Sunday Strolls and Ocean Views in Newburyport
The mighty and majestic commuter rail is my favorite way to visit new cities in Massachusetts, and for only $10, you can take it ANYWHERE and AS MANY TIMES on the weekends; it is a glorious option. Newburyport is about 40 miles north of Boston; it’s the last stop on the Newburyport line, and it’s far enough away that it feels like a real getaway. From North Station, the trip is a little over an hour in length, and one of the most scenic rides on the rail system. With shops, musuems, art, restaurants, and beautiful water views, it’s well-worth a visit.
Upon arriving in Newburyport, you can walk right off the train platform onto the Clipper City Rail Trail. It’s a well-maintained paved path, and takes you directly to city. When I walked it mid-day on a Sunday it was busy with many other walkers and bikers. I would love to see a bike share in Newburyport to make getting to and from train station a little quicker, but, alas, there is none yet - perhaps Blue Bikes will look into expansion there?
The edge of the commercial area is about half mile walk from the train station, but if you walk another half mile further, you’ll reach the Merrimack River, and the Newburyport Waterfront. If you’re inclined to walk, there is a lovely path along the water. I made a right when I reached the harbor, and meandered for about 1.5 miles along the shoreline, stopping and visiting a few shops and a sculpture garden along the way. The sidewalk ends a bit abruptly once you reach Joppa Park. As far as I can tell, there are no future plans to extend the path along the Plum Island Turnpike, but it would be tremendous if that happened one day, as you could walk or bike easily and safely all the way to the beach.
Oldies Marketplace is along the bike path, and worth a stop. It’s a giant space with all sorts of things. Fiesta-ware dishes, some lovely cut-glass jewelry, and an old type-writer all caught my eye. There is something for everyone, and even if you aren’t planning on buying anything, it’s a fun place to visit if only to see the sheer volume of items and enjoy some nostalgia.
No trip is complete without sampling a few local eateries, so after a stroll along the water, I headed into town to find some victuals. State Street is lined with restaurants. One of my favofites is Paddle Inn, which is a beachy, funky, and delicious spot. When I’m feeling more pub-like, I love The Grog (also a fun spot to listen to live music). We were craving oysters and stopped in Brine. The expansive, white marble bar makes for a comfortable spot, and the bartenders are extremely accommodating, even crafting us something specific to our tastes.
We took the bike path back out of Newburyport to return to the train station, but made a quick pit-stop at Riverwalk Brewing. The location is only about a 4 minute walk from the platform, so it’s easy to hit on the way out of town; it’s technically accessible from the the bike path, as some other adventurous traveler made a hole in the chain-link fence to reach it ( maybe this will inspire the city or the brewery to add an actual entrance from the bike path?) We grabbed a brew and a pizza as our last meal before departing for the train.
I’ve only visited Newburyport in the fall and winter, and have always been pleasantly surprised by how much I find to do. I imagine in the summer months, the city is a bit busier, as it is so close to a number of beaches, but by no means is Newburyport deserted in the cooler months. On this trip, we were there for just the day, but there is definitely a weekend’s worth of activities to do if you are so inclined. The hour-long train ride home is just enough time for a train snooze, which is exactly what I did; until next time, Newburyport!