Download Essex Heritage Scenic Byway Map(.pdf)

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Travelers along the 64-mile Essex Heritage Scenic Byway will experience much of what New England has to offer: historic seaports,colonial era farms, village and city centers, and a wealth of period architecture. Set against the backdrop of rocky seashore and The Great Marsh, New England's largest salt marsh, the byway traverses thirteen communities and is anchored at each end by the gateway cities of Lynn, a former industrial epicenter and Newburyport, a historic shipbuilding and trade port renowned for its intact Federal Period (1780-1830) architecture and restored commercial downtown district.

Along the way, the byway passes through Swampscott and Marblehead, quiet communities with strong ties to the sea. The historic port of Salem became one of the largest cities in the country during the "Golden Age of Sail," sending ships around the world. Today, a portion of Salem's waterfront is preserved by the National Park Service as a reminder of the city's maritime heritage. Salem is also recognized for its abundance of historic homes and intact neighborhoods, ranging from the 17th to the 19th centuries.

The towns of Beverly and Manchester-by-the-Sea formed what became known as "The Gold Coast," where wealthy elites from Boston and around the nation built summer estates in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Continuing north on the byway, the communities of Manchester-by-the-Sea, Gloucester, Rockport and Essex comprise Cape Ann, a rocky peninsula renowned for its dramatic coastline, scenic landscapes, and maritime heritage. For centuries, artists have flocked to the region to capture its beauty.

Ipswich, Rowley, and Newbury, among the country's oldest settlements, are well-known for their extant collection of First Period (1625-1725) dwellings and other vestiges of 17th and18 th Century rural New England town "greens", burying grounds, meeting houses, and early maritime and industrial sites.

Together, the 13 byway communities contain over 8700 properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places as well as several National Historic Landmark properties. The region's unique story is chronicled by the numerous historical societies and house museums found along the byway. Easily accessed from the route are a national wildlife refuge, two state wildlife management areas, and numerous beaches, trails, and parcels of conservation land open to the public.

ENHA visitor centers in Lynn, Salem, Gloucester, Ipswich and Newburyport can help the byway traveler discover the region's rich history and culture by car or bicycle.

Download Essex Heritage Scenic Byway Map(.pdf)

Length of Byway: 64 miles

Location: Lynn, Swampscott, Marblehead, Salem, Beverly, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Gloucester, Essex, Ipswich, Rowley, Newbury, and Newburyport, Essex County, Massachusetts

Driving Directions: The Essex Heritage Scenic Byway begins in Lynn on MA Rte 1A and proceeds north following Rte 1A to Rte 129 in Swampscott. It then continues on Rte 129 to Rte 114 in Marblehead; follows Rte 114 to Rte 1A in Salem; and then follows Rte 1A to Rte 127 through Beverly and Manchester-by-the-Sea and into Gloucester. The Byway continues on Rte 127 into and through Rockport, and at the intersection of Routes 127 and 133 in the city of Gloucester, the byway proceeds northerly along Route 133 through the town of Essex and into the town of Ipswich, where it merges with Route 1A. It then follows Route 1A northerly through the towns of Ipswich, Rowley, and Newbury, and into the city of Newburyport, terminating on High Street.