Sea Glass House - Tranquil Retreat or Base for Adventure

The Property

Whether you seek a tranquil seaside retreat or a base for adventure on land or water, this spacious, light-filled 1-bedroom apartment on the entire 1st floor of an 1850s carriage house in the heart of Rockport village has everything you need--private front and rear entrances, private courtyard/patio, off-street parking, washer/dryer in unit, cable TV/wifi, dogs allowed.

Features large sunny bedroom, full bathroom, fully-equipped kitchen, open living room and diningarea, hardwood floors, dishwasher, washer/dryer in unit. Private rear patio/courtyard w/ gas grill, tables and patio furniture. One parking space in driveway, other parking available on street. Quick stroll to Shalin Liu Performing Arts Center for world-class music with splendid Sandy Bay as backdrop; historic Main Street with its many colorful art galleries; and pristine Front and Back beaches with the clearest, cleanest water in New England. For adventure, try renting a sea kayak to tour the magnificent Cape Ann coast; or jump on your mountain bike and try the trails 5 minutes away in ancient Dogtown forest.

The Location

Rockport is a microcosm of all the best features of coastal New England--pristine sandy beaches and crystal clear water; a vibrant arts scene with many working artists and a world class performing arts center; colorful galleries, shops and restaurants; and a village that has carefully preserved its many 18th and 19th century homes and buildings. It is just a five minute drive from historic Gloucester, which offers even more restaurants and attractions and one of the few remaining commercial waterfronts in New England. The area offers an endless array of activities for lovers of art, music, history and the outdoors.

Wake up and take your coffee on the private courtyard patio at the rear, stroll out the door to drop a postcard at the post office, walk a couple more blocks to Front Beach to watch terns and plovers wheel overhead as the sun rises over Sandy Bay and you gather colorful bits of 200-year old sea glass and crockery. Later, amble along Main Street to the shops and restaurants of Dock Square and Bearskin Neck and watch the lobster boats depart from Tuna Wharf for the catch you will eat later that night.

The active visitor can rent a kayak and paddle out to Thatcher Island to visit the Twin Lights, one of the few double lighthouses still in operation and a national landmark; or walk the massive granite outcroppings at Halibut Point State Park, where the sea breeze freshens even the hottest summer day. For those seeking more action, you can explore hundreds of acres of hiking and biking trails in Dogtown, the vast and rocky woodlands containing the original settlement of Gloucester from the early 1600s; surf the waves off Long Beach in Rockport or Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester, or scuba dive the rocky bays and coves along the coastline that are renowned for their clarity and accessibility.