If you're into exercise you might want to stay a Beverly Yacht Club - basic and cheap, about a mile walk into Salem and Beverly has its own flavor. Cabs also available. I'd skip Marblehead - unless you're into the Corinthean racing "thing ". Manchester by the Sea is charming and worth a stop. We didn't make it into Gloucester or Rockport but perhaps next year. Rockport is very crowded from what I heard, not my ideal... we usually like to avoid crowds.