Cape Ann Camp Site– Gloucester, MA

Cape Ann Camp Site – Gloucester, MA

After spending a week in Maine, it was time to head south to the lesser known but equally as charming cape in Massachusetts – Cape Ann.

We stayed 7 nights at Cape Ann Camp Site in Gloucester Massachusetts which gave us ample time to explore the area from Rockport to Newburyport to Gloucester to Boston.

Staying at Cape Ann Campground felt like real camping with dirt campsites tightly packed between the trees, pine needles on the ground, unreliable power, spotty wi-fi and cell service, quarter operated showers and lots of bugs like mosquitoes, spiders with fat bodies and super long legs, and the dreaded greenhead – the fly with a nasty bite! Yup, this was camping vs RV resort “glamping”.  We enjoy mixing in campgrounds like these every once in a while as the experience allows us to be more one with nature.

Activities near camp consisted of kayaking to a stunning sandbar beach only reachable by a water vessel at low tide.  Access to the launch area requires a short 2-minute drive on a paved road from the campground then a bumpy ride down a narrow dirt road littered with potholes. This is a popular area frequented by locals and a gem of a find for us out of towners! We packed a lunch, pumped up our 3-person kayak in the parking lot then carried it down to the boat launch.  At low tide, the water is about 10 to 15 yards away from the boat launch, so we carried the kayak, our beach chairs, towels, life jackets, cooler, and dry bag across the exposed sandy river bottom and launched our kayak in the shallow waters.  From there, we had about a 10-minute paddle until we arrived at a large sandbar beach at the northwest point on Pierce Island where a small branch of water meets the main arm of the Annisquam River.  It was a perfect spot to spend the afternoon, have lunch, read a book, and throw the chuck it for Sato.  Since this beach is only accessible during low tide, dogs are allowed on the sand which made this spot even more special for us.  It was a hot sunny day, and it was clearly the place to be as there were several boats anchored in the river and all along the shore every direction we looked.

We learned a couple of things the hard way while relaxing at this temporary beach.  The first was when the bug spray wore off from swimming in the warm waters, it made us visible to the pesky green head flies.  Not long after getting out of the water, I felt a sharp sting, looked down and saw blood streaming down my leg.  Damn fly took a chuck of skin so it could feast on a blood protein shake courtesy of my shin!  These guys (actually I should say gals as only the females bite when they are seeking protein for laying their eggs) …..  anyway, these flies are no joke, they bite hard, and they draw blood!  Despite being warned by some of the locals that the flies were still “in season” and applying bug spray frequently, we still managed to suffer a few bites.

The second lesson was that the tide rolls in quickly and if you are not paying attention, your beach towels, chairs, and anything else you have laying around will be submerged before you know it, or worse, your kayak could go floating off downstream!  On our first trip to this spot, one of the locals was walking through the water with our kayak in tow asking if it was ours.  The combination of not having it anchored down and not paying much attention to the tide caused it to float off unbeknownst to us! Fortunately, there was a good Samaritan who grabbed it for us before it got too far away.  We made sure to bring our 25-pound kettle bell which doubles as an anchor when we are not using it for our workouts on our following visit 😉

This little sand bar and river crossroads make for a fun gathering place for all sorts of water enthusiasts with kayaks, paddleboards, and various boats large and small. There are even a couple of houseboats anchored in the middle of the river that can be rented for a fun outing.  It’s a fantastic spot that resembles a Lake Havasu party setting. And best of all it is dog friendly!

As for venturing a bit further out from camp – there are several amazing towns to explore.

Gloucester – 11 mins

Rockport – 18 mins

Newburyport – 41 mins

Boston – 45 mins

Salem – 27 mins

Here are some of the highlights from our urban hikes:

Rockport:

• It’s a great spot for a day trip and a stroll up and down Main Street, Mt. Pleasant Street and Bearskin Neck is a must. There are several fun rustic shops and galleries to browse through with unique and interesting art. The scenery is beautiful, and it gives you that tranquil feeling that only a small town near the sea can give.
• Bearskin Neck is internationally known as an art colony and it is home to Motif #1 – a red fish shack that is apparently the most depicted building in the world, so be sure to snap a pic of this historic building when you visit.

Gloucester:

• Lots of shopping, restaurants and bookstores on Main Street and the surrounding area.
• Sleepy town, and there were not may stores open during our visit.

Newburyport:

• Several unique shops and restaurants
• Be sure to visit, Ipswich, Newbury and Essex on your way to Newburyport as they all offer something different to explore.

Boston:

• Parking is tough, especially for a big truck. We circled around the narrow streets of North End in search of a public parking lot to no avail.  Finally, we found one along the water that literally had 2 spaces left and we barely fit into the last spot. Although a bit more expensive, we learned that the best option for oversized vehicles is the parking garage at the TD Garden.
• We also learned that Boston is not very dog friendly. Dogs are not allowed even when dining outside at a restaurant patio, so if you plan on spending time in Boston that involves any eating or indoor activities, it’s best to leave your pup at home. A great alternative to leaving the pup at home or in the camper is a fantastic dog boarder conveniently located a block away from the TD Garden. Red Dog Pet Resort

  

• There are endless activities to keep yourself busy in Boston and with just 2 days, we covered a lot of ground. Here are our favorites from our short time there:
  • Freedom Trail – rather than taking a guided tour, we downloaded the app and for a nominal $7 fee we took the self-guided tour which was a fantastic way to experience the history of Boston at our own pace.

    

    

  • Fenway Park – No trip to Boston is complete without making a trip to see Fenway Park! We made the walk from the West End, traversed our way through Back Bay and eventually arrived at the ballpark.  We made a full walk around the park then had a drink at the Bleacher Bar.  The only thing could have added to the experience was catching a game however just being there and seeing the park was perfect for us.
  • Cheers Bar – On the walk to Fenway Park, we stopped in at the bar that inspired the setting for the sitcom Cheers. It was one of my favorite TV shows to watch when I was growing up and of course had to take a cheesy touristy selfie in front of the sign 😉

    

    

    

  • On the walk back from Fenway, we strolled down Newbury Street – the shopping mecca of Boston. Hundreds of stores to keep us busy for…. well eternity, but who has that kind of time….  It’s even home to the smallest Trader Joe’s store in the world, so we had to log in a good amount window shopping as my penance for making Kandace walk all the way to Fenway! We also saw this amazing church and had a drink at Saltie Girl.
  • Boston Tea Party Museum – We didn’t have a chance to visit, but we heard that this is one of the best museums in Boston so thought it would make sense to give it a mention here as a reminder for us to make a point to check it out when we return someday.
  • Food – as you may have learned, food is a big part of our journey, and we enjoyed some amazing food in Boston. One of our favorite stops was at Neptune Oyster Bar. The mussels and their Johnny Cake are reason enough to come back. We also had a lobster roll there but it wasn’t as good as the other food choices by far.  We had been warned that the lines are long and to get there early so we obliged. They open at 11am and the line starts forming around 10am.  If you get there later than 10:30, expect the wait to be over an hour! Later, we found ourselves in (another) long line at Mike’s Pastry to indulge in one of their world-famous cannoli’s. We had the chocolate chip and the pistachio, and they were both amazing! It’s definitely the touristy thing to do but we hear the locals prefer Modern Pastry just down the street from Mike’s.  Perhaps we should return for this reason alone and search for the best cannoli in Boston! Although we didn’t eat there, Quincy Market was still worth the visit to see all the food options and people watching! It was a little too reminiscent of eating at a beach boardwalk, so we passed for a more formal dining experience ;-). Boston Public Market is also a great choice for fresh produce or for a quick bite including the most amazing gourmet doughnuts we have ever seen!

    

    

We had a blast exploring this area of New England and our only regret was not visiting Salem.  With so many things to come back and see it’s likely we will be back soon.

Cheers,

-Tiny Trailer Trips Crew