Halibut Point State Park, Rockport, MA
It's been a terrible, terrible winter. I'm having a really hard time escaping this funk. Even though it is getting warmer and the snow is melting, I still have the winter blues.
Last night, Derek and the boys were on a scout outing. When they arrived home today at noon, filthy, smelly, cranky, and exhausted, I announced that I was going to go see the ocean and smell salt air this afternoon. They were welcome to join me or stay home. Either way, I needed to seek out Mother Mother Ocean.
After showers and a lunch, they decided that they wanted to come along for the adventure.
Our destination was Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, a place that we had never explored.
The ride up 128 wasn't too bad, although every time I travel this disaster of a road, I am thankful that I live in the sticks. As we headed up 127 into Gloucester and Rockport, we were enamored with so many of the old coastal houses. Weaving our way up the coastal road, we pulled off at Folly Point, which is "technically" a resident-only spot. Even if we got a parking ticket, it was well worth the stop.
After a few minutes of scrambling over the rocks and soaking up rays, we headed to Halibut Point.
I like to think that I know a lot of the state parks in Massachusetts, so this place was a complete surprise.
We parked (no fee, since it is before May 1, but normally just a few dollars) and headed across the street. You walk through a wooded area and around a granite quarry. There are no fences or barriers, so the adventurous 11-year-old daredevil had us on edge.
There are several paths that wind around the quarry and head to the ocean. Several are lookout points with breathtaking views of Plum Island, the NH coast, and Southern Maine.
Once you reach the coast, there are rocks upon rocks upon rocks to climb up, climb down, jump over, and climb through. Exploring at Low Tide is definitely the way to see this park.
We absolutely loved this. To me, this is what a state park should be---absolutely nothing but land to explore. You need to make your own fun, and you do that by scrambling over rocks, jumping over gaps, racing the tide, and soaking in the majestic ocean.
We came home over-sunned and overtired. The smell and sound of the ocean was just what we needed to get us through to summer!
Support our State and National Parks. There's so much to explore and so much to love!
Do you have any favorite spots on the North Shore? Comment below!
© Cara Parker, 2015. Photos and text may not be reproduced without the written consent of Cara Parker.
Last night, Derek and the boys were on a scout outing. When they arrived home today at noon, filthy, smelly, cranky, and exhausted, I announced that I was going to go see the ocean and smell salt air this afternoon. They were welcome to join me or stay home. Either way, I needed to seek out Mother Mother Ocean.
After showers and a lunch, they decided that they wanted to come along for the adventure.
Our destination was Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, a place that we had never explored.
The ride up 128 wasn't too bad, although every time I travel this disaster of a road, I am thankful that I live in the sticks. As we headed up 127 into Gloucester and Rockport, we were enamored with so many of the old coastal houses. Weaving our way up the coastal road, we pulled off at Folly Point, which is "technically" a resident-only spot. Even if we got a parking ticket, it was well worth the stop.
After a few minutes of scrambling over the rocks and soaking up rays, we headed to Halibut Point.
I like to think that I know a lot of the state parks in Massachusetts, so this place was a complete surprise.
We parked (no fee, since it is before May 1, but normally just a few dollars) and headed across the street. You walk through a wooded area and around a granite quarry. There are no fences or barriers, so the adventurous 11-year-old daredevil had us on edge.
Once you reach the coast, there are rocks upon rocks upon rocks to climb up, climb down, jump over, and climb through. Exploring at Low Tide is definitely the way to see this park.
We absolutely loved this. To me, this is what a state park should be---absolutely nothing but land to explore. You need to make your own fun, and you do that by scrambling over rocks, jumping over gaps, racing the tide, and soaking in the majestic ocean.
We came home over-sunned and overtired. The smell and sound of the ocean was just what we needed to get us through to summer!
Support our State and National Parks. There's so much to explore and so much to love!
Do you have any favorite spots on the North Shore? Comment below!
© Cara Parker, 2015. Photos and text may not be reproduced without the written consent of Cara Parker.
Thanks for your post. It's great to see that kids are still enjoying Halibut Point today. It was my sister's and my favorite family picnic spot back in the 1970's. Those tidal pools! The rock climbing! My folks must have loved it. They sat on towels in the sun and read while we entertained ourselves for hours.
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