South Shore Meets North Shore – A Weekend to Remember

Growing up on the South Shore of Boston, there is an automatic rivalry between the South Shore vs. the North Shore. Each shore thinking they have the best location and beaches. Jim and I have done day trips to areas of the North Shore, usually to try a restaurant that we have heard about and have learned to appreciate what the North Shore has to offer. It has a different landscape than the South Shore. Many of the North Shore beaches have more boulders and cliffs, which adds to the beauty of the vistas, while the South Shore has flatter sandy beaches lined with dunes and beach roses. Both are gorgeous and worth visiting.

When we, Jim and I and Steve and Debbie, were invited to our high school friends, Robbie and Paula’s daughter’s wedding in Beverly, MA, we were excited to spend a weekend exploring the North Shore, otherwise we probably would not have ever planned a weekend on the North Shore. We enjoy destination weddings for this very reason – they give us the motivation to visit and explore areas that may not have been on our radar.

We stayed at the Wylie Inn in Beverly that is on the campus of Endicott College. This was a quiet hotel with gorgeous grounds. The rooms were basic but roomy and clean. This inn is connected to the Tupper Manor, a mansion used as a venue for events and weddings. There were 3 weddings here this weekend. They even had a beach that we didn’t know about. We walked down through the woods with coffee in the morning to take in the relaxing view.

The wedding we were attending was at another mansion on Endicott’s property called Misselwood. This brick oceanfront mansion offered panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and rolling lawns. The guest seating overlooked the altar as the stunning couple said their vows. They were beautifully bookended by white floral columns in front a hedgerow of beach roses with the gorgeous Atlantic Ocean filling up the view. We did not take pictures during the ceremony at the request of the bride and groom.

The cocktail hour and reception were held on the grounds on a lovely patio and extravagant tent. Guests could mix and mingle while exploring the grounds and views. There were many nooks and crannies to find, many with benches and lighting strung between the trees. It was truly a magical place to have a memorable and picturesque wedding. The food at the wedding was also top-notch. We had a great time dancing and mingling the night away.

Restaurants

Little Harbor Lobster Company

As with anytime we visit a new place, we eat our way through the neighborhood. We had read on a blog that listed the “best” lobster rolls in the state that the lobster roll at Little Harbor Lobster Company if Marblehead was #1 in Massachusetts. We stopped on our way up to Beverly to see if we agree. We absolutely do not. The other food that we got was great, but lobster roll was disappointing. It was much smaller than I am used to at Green Harbor Lobster Pound in Marshfield, MA or at The Raw Bar in Mashpee, MA. The lobster meat did not even fill-up the hot dog roll. It appeared as though the lobster had been mixed with mayo (a little more than I like), pre-rolled into plastic wrap and then placed into the buttered and toasted hotdog roll.

The poke salmon salad was nice and fresh with edamame, seaweed, cucumbers, radishes, cabbage and carrots. The halibut corn chowder was delicious as was the crab cake. The caprese salad was basic. There is no inside seating at Little Harbor, but there is a picnic table and other seating with small tables, all overlooking the harbor which was such a great place to eat seafood on a stunningly beautiful day.

Hotel Salem

The welcome reception for wedding attendees was held in a function room at the Hotel Salem in Salem, MA. Many of the wedding guests were staying at this hotel for the weekend. We decided to check it out early and went up to the rooftop dining area called, The Roof.  The views over Salem from here were spectacular. The drinks and food were as well. The menu had a lot of Southwestern flair. We tried a chicken quesadilla, which was one of the better ones we have ever had. The nachos were amazing and so big, we couldn’t finish the entire pan. We had a variety of cocktails – prickly pear margarita, frosé, craft beer and an orange blossom margarita.

Mission Boathouse

On Saturday, the morning of the wedding, we had coffee down at the beach at the hotel. We decided we wanted to try to find a brunch place to have a good meal as we wouldn’t be eating until a bit later at the wedding. We stumbled upon Mission Boathouse while searching for brunch, and it was perfect. The restaurant is located on Beverly Harbor., though there is another one in Swampscott that we drove by on our way up. The restaurant is upstairs with sweeping views of the harbor. Our waitress was phenomenal and always approached with a smile.

Though the brunch here was not a buffet, it might as well have been as it is all you can eat for 90 minutes for $19.99. First, they bring over a large plate of home fries, focaccia bread and hummus for the table. Then you each select a couple of items from the menu. They come out as they are cooked and are served family style. Once those are gone, you can continue ordering as you wish. We didn’t make the 90 minute mark before we called it quits, but not before ordering dessert – lemon and raspberry sorbet. We recommended Mission Boathouse to others at the wedding for brunch the next day.

Hale St. Tavern and Oyster Bar

We had an hour or so before getting ready for the wedding, so we took a ride to a local establishment right down the street from our hotel. Hale St. Tavern and Oyster Bar, Beverly MA, resides in an old Cadillac dealership building, with the sign and photos still up on the walls. We grabbed a quick cocktail and half dozen oysters. All well done. The bartender was a sweetheart and very friendly. All the food coming out looked great.

Bonny Breads Bakery

Bonny Breads is on Cabot St. in Beverly, MA, which is considered the downtown area. Cabot St. boasts a variety of businesses and restaurants. On Sunday morning, we checked out of our hotel and went on a mission to find a cute coffee and pastry shop. When we drove by Bonny breads, its entry way and sign looked so inviting we decided that this was the spot. It was definitely the spot. The pastries were flaky and still warm and the lattés were delicious. We bought loaves of sour dough bread to take home, too. We sat at a little bistro table on the sidewalk and shared our pastries. I wish this place was closer to us.

We had a great time this weekend, celebrating Kati and Chris, spending time with wonderful friends and exploring the North Shore.

Until next time!

Regards,

Patti and Jim