Cape Cod has had its day – in-the-know travellers head to this nearby beauty

Telegraph

27-04-2025

Ever since former US president John F Kennedy protected 40 miles of its coastline through national decree, Cape Cod has been the poster child for a New England summer; its golden sands and evocative white-picket rentals forever etched in American hearts – and a major draw for tourists.
But during the busy months of June, July and August, this peaceful seaside retreat gets more than its fair share of tourists. Data from the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce shows the peninsula attracts around 5.5 million visitors annually, with 65 per cent coming in the summer alone, resulting in clogged up roads and oversubscribed beaches.
Just a little further up Massachusetts 's coastline, however, the lesser-known Cape Ann peninsula offers all the same maritime charm (and quantities of lobster) with a great deal more elbow room. I discovered this when, having travelled up from Cape Cod one morning last summer, I stopped for a warm buttered lobster roll and glass of white wine in a pleasant waterside restaurant in Gloucester, Cape Ann's only city.
The change in pace was palpable: outside, fishing boats bobbed serenely in the harbour; inside, a scattering of locals enjoyed their lunch. There were no queues, no traffic jams and no crowds. It was a revelation.
A working harbour and America's oldest seaport, Gloucester is one of four coastal communities that make up this small, rocky headland, the others being Manchester-by-the-Sea, Rockport and Essex – all located within a one-hour drive of Boston. Characterised by its clapboard houses and fishing shacks, harbours open for business, the smell of salt and fresh fish in the air, it's an endearing lack of polish which makes Cape Ann so special. It was exactly the kind of place I'd been hoping to find on New England's coast, and I was eager to return and explore.
So this spring, I did just that.
The hubs of Cape Ann are connected by the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway, a 90-mile roadway that stretches along the North Shore of Massachusetts, linking 14 coastal communities from Lynn to Salisbury. Although you can also travel by the MBTA Commuter Rail – which runs daily trains from Boston's North Station to Salem, Gloucester and Rockport – I opted to hire a car in Boston and drive, joining the byway at Manchester-by-the-Sea, my first pitstop. Movie buffs will recognise the town from the eponymous 2016 film, which won a clutch of Oscars. A slog of a drama, it painted the town with sombre grey skies and frost-covered streets to reflect the tragic lead (played by Casey Affleck).
Reality, however, presented a far rosier prospect. When I arrived, the sun was glistening on the waterfront, highlighting a striking pair of Harlequin ducks gliding along the water between rustic fishing boats. Dockside regulars chatted, cups of coffee in hand, packs of obedient dogs at their sides. It was all terribly pleasant and I loved it.
Locals tell visitors to head to Singing Beach when in town. Just shy of half a mile wide, it gets its name from a squeaky 'singing' sound made when walking on the sand (although, be warned, it doesn't always perform). You can either head there on foot from town or by car, but during the summer non-residents can only use the car park between Monday and Thursday.
From Manchester, I headed 15 minutes up the coast to Gloucester. Spotting traps piled high along the dock beside the fleet of anchored lobster boats, I figured that would be a good place to park and find myself another lobster roll – the first of many.
After lunch, I strolled down the waterfront to visit the city's famous Fisherman's Memorial – a moving tribute to the thousands of lives lost at sea. 'They that go down to the sea in ships,' reads an engraving at the bottom of the 8ft-tall statue of a bronze fisherman, braced at the wheel of his ship.
Among the names etched in the surrounding plaques are those of six men who died in 1991, when three devastating storms – including a category five hurricane – converged, creating 100ft-high waves and 92mph-winds. The story is best known as The Perfect Storm, thanks to a book by Sebastian Junger and the subsequent film adaptation, starring George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg. It's stories like this that give Cape Ann a dark yet captivating edge, whilst highlighting the bond these fishing communities have forged in the face of tragedy.
On the walk back I visited the Crow's Nest bar. A local favourite, it appeared in the movie and is filled with photos taken during its production – as well as those commemorating the original six-man fishing crew. I took a seat at the bar and – immediately identified as a visitor – was promptly handed a battered red photo album filled with photos of Clooney and Wahlberg posing with locals, and a thorough retelling of the story surrounding the storm and its impact on the wider community. A prized possession, it once sparked a manhunt after a drunk patron was caught on CCTV stumbling down the road with it tucked under his arm (don't worry, he eventually mailed it back to them).
My next stop was Rockport, where I stayed at a homey boutique hotel called Addison Choate, a short walk from town. Full of pretty seaside shops and wooden fishing cabins – including the town's famous red fishing shack, Motif No.1, which locals say is 'the most painted building in the world' (although I have my doubts) – this is a place made for aimless, happy ambling.
It also has a rich artistic heritage thanks to the creatives who moved here from Boston and New York during the 20 th century. Today that spirit still thrives: the town is a working artistic hub, with 40 individual art galleries and studios to visit, as well as cultural institutions like the Rockport Art Association & Museum, which is said to be one of the oldest active art associations in the nation.
My final destination was Essex, famous for shipbuilding and (more importantly) as the home of the fried clam, which I considered it my mission to devour en masse. The place to go, I was told, is Woodman's of Essex, whose founder Lawrence 'Chubby' Woodman was apparently responsible for inventing the concept more than 100 years ago.
In true American style, the clams arrived with fries and battered onion rings (no danger of a salad), and they were every bit as sweet, tender and delicious as I'd hoped. So beloved is the fried clam that there's even an annual Essex ClamFest where, in addition to all the frying, there is a chowder tasting competition during which Cape Ann's finest go head to head. And with no queues to worry about, one thing's for sure: you won't be leaving hungry.
Essentials
Virgin Atlantic flies from London to Boston from £400 return; Addison Choate (001 978 546 7543) has doubles from £225 per night, with breakfast.