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Merrimack Valley
Do you serve the Merrimack Valley for board and train?
Valley families have more than one way to Cape Ann, and the best one depends on where they join the road. This page traces Route 133 from I-495 to Gloucester, gives a rule for when a highway beats it, and covers the trips and the license.
Route 495 to 133
Route 133 links I-495 to Gloucester on one numbered road, about 41 miles from Lowell to its end
Route 133 begins in Lowell at Route 38 and Route 110, and it meets I-495 at exit 94 in Tewksbury. From there it heads east into Andover and crosses I-93 at exit 39. In North Andover it crosses Route 114 just north of Merrimack College, then shares the road with Route 125 for 2.7 miles before the two split near Lawrence Municipal Airport. It passes West Boxford, crosses I-95 at exit 78 in Georgetown, and meets US 1 at Kent Corner in Rowley.
In Rowley it joins Route 1A south into Ipswich, then turns toward Essex and enters Gloucester, where it crosses Route 128 at exit 53. Get on 128 there and follow it to its end, then Eastern Avenue to number 210. The full road runs about 41 miles from Lowell to its finish at Route 127 in Gloucester, and in Ipswich and Essex it passes through the town centers rather than around them.
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From I-495, take exit 94 in Tewksbury for Route 133 east
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Cross I-93 at exit 39 in Andover and keep heading east
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In North Andover, cross Route 114 and stay with 133 where Route 125 joins and leaves
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Continue through West Boxford and Georgetown, past I-95 at exit 78
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At Kent Corner in Rowley, follow 1A and 133 south into Ipswich
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Stay on 133 through Essex to Route 128 at exit 53
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Take Route 128 to its end and Eastern Avenue to number 210
Which road
Use Route 133 the whole way only from towns along it; from elsewhere, a highway to Route 128 is usually quicker
Our rule of thumb follows where you join. From Andover or North Andover, 133 is direct and easy to follow, and when the Ipswich stretch is busy you can leave it for I-95 south at exit 78 in Georgetown and pick up Route 128 north in Peabody. From Lawrence and Methuen, the valley town pages on this site route you east on Route 114 to Route 128 instead, which avoids the town centers altogether.
From Haverhill, Route 97 runs south to Georgetown, where you choose between I-95 and the rest of Route 133. From Lowell and Tewksbury, 133 from exit 94 is the simplest way to describe, though I-93 south to Route 128 can be quicker on a clear day. By our estimate, outside rush hour, North Andover sits about 50 minutes away, Andover, Haverhill and Lawrence about 55, and Methuen about 60.
- Andover or North Andover: Route 133, with I-95 as the bypass
- Lawrence or Methuen: Route 114 east to Route 128
- Haverhill: Route 97 to Georgetown, then I-95 or Route 133
- Lowell or Tewksbury: Route 133 from exit 94, or I-93 to Route 128
Trips and timing
The evaluation is the only drive fixed to a weekday morning, so fit the other trips around your week
Foundation asks for three drives to Gloucester: the free evaluation, held on weekdays between 6:30 and 9:30 AM by appointment; drop-off on the agreed day; and go-home day, when you collect your dog and take the first lesson. Advanced adds a fourth for the second scheduled coaching lesson. At 50 to 60 minutes each way, that comes to roughly five to six hours on the road for Foundation.
Weekday windows run 6:30 to 9:30 AM, 12 to 1 PM and 4 to 6:30 PM, and Saturday windows 8 to 10 AM, 12 to 1 PM and 4 to 6 PM, which suit families who work weekdays. If you would rather not drive, the Lowell and Haverhill commuter lines both end at North Station, where the Rockport branch to Gloucester starts; under the MBTA's rider rules, larger dogs ride only off-peak and on a leash.
- Evaluation: a weekday, 6:30 to 9:30 AM
- Drop-off and go-home day: any window you can stay through
- Advanced: one more drive for the second lesson
- Train: two lines via North Station, off-peak only
Valley licenses
Each valley town licenses its own dogs, so bring your town's license and check it against the stay dates
Massachusetts law requires the owner or keeper of a dog over six months to license it in the city or town where the dog is kept, and the licensing office will not issue a license without a veterinarian's certification of rabies vaccination. So a Lowell dog carries a Lowell license and a Haverhill dog a Haverhill one, each on its own town's calendar. Check your clerk's page for the renewal date rather than assuming Gloucester's April 30.
Bring the license to the evaluation with Rabies, DHPP and Bordetella records. A commercial boarding or training kennel in Massachusetts has to keep license records for every dog in its care, which is why the license sits on our list beside the vaccines. If the stay crosses your town's renewal date, renew first. The North Andover, Andover, Haverhill, Methuen and Lawrence pages on this site list each clerk's fees.
- A license from your own city or town clerk
- A rabies certificate from your vet
- DHPP and Bordetella records
- Renewal done if the stay crosses the deadline
At Dogtown
What valley families drive in for
Board and train uses our overnight suites and matched playgroups, all at one address in Gloucester.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
Does the Pup Van run to the Merrimack Valley?
Is Route 133 slower than the highway?
Is a stay in Gloucester the right choice for a valley dog?
Do we need a Gloucester license for the stay?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
- Massachusetts Route 133 (route description)
- Massachusetts General Laws c. 140, s. 137
- Massachusetts General Laws c. 140, s. 137A
- MBTA rider rules and regulations
Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.
Keep reading
Next step
Take Route 133 to the coast.
Send the training form with your town and your dates. The team replies within one hour on business days and plans the evaluation and drop-off with your drive in mind.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
