Gloucester, Massachusetts, is 33 miles (53 km) northeast of Boston, 16 miles (26 km) northeast of Salem, 7 miles (11 km) south of Rockport (map).

Car

Driving from Boston and heading directly for Cape Ann, you'll save time by taking I-93 north to I-95. Follow I-95 North, but when it heads north toward Maine, stay on MA Route 128 all the way into Gloucester.

For the scenic (but slower) coastal drive, follow MA Route 128 to the exit for Manchester-by-the-Sea. In Manchester, follow MA Route 127 north.

Train

MBTA Commuter Rail trains run from Boston's North Station to Salem, Beverly, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Gloucester and Rockport. (At Beverly, some trains go north via Ipswich to Newburyport.)

The trip from Boston's North Station to Gloucester takes slightly more than one hour. Trains run about every 20 minutes during rush hours, every half-hour during the day, every hour at night and on weekends. More...

Walking

From the train station in Gloucester, it's half a mile (800 meters, 10 minutes' walk) to the waterfront and the Fishermen's Memorial statue of the Man at the Wheel, even less to St Peter's Square and the harbor.

Good Harbor Beach is 2 miles east (3.2 km, 40 minutes), Long Beach is 3 miles (5 km) east of the train station. More...

Stage Fort Park Shuttle

The Stage Fort Park Shuttle bus links the large parking lot at Stage Fort Park, west of the city center, with numerous points in the city including the MBTA Commuter Rail train station, Fishermen's Memorial ("Man at the Wheel"), Marine Heritage Museum, Good Harbor Beach, Cruiseport, Rocky Neck, etc. You can park for free at Stage Fort Park, then pay $1 to ride the shuttle into the city. An all-day shuttle pass costs $3. More...

Harbor Water Shuttle

Harbor Tours, Inc. (Tel 978-283-1979) operates the m/v Lady Jillian every day in summer as a shuttle boat in Gloucester harbor, connecting several points in the city center with Rocky Neck, Cripple Cove, Cruiseport and Head of the Harbor. Your ticket is good all day ("Hop on, hop off") and provides good views—and photos—of Gloucester as her natives see her: from the sea. More...

Cape Ann Buses

CATA, the Cape Ann Transportation Authority (Tel 978-283-7916), runs local buses among the towns and villages of Cape Ann. Here's a route map. The buses can get you to most attractions on Cape Ann, including some of Gloucester's beaches. More...

—by Tom Brosnahan

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