Baking and frying in MA

Summer is here, almost full blast. A & I are (thankfully) very alike in our ADD - we can't stay still in one place - especially on a sunny weeekend. Since May there has not been a weekend when we haven't gone either hiking or beaching and so here's a post dedicated to all those great and not-so great destinations on the East Coast.

The no. 1 on my list Hot-MA destinations is Halibut Point State Park, a little north of Rockport. a friend once told A that a visit to Halibut will change his perception of MA vs. CA. (A is a die-hard California lover and often complains that everything in Massachusetts is too tiny and too developed. Bing, another CA loyal, feels exactly the same. I do too.) The friend was probably too optimistic but if there is any place in MA which can at least try make CA loyalists change sides (or at least hate MA less)I think it's Halibut. You step on to the first path and the view at the lookout point is absolutely breath taking. A clear blue quarry surrounded by big boulders surrounded by the blue blue Atlantic (!) Ocean. Blue quarry, blue skies and blue oceans. What else can you ask for in one shot? Well how about the waves crashing against the rocky cliffs which form the most amazing tide pools, the warm sun baking the rocks and the long sandy beach (Long beach) a couple of minutes away....Ofcourse, if you are like me you would also want a nice fresh fish lunch. Run down to the Rockport Fish Shack, Lobster Shack or the Award-winning fish shack "Woodman's" we discovered in Essex. All fish are deep fried, served wth even deeper fried fries and onion -rings. But hey, I didn't write this post for people on a detox diet :P

Crane beach remains my No 2. Though the fact that parking is free at the Singing Beach (while it's 20 bux at Crane) and the beach is "private" and really clean makes Singing a close competitor. The greatest part about Crane is its relatively long stretch. So if you feel like avoiding the babies and the tanning moms, you can. And ofcourse, the lagoon which magically pops up at low tide.

A close third is the small but extremely swim-friendly beach in Rockport (bang opposite the cemetary). I swear if I can swim out without panicking anyone in the world can. The water was cold (yes it's MA!) but not killing and the waves so gentle and sweet. I had the greatets half-hour long float looking at the screeching sea-gulls fly by in the blue blue sky... mmmmmmm....

For the less sunny days, Breakheart Reservation (yups that IS its real name!) in Saugus is another great option. Just 12 miles from Cambridge, with two really pretty and decent-sized
ponds, green uncrowded hikes along the ponds or through the pines - this place is ideal for the 60-70 F days. We picnicked by one of the lakes on rocks baking in the sun. For the family friendly and non-baby-hating types, the "beach" is a good stopover. There you find many lifeguards and ice creams, the water is swimmable and the babies plenty.

The pics will be uploaded once the memory card is sufficently full so hang on and keep baking!