Atlantic Vacation Homes Blog

Cape Ann is known for its gorgeous landscapes and picturesque villages. There’s a stunning scene pretty much everywhere you look! But don’t end your vacation without taking a selfie at our Top 10 most Instagrammable spots on Cape Ann. 10. Motif No. 1 There is a reason that this little red fishing shack is one […]

Close your eyes and think of a beach vacation that you took with your family as a child. Do you remember where you went? How long it took to get there? The excitement that you felt when you finally arrived? Travel industry research from Harris Interactive and Project: Time Off found that the majority of […]

You can’t control Mother Nature and so even the most temperate months of the year will still yield an occasional rainy day. If the darkened skies have impacted your beach plans, you might be asking “So what is there to do when it’s raining on Cape Ann?” You don’t need to let the rain wash […]

The Essex Coastal Scenic Byway winds its way along the coast through fourteen North Shore communities in Essex County, Massachusetts. Situated within the Essex National Heritage Area and covering 90 miles from Lynn, MA to Salisbury, MA, the Byway passes many notable historical sites, cultural districts, recreation areas, and spectacular coastal scenery. The map below highlights […]

Every year, Atlantic Vacation Homes has the wonderful experience of getting to know our first-time guests and welcoming back our returning guests. Part of the joy of the travel season is getting to experience the wonders of Cape Ann through their eyes. Sharing our love for the area is part of what makes our job special! To that […]

Rivers provide a perfect backdrop to summer and offer a wide range of outdoor activities. Boating, kayaking, swimming, fishing, or just dangling your feet off a dock and watching the tide are perks of river life. Cape Ann is unique in that we are on the ocean but we also offer riverfront vacations! The tidal […]

The rugged coastal landscape of Cape Ann has always held a strong magnetic attraction for artists. The challenge of capturing with paint and brush the magical light, the crashing of waves on rocks, majestic boats under sail, or the workday lives of fishing folk is too compelling for some to resist. Cape Ann has a long […]

If you are thinking about a vacation to Boston’s North Shore, consider planning your visit to coincide with one of the many local summer festivals. These widely celebrated North Shore events provide things to do for all ages as well as give a peek into local culture, art, music and more. North Shore Events in […]

Did you know that Cape Ann is a bird watching paradise, especially in the off-season? Even the middle of winter is a wonderful time to catch sight of the wide variety of migrating waterfowl and coastline birds that visit our rugged shores each year. What Birds You Might See In addition to a variety of gulls, […]

The dream of owning a vacation rental is being able to sit back and just watch the money roll in, with little effort. The reality is that managing and maintaining a rental home is quite a bit of work! Online marketplaces such as Airbnb, HomeAway, VRBO and FlipKey have made it easier in the last decade for […]