For over 160 years, people have traveled to Rockport, MA to enjoy a quaint New England seaside village, miles of lovely beaches, boulder-strewn paths through woods and glades, and that uncommonly magical light that has inspired painters since Winslow Homer.
At the eastern tip of Cape Ann, and a mere 37 miles from Boston, sits the picturesque seaside village of Rockport. Settled in 1690, Rockport quickly became the leading supplier of granite as evidenced by the many outcrops of its old quarries. With Bearskin Neck and its many shops, studios and restaurants jutting out from the town’s center into its charming harbor, Rockport today boasts a thriving artist community and some of the most widely painted sea and landscapes in the world, including Motif #1. The harbor remains home to an active fishing fleet, offering visitors a unique chance to observe artists at their craft or lobstermen hauling their traps. Along Rockport’s historic Main Street, from Dock Square to Beach Street, Rockport is filled with scores of enticing gift shops, galleries, restaurants, candy stores, clothing stores and boutiques, alongside extraordinary cultural venues, most notably the Rockport Art Association and the Shalin Liu Performance Center. (Description provided by the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce)
