The City of Marblehead is blessed with one of the most beautiful harbors in the Eastern United States. This historic seaside town is an easy half-hour drive or boat ride from Boston. Marblehead Harbor has more than 30 inns and bed and breakfasts for visitors who want to enjoy the historic maritime environment. Over 200 buildings and homes survive from before the Revolutionary War in Marblehead Harbor. Downtown streets are lined with galleries, unique boutiques, and entertainment venues.
Marblehead Harbor has a humid continental climate with maritime influences due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. Summers are humid, warm, and rainy. Winters can be windy, cold, and snowy. Located on the coast, Marblehead Harbor experiences frequent Nor-easters that produce volumes of snow or rain. Fog is common in the spring and early summer, and tropical storms may strike in early autumn. Temperatures range from an average high of 28°C (82°F) in July to an average low of -5.5°C (22°F) in January. Rainfall is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, and most snowfall comes in January and February.
History buffs will love their visit to Marblehead Harbor. Of particular interest is Fort Sewall, once manned by United States soldiers to defend the new country from the British. Today, it is a peaceful park offering the best views of Marblehead Harbor. In 1814, the famous Constitution escaped from two British frigates into Marblehead Harbor, protected by the guns at Fort Sewall. The fort still has the bunkers and underground rooms that were used to hold prisoners. The park is open every day throughout the year from dawn until sunset. It has restrooms, and admission is free.
When Jeremiah Lee was the richest merchant and ship owner in the State of Massachusetts in the late 1760s, he built a stunning colonial Georgian mansion in Marblehead Harbor. The Jeremiah Lee Mansion is preserved as it was at that time.
The home contains rare hand-painted English wallpapers, the finest of early American furniture, and 18th Century treasures like silver, ceramics, mirrors, textiles, and clocks. Visitors can take a guided tour of 18 furnished rooms covering three floors that represent the daily life of Marblehead Harbor's wealthy residents. The beautiful Lee Mansion Gardens surrounding the mansion have been lovingly maintained by the Marblehead Garden Club since 1936. Open from July through October on Tuesday through Saturday from 10am until 4pm, admission to the Jeremiah Lee Mansion is $5 per person for non-members.
With a long maritime tradition, Marblehead Harbor is a great place to enjoy sailing. Atlantic Charters in Marblehead Harbor offers sailboat charters, sailing lessons, and sailboat rentals as well as providing a venue for private events.
Their best Friendship Sloop, the Resolute can carry 15 passengers who want to have an authentic sailing experience. Passengers can take part in sailing the boat or just sit back and enjoy the views and the islands dotting the North Shore coast. Atlantic Charters offers 2-hour, 4-hour, and 7-hour captained charters. Its vessels can be rented for a period of 4 hours, a full day, weekends, or full weeks.
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