester remains an important fishing port, its working harbor home to a colorful fleet. Gloucester’s natural beauty and historical character have attracted a sizeable resident artist population. In summertime, visitors are attracted to its beaches, fresh seafood, and the lure of whale watching.

Rockport

The Town of Rockport is located at the tip of Cape Ann. The town is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on three sides with the City of Gloucester on the fourth. The population of Rockport is 7000 year round, but summer tourism can bring that number to 20,000.

The number and variety of hotels, motels, inns and restaurants delight visitors. Other attractions include the sandy and rocky beaches, the Paper House, the Old Castle, the Historical Society Museum and the Babson Museum. The Rockport Art Association is very active and there are a number of fine artists' studios and galleries about town. Bearskin Neck draws thousands of visitors to the many and varied shops. A nationally known point of interest, the most painted building in the United States, is Motif #1 (visit Rockport website), a picturesque building on Bradley Wharf at the entrance to Rockport's main harbor, which for decades has been painted, sketched and photographed by generations of artists.

Ipswich

A pleasant 15-minute drive northeast from Essex is Ipswich, one of the oldest towns in the United States, founded in 1633. A coastal town and residential community, the town is famous for its namesake clams, celebrated annually at the Ipswich Chowderfest. Ipswich has many fine shops, museums and galleries, featuring local and well known artists such as Arthur Wesley Dow.

The Ipswich area includes the southern part of Plum Island and Plum Island State Park. It is also home to Willowdale State Forest, which offers 40 miles of trails for Hiking, Mountain Biking, Walking, cross-country Skiing and Horseback Riding.

Another highlight in the Ipswich area is Crane Beach, a beautiful barrier beach near the historic and elegant Crane Estate. Nature lovers and birders will want to visit Crane Wildlife Refuge, a patchwork of coastal and island habitats including seven islands in the Essex River Estuary (Choate, Long, Dean, Dilly, Pine, Patterson, and Round). Great Marsh, the largest contiguous salt marsh in New England, surrounds the refuge.

Birding at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
at Plum Island, MA

Plum Island, a classic Atlantic Ocean barrier island, is a scenic 30-minute drive from Essex. The Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, makes up the southern two thirds of the island. With a barrier beach, dunes, wooded groves, salt marsh, and wetland impoundments, a visit during migration is always worthwhile.

Sandy Point State Reservation is at the very southern tip of Plum Island and accessible through the abutting Parker River NWR. The 77-acre park is among Massachusetts’ most beautiful coastal beaches. Recreational activities include walking, beach combing and fishing. When you visit, your Life List will grow. Did you know that The Parker River NWR is an important area for nesting Piping Plovers a threatened species? Avid birders know that the area is also an important nesting place for the Least Tern, a species of special concern in Massachusetts.