Getting There
By car, take Route 1A north through Revere and Lynn; bear right at the signs for Nahant and Swampscott. Follow Lynn Shore Drive through Swampscott to Route 129, which runs into town. Or take I-93 or Route 1 to Route 128, then follow Route 114 through Salem into Marblehead. Parking is tough, especially in Old Town -- grab the first spot you see.
MBTA (tel. 617/222-3200; www.mbta.com) bus no. 441/442 runs from Haymarket (Orange or Green line) to downtown Marblehead. During rush periods on weekdays, the no. 448/449 connects Marblehead to Downtown Crossing. The trip takes about an hour, and the one-way fare is $2.80 with a CharlieCard, $3.50 with a CharlieTicket.
Visitor Information
The Marblehead Chamber of Commerce, 62 Pleasant St., Marblehead, MA 01945 (tel. 781/631-2868; www.visitmarblehead.com), is open weekdays from 9am to 5pm. The information booth (tel. 781/639-8469), on Pleasant Street near Spring Street, is open mid-May through October, Monday to Friday noon to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 6pm. The chamber publishes a visitor guide and map that includes a calendar of events; before you visit, download a description of a walking tour.
Special Events
Sailing regattas take place in the outer harbor all summer. The biggie, the National Offshore One Design (NOOD) Regatta, also known as Race Week, falls in mid- to late July and attracts enthusiasts from all over the country. The Christmas Walk, on the first weekend in December, incorporates music, arts and crafts, shopping, and Santa Claus, who arrives by lobster boat.
