A Hidden Find on the Massachusetts Coast

Rockport, Massachusetts is where people go who aren't going to the "other" Cape. Like an ingenue waiting to be discovered, Rockport remains picturesque, yet incredibly homey, and virtually unknown to those outside Massachusetts. It has been one of my favorites since I was a child. It has nearby towns that sound almost fictional, like "Pigeon Cove" where my grandparents lived, and where the Emerson Inn By the Sea overlooks the rough rocky shore. Ralph Waldo Emerson stayed there and described how it was where he "made acquaintance with the sea for seven days."

But Rockport is the centerpiece and has always been a magnet for artists and musicians, and so draws an eclectic beach crowd. The Chamber Music Orchestra will have a new waterfront space in the old Madras Shop down from Tuck's, where the salt water taffy is still doled out under a tin-ceilinged roof. They do have the best home-made ice cream you could imagine. Or maybe the salt air makes it taste of summer and youth. It doesn't matter.

For those of you who don't know this town, you need to visit. It is best known for Motif #1, the most celebrated subject for artists to paint, which is compelling in its simplicity. The red wood shack is situated on Bearskin Neck, which is the home of tiny shops that have managed to combine tourism with taste. The fishermen who originally colonized this wee town did fight off bears at one point in the late 1600's. But tourists don't have to worry about that now.

Near the center of the town is a terrific place to stay...Beech Tree Bed & Breakfast. There are three guest rooms and Judy and Russ Liddle are the hosts who have brought a high level of excellence to the concept of pleasing their guests. Fresh flowers from their wildflower garden are placed by your heavenly bed. Down pillows are in superabundance. The color of my room was a deep colonial burgundy, with soft muted tones contrasting the elegant antique furniture. And then there is the rainforest shower...The accommodations rival any I have been in recently that are five star, especially as a Bed & Breakfast.

The common areas are cozy with comfortable places to read in abundant corners. During my stay, there was a lovely fireplace in the seafoam green living room that took the chill off an unusually chilly June evening. The porch looks out at the huge 100 year old beech tree from which the inn derives its name. And it is the garden that is the focal point of the summer morning, with abundant irises and cat mint in lavender contrast to the greenery everywhere.

Breakfast is unforgettable. Judy changes her menu daily and offered scrambled eggs with goat cheese folded into the perfectly textured eggs. Accompanying this was a Swedish pancake, home made granola and lots of fresh fruit. Coffee was perfect, of course. This memorable offering was included in the very reasonably priced room rate.
Call them for a quick getaway...www.beachtreebb.com