Thinking back on all the memories of my mom, I keep thinking of the winter we went to Newburyport, Massachusetts. My mom was looking at places to retire that were closer to family on the East Coast. She wanted to live within a few hours drive to visit more often.
I hadn’t seen any of the other places she had looked at, but I fell in love with Newburyport. It is such a quaint, historic town with an extremely welcoming atmosphere. Everyone is friendly and seems to know one another. The whole town of Newburyport has a very rustic New England look, with beautiful brick buildings and front doors right at the sidewalks edge.
We visited in November and were blessed with clear, sunny days and crisp air. I was not really prepared for the cold weather though. I bought a coat at Burlington Coat Factory before we left, but I didn’t own any warm sweaters to wear underneath. They’re not necessary living in Northern California. The day after we left, Massachusetts was hit with a huge storm and buried by snow. A part of me wishes I could have seen that.
When to Visit Newburyport
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Where to Stay in Newburyport
Garrison Inn
A historic boutique hotel conveniently located in downtown Newburyport. It is named after William Lloyd Garrison who was a huge part of the abolition movement. While the inn features a traditional exterior appearance, all of the rooms are updated and modern. The hotel also offers fresh breakfast and juice every morning.
Price Range: $$-$$$$
Essex Street Inn & Suites
Price Range:
Blue Inn On The Beach
A luxury beach front hotel with gorgeous coastal beach house style located on Plum Island. Rooms, suites, and private cottages area available.
Price Range: $$$+
The Compass Rose Inn
Price Range: $$
Clark Currier Inn
Price Range: $-$$
Another affordable option is AirBNB and you’ll really experience the quaint charm of Newburyport. Get $40 off your first stay here!
One of my favorite shops was The Black Dog.
What to Do in Newburyport
Shopping
There were so many amazing boutiques with gorgeous clothes. The outfits I bought are still some of my favorites to wear.
One of our favorite shops was The Black Dog, which has a very unique and interesting story.
Madox Jewelry: beautiful clothes with great quality – always get compliments on them
Custom House Maritime Museum
Museum of Old Newburyport
Colby Farms
Plum Island
Plum Island is an 11 mile long barrier island off the coast of Newburyport. It is named for the plum shrubs that grow on the beach.
Where to Eat in Newburyport
Oh, and how could I forget about the food in Newburyport?! There are the greatest boutique restaurants and cafes with amazing food!
The Thirsty Whale
My mom and I went here for lunch on our first day in town. I picked the restaurant because of the name 🙂 It is a quaint little restaurant with excellent service and delicious food.
Picture provided by Oregano Pizzeria
Oregano Pizzeria Ristorante
We went here for dinner our first night and it was so good that we had to go back again! The service was quick and our server was extremely friendly. We had a really hard time deciding what to get because all the options looked great, but we went with the Lasagna Pizza. I know it sounds weird, but I honestly think it was the best pizza I’ve ever had.
Picture provided by Oregano Pizzeria
Caffe Di Siena
Every night we went here to sit in the front window and watch the night life outside. My mom would order some tea or coffee and talk about how much she loved the town and the people. I would have hot chocolate and pastries 🙂
The Clam Box
We also went to eat at The Clam Box which is fifteen minutes outside of Newburyport. Apparently it is one of the best places to get clams in Massachusetts and the line is often very long out the door. We were lucky enough to go when it wasn’t busy. The restaurant had really interesting decor, we spent most of our lunch looking at all the different wall pieces. The food was delicious, it is definitely worth visiting.
To learn more about Newburyport, visit:
City of Newburyport
Happy in Newburyport
I love that your mom was thinking of retiring to Massachusetts when most people would be trying to get away from the weather. I am obsessed with the New England area and the quaint charm. Take me with you next time!
I loved it so much! I could totally see myself living somewhere like that. I love the brick buildings. And she was a little put off by the storm that hit right when we left, but she grew up in Connecticut so she was used to it.
Girl! Newburyport is the town John’s mom works in and two towns over from where his family lives! Anytime I am up there, I stop by there. They have the best bakery!
No way!!! That’s so awesome! I loved Newburyport, it was sooo beautiful. I could totally see myself living there, but I haven’t lived in the snow for 15+ years so I’m not sure how I’d handle it haha. I definitely want to go back!
I’ve never heard of this city in my life! I live in Southern California, and as far as Massachusetts goes, I’ve only visited Boston. That said, you’ve convinced me that I need to go here! The inn you stayed at looks so nice and the food looks great! Thanks for sharing!
http://www.travelalphas.com
Oh you definitely have to go!! The inn was gorgeous and everyone was so friendly. The atmosphere of the entire town was amazing.