The best cycling routes around Gloucester

Lobster Cove is a beautiful and calm part of Annisquam Harbor. Many boats find shelter here, resting on moorings. The cove is well-protected from rough ocean waves, making it a safe place for boats, both big and small. You'll often see fishing boats and sailboats bobbing gently on the water.

Stage Head was a fishing stage, named in 1624. The first fort was built here in 1635. Today it's a state park with two beaches, the reconstructed civil war fort and other leisure infrastructure.

Good Harbor Beach is a beautiful, popular beach in Gloucester with white sand and deep blue water. At low tide, you can walk out to Salt Island, and at high tide, you can swim and body surf with or without boogie boards. Like many beaches in the area, parking can be a bit of a challenge so be sure to plan ahead; parking rates vary by day and season, and you might need to make a reservation beforehand, so check in advance. There are lifeguards on duty from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day and there are no surfboards or flotation devices during these hours, except for Styrofoam boogie boards. Alcohol is also prohibited. There is a concession stand near the entrance of the beach were you can purchase food and drinks, and there are restrooms and showers available from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm daily.

Goose Cove Reservation is a beautiful 29 acre nature reservation on a narrow strip of land between Goose Cove and Goose Cove Reservoir. In the reservation there is a short, easy 0.7-mile hiking trail that leads you through beautiful salt marshes and costal forests, which both serves as important habitats for a rich variety of wildlife. Birding is especially good at low tide, where you might see shorebirds like yellowlegs, sandpipers, and plovers, while high tide brings other waterfowl such as bufflehead and common golden-eye

Overlooking one of the basefall fields in Stage Fort Park is a large bronze plauque on a huge grantite cliff that reads: "On this site in 1623, a company of fishermen and farmers from Dorchester, England, under the direction of Rev. John White, founded THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY. From that time the fisheries, the oldest industry in the commonwealth, have been uninterruptedly pursed from this port. Here in 1625, Gov. Roger Conant, by wise diplomacy, averted bloodshed between contending fractions, one led by Myles Standish of Plymouth, the other by Capt Hewes, a notable exemplification of arbitration in the beginnings of New England. Placed by citizens of Gloucester, 1907." This plaque speaks to the rich history of the area and believe it or not, you can sometimes see rock climbers ascending the rock faces next to the historic plaque!

Stage Fort Park is a park in Gloucester with a rich history. Gloucester's Visitor and Welcome Center and a reconstructed Civil War fort, Stage Fort, are both within park grounds. The park also has a playground, picnic benches, baseball fields, a dog park, and a bathhouse. There are two beaches in the park, Cressy and Half Moon Beach, stunning viewpoints, as well as a huge granite stone (with a plaque) thought to have been used by Native Americans, and cannons leftover from a Civil War-era fort. There is a privately owned seasonal restaurant, The Cupboard of Gloucester, where you can order fried clams and sandwiches.

Good Harbor Beach is a beautiful, popular beach in Gloucester with white sand and deep blue water. At low tide, you can walk out to Salt Island, and at high tide, you can swim and body surf with or without boogie boards. Like many beaches in the area, parking can be a bit of a challenge so be sure to plan ahead; parking rates vary by day and season, and you might need to make a reservation beforehand, so check in advance. There are lifeguards on duty from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day and there are no surfboards or flotation devices during these hours, except for Styrofoam boogie boards. Alcohol is also prohibited. There is a concession stand near the entrance of the beach were you can purchase food and drinks, and there are restrooms and showers available from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm daily.

Old Garden Beach is a small beach located just east of downtown Rockport below Davis Park. This is an incredible scenic spot with sweeping views of the Atlantic framed by rocks and sand. There is also access to the popular Old Garden Path "cliffwalk" on the south end of the seawall via a wooden stairway.