Geographically Salisbury is a small beach community located on Cape Ann in the northeast corner of Massachusetts.
Impressions of Salisbury

We really enjoy this area. We have stopped here many times either going back to Maine or leaving Maine. It is a great stopping off location and we highly recommend visiting! The downtown area of Salisbury is the beach boardwalk. The boardwalk is filled with restaurants, hotels and tourist shops. There is a huge walking area that follows along the beach.
Food and Drink
Essex, MA

Woodman’s of Essex. This is where the New England fried clam originated on July 3rd, 1916 by Lawrence “Chubby” Woodman. NO ONE does it better. If you want the quintessential seafood dinner, Woodman’s is the place to go. Boiled lobster, lobster rolls, and ohhhhhhh those fried clams!!! And the fried onion rings are phenomenal! You will wait in two lines: one to order your food and one to order your drinks. If you are in the northeast corner of Massachusetts, this is the ONE place you must go to have the taste of seafood.
Newburyport, MA
Lexi’s Restaurant. Casual, local restaurant. Red, white and blue burgers and zesty fries are our favorite. Burger patties can be beef, “beanie” or cluck (chicken).
Michael’s Harborside. Classic seafood and steak restaurant located on the Merrimack River. Tourist and local favorite. Inside seating and three decks for outside eating. Lobster rolls are good!
Hampton, NH
Galley Hatch Restaurant. This is a local staple restaurant. Good food in a casual atmosphere. It has been around since 1970 and there is a reason! In addition to the restaurant, they also have a bakery and chef prepared meals to go. Try to carrot cake, it is the BEST!
Seabrook, NH
Brown’s Lobster Pound. In-the-rough eating on the waterfront. Mostly outside seating unless you are very, very lucky. Classic lobster rolls, boiled lobster, fried clams, and clam chowder. Cash only. BYOB.
Markey’s Lobster Pool. Across the street from Brown’s, also on the waterfront. This is a classic casual sit-down New England Seafood Restaurant. Everything for food options that Brown’s has. Markey’s has a lot more indoor seating and a bar, too!
Attractions
The beach, the boardwalk and seafood. Need we say more? Well, maybe we need to say more. There are arcades, restaurants, beach shops, hiking trails, fishing, boating, etc. in Salisbury.
There are many communities to visit within a 40 miles radius. You can choose from small fishing villages to the big city, Boston. Did you ever read the book or see the movie, The Perfect Storm? They were based on a real-life experience of fishermen out of Gloucester, a short drive from Salisbury.
Interested or in need of more places to shop, visit, things to do? Go to the town just north of Salisbury (MA), Seabrook, New Hampshire.
Home Base: The Campground
For us, a campground is not our destination. Our RV is self-contained. Rarely do we use campground services or amenities. We are explorers, not campground reviewers!
We have stayed at Beach Rose RV Park in Salisbury many, many times. It is a 2nd generation owned RV park centrally located off I-95 and Salisbury Beach. The campground is always clean and well maintained. The staff was friendly. All sites are all back-in, on level gravel. Sites are somewhat close together, but certainly average for sites in the northeast. 30 and 50 amp service was available. There was good cell phone coverage (Verizon) and a good open southern sky for our satellite.
Fun Facts
- Salisbury has 3.8 miles of sandy beach along the Atlantic Ocean.
- English settlers originally named the settlement (Salisbury) Colchester in 1638 before officially incorporating it as Salisbury in 1640, named after Salisbury, England.
- Early colonial graves in the historic Salisbury Colonial Burial Ground feature unique flat stone slabs placed directly on the ground to prevent wolves from digging up the graves.
- Sitting right on the north bank of the Merrimack River mouth, its northwestern tip marks the absolute northern limit of the Massachusetts coastline next to New Hampshire
Statistics as of 2026:
| Salisbury | |
| Population: | 9,465 |
| Founded: | 1639 |
| Elevation: | 26 ft. |
| Average Income: | $93,361 |
| Average Housing: | $632,918 |
| Average Age: | 51 yrs. |
Website:
https://www.salisburyma.gov/
Summary
We have been to Beach Rose RV Resort and to Salisbury many, many, many times. We have always had a relaxing time on the beach, enjoyed walking the boardwalk and have never run out of new seafood restaurants to try!!
Know that Salisbury will be a busy place in the summer, as it has one of the prettiest and cleanest beaches in the area. It is a big summer destination for people coming north from “the city” (Boston).
This is a highly recommended location to visit!
Since beginning our full-time journey to discover the country, we have found something to appreciate in every city and town we have passed through. We hope you enjoy reading about them as much as we have enjoyed discovering them!
Your partners in travel,
Kathryn and Dave
RVing Nomads
It’s a lifestyle
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| • We have visited each town, attraction and restaurant we are writing about. • No person, business or attraction has paid us for an endorsement. • AI has not been used to write any of the content of this blog. • All the photos in this blog were taken by Dave or Kathryn Harrington. |
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