The Insiders' Guide to St. Barths: Cape Ann Trip Report

Mini-trip report.
We have been to Cape Cod, Nantucket, Maine but never Cape Ann so off we went up the Jersey Turnpike and over the GW Bridge with hardly any problems. It was Labor Day so that may be the answer. North on 84 we stopped to see Kara which I have posted already. Into Gloucester and the Bass Rocks Ocean Inn. I have to give Kevin a special mention here because he actually went up to the area and scoped out the hotels for me. There are no luxurious hotels in the area but the Best Western was an excellent choice- clean, on the water, king beds, all amenities in the rooms, WIFI, continental breakfast, and an super staff. The grounds keepers were constantly picking up and cleaning the grounds. I would definitely go back.

The first night I chose the Franklin Café- an off -shoot of a Boston restaurant. It was on Main Street in Gloucester, the main shopping area there and a great choice. It was THE hot spot on Main Street. Mostly 20 year olds and a 2 page Martini and sipping menu. The food was terrific too. I had panko day boat scallops - great and Phyl had shrimp scampi- also good.

The next day we toured East Gloucester and the main harbor in Gloucester with the famous statute of the Man at the Wheel. Some shopping on Main Street and lunch at the Mad Fish on the harbor in East Gloucester- lobster roll naturally. Dinner at Halibut Point- a local place on Main Street- haddock with cheddar cheese on top- sounds yucky but it was really good.

Wednesday was off to Rockport which is clearly the better place of all 4 towns in Cape Ann. Bearskin Neck is a shopper’s heaven- 50 stores along the water- from junk to high end. My extravagant wife bought some $5.00 sunglasses and lots of fudge. We had lunch at Roy Moore’s- a one man operation along the shopping area. It’s a shack with lobster tanks along the sides and when you order the lobster, the owner says- “12 minutes, I’ll yell.” No waitperson or fancy tables- lobster traps turned on their side is the seat and tables out back on the deck. The lobster was one of the best I’ve had and only $12.00- a deal. Back to the hotel and some posting on the SBH site. Dinner that night is Tom Shea’s in Essex. Very good halibut and baked schrod.

Thursday’s weather was one of the best I have seen so we took a ride to Manchester-By-The-Sea- a very small town with nothing to do. So we went to the museum. Yawn. On to Ipswich and the Clam Box. Great fried clams. Dinner is the Emerson Inn in Rockport- a grand old dame of a hotel. The food was OK but nothing to brag about.

It’s now Friday and we leave at 9:30 so I can get to bin 228 by noon for lunch. I posted that. Coming home however on 95 and the GW Bridge was a nightmare. I will NEVER I swear NEVER again come that way on a Friday afternoon. The traffic going south was stopped dead and it took me 1 ½ hours to go 5 miles. Once I got on the NJ Turnpike the volume of traffic was horrible and we stopped again and again until we got past the Garden State Pwy, where many got off. To top it off, there was no gas at the rest stops between exits 16 and 3. All in all we lost 2 hours coming home. I will ask Mike for the Tappen Zee way next time.

We will go back again. It’s a nice area. The people are nice and the food is good.

Edited by Kara Brooks (01/14/08 11:41 AM)