A Tribute to Singing Beach
Here is a "review" of Singing Beach, north of Boston, that I posted on Yelp this morning...followed by a short video, of course...
My wife and I moved from Boston to the San Francisco Bay Area nearly 12 years ago. Other than family, there is a short list of things I miss about Boston. Don't get me wrong. It's a great place to live and be, but I really do enjoy the Bay Area. However, when it gets to be summer, I pine for a real beach experience and bona fide summer weather--hazy, hot, humid...with people bitching and room air conditioners wailing. We simply don't get this in my hood.
So on that very short list is Singing Beach. This was such the regular haunt for me that I typically made it up there on both days of the weekend. Back when gas was much cheaper I'd barrel up from Brighton/Brookline in my 78 Caprice Classic toating 150K miles or so on the odometer and rust stains larger than the painted surface...bombing up 93 to 128, and finding ever more inventive places to park my car. I'd also go up in the Winter to assess the storm damage, which occasionally was quite severe. I'd go up in the Fall to get depressed. And I'd go up in the Spring to count the days.
And so after 10 years of NOT getting to Singing Beach, it was a rare treat to be able to sneak away from my in-laws on an even more rare summertime visit to Boston and literally spend a high quality 95 minutes there yesterday. And what I can say is that the town of Manchester-by-the-Sea has not changed all that much. Sure, the restaurant by the Dunkin' Donuts has changed hands (as it used to every few years) and I don't remember Crosby's Market being so 'renovated' looking, but that could be a memory lapse. The beach itself is as hard and expensive to get to as always, and worth every penny.
Very clean, good people watching, beautiful scenery -- are the hallmarks of Singing Beach. And although short, it is a very good walking beach as well. Again, not much has changed. Facing the water, you've got your families on the left, younger folks with a bit of mixed family action in the middle, and a more predominant mix of same sex couples far to the right.
Fantastic beach and an indelible part of my post-college experience in Boston. This is one of my favorites...anywhere. BTW, if you're not commuter railing (which you should--nowadays the best way to get there), bring a bike and peddle around the area, particularly heading north toward Gloucester. Incredibly beautiful ocean vistas.
