Look down and you’ll immediately find yourself on the Amalfi Coast or Lake Como. Hotels in Italy especially attract guests with their abundant swimming docks, but people find it harder to spot these docks in Massachusetts.
You can discover one of the most picturesque swimming docks—perfect for diving into glistening salt water or enjoying an oceanfront picnic while the waves brush up against the wooden dock—at the bottom of a park hidden from plain sight.
Marblehead, Massachusetts, a town recognized as one of the “top coastal towns in America,” features Crocker Park, which showcases one of New England’s top summertime gems. A humble and sunny swimming dock with a designated swim area sits at the bottom of a long, dramatic cliffside staircase. Local residents fill the dock with splashing fun on hot summer holidays. During the week, visitors filter in and out, establishing a quieter atmosphere.
Crocker Park, a historic site of just under three acres, includes the swimming float and lies just off Marblehead’s main Old Town shopping area on Washington Street. If you access the park, you’ll notice the path feels strange, as though you’re walking through someone’s backyard—because you almost are. After you turn onto the pedestrian-only “Crocker Park Lane,” panoramic views of Marblehead Harbor greet you, along with ample benches, a gazebo, a pavilion, restrooms, and even a swinging bench perfect for relaxing. You’ll find Crocker Park is one of the area’s best places to watch the sunrise, with pink and orange hues above hundreds of floating boats.
From afar, you can admire Marblehead Light, New England’s only skeletal lighthouse. Cast iron forms its unique skeleton frame, creating a fascinating lighthouse you can view from Crocker Park or examine up close at Chandler Hovey Park. Just minutes from the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway, Crocker Park offers a serene coastal adventure.