Exploration

CraneOutdoors: Castle Neck Riverboat Tour

Tour the waters of Essex Bay estuary aboard the Trustee's pontoon boat Osprey!

Join us for a cruise in Essex Bay aboard our pontoon boat the Osprey! We’ll view the seldom seen backside of the Crane Wildlife Refuge and take a turn around Choate Island to view the open fields, wooded hillside and historic structures from the water while hearing stories and learning fun facts about the area from our veteran riverboat captains.

When: 
Wednesdays & Fridays through September 2022 Times Vary
Select Mondays Through September 2022 Times Vary

Beach Discovery at Parker River Wildlife Refuge

Discover and explore the facts of the creatures you find at the beach at Joppa

Join Parker River NWR for our weekly beach discovery event featuring Mass Audubon's traveling touch tank! This program allows you to get up close and personal to live beach creatures including crabs, snails, hermit crabs and more. Through hands-on activities, you'll get to explore what makes Plum Island such a unique habitat for many kinds of wildlife.

When: 
Thursdays, July 7 - August 11, 2022 10am-Noon

A Pond a Week at Harold Parker

Discover what creatures live in New England Ponds at Harold Parker State Forest! Photo ©Bill O'Connor

Harold Parker state Forest has 11 ponds, 9 of which were created by the CCC. During the month, visit 4 of these ponds. Learn their function and importance. Meet at the Nature Center inside the campground. Wear appropriate hiking shoes. It is recommended that you bring water, insect repellent and sun screen. Appropriate for all ages, must be able to walk several miles.

When: 
Sundays through July 2022 9:30-11am

Paddleboarding Adventures

Join Change is Simple Inc on the Ipswich River for an afternoon of exploration and fun!

Change is Simple’s Paddle Adventures have been a blast for years and this year we are adding something NEW; adults. Yes, now you can paddle with your child. It is not required but if adults would like to paddle with the child they are signing up, just sign yourself up too! These adventures are packed with fun for all ages and we have all the gear you need thanks to support from Keen Shoes, New Belgium Brewing Co. and Isle Paddleboards. Each adventure will have a different learning focus; from local species and fisheries, to marine plastics, tap water and sea level rise. All made fun by our creative team. Space is limited to ten participants per session. Minimum participation is 5 participants.

When: 
Wednesday, August 7, 2019 9am-Noon
Wednesday, August 14, 2019 9am-Noon

Nature Adventures with Picture Books: What is a Bug?

Explore the world of bugs through storytelling at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctua

Bring your young naturalist to the sanctuary this summer and experience the joy of books and the wonders of nature. Participate in hands-on nature-related activities inspired by the stories. Sign up for one or more of these adventurous programs.

When: 
Tuesday, July 15, 2014 9:30 am - 11:00 am

Lazy Afternoon on the Ipswich River

Spend the afternoon on the Ipswich River with Mass Audubon!

Bring your young naturalist to the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary to enjoy an afternoon on the Ipswich River! The dog days of summer can be unpleasant, to say the least. Escape the heat with a relaxing paddle on the cool waters of the Ipswich River and enjoy some ice cream, too! We will take a short trip up to shady Perkins Island where we will enjoy some frozen treats and then take our time meandering downstream while enjoying the beauty of the surrounding marshes and forests.

When: 
Tuesday, July 30, 2013 2-4pm

Nature Adventures: My River

Turtles are just one of the creatures you'll find on the Ipswich River

Bring your young naturalist to the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary this summer and experience the joy of books and the wonders of nature. Participate in hands-on nature-related activities inspired by the stories. Sign up for one or more of these adventurous programs.

When: 
Tuesday, Jul 30, 2013 9:30 am - 11:00 am

Nature Adventures: Spiders

In Today's Nature Adventures at IRWS we'll read Are you a Spider? by Judy Allen

Bring your young naturalist to the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary this summer and experience the joy of books and the wonders of nature. Participate in hands-on nature-related activities inspired by the stories. Sign up for one or more of these adventurous programs.

When: 
Tuesday, Jul 23, 2013 9:30 am - 11:00 am

Nature Adventures: Frogs and Toads

In Today's Nature Adventures at IRWS we'll read '"See How They Grow: Frogs"

Bring your young naturalist to the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary this summer and experience the joy of books and the wonders of nature. Participate in hands-on nature-related activities inspired by the stories. Sign up for one or more of these adventurous programs.

When: 
Tuesday, Jul 16, 2013 9:30 am - 11:00 am

Pages

Northeast Massachusetts Youth Orchestras

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Crane Outdoors: Kayak Adventure on the Castle Neck River

Take a guided kayak paddle adventure on the Castle Neck River with the Trustees of Reservations!
One of the best was to enjoy the natural beauty of the Massachusetts North Shore is kayaking the placid waters of the Great Marsh—the largest continuous stretch of salt marsh in New England, extending from Cape Ann to New Hampshire. The Castle Neck peninsula on the Crane Estate is a vast barrier...
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Marblehead Farmers' Market

Find fresh local produce and other foods at the Marblehead Farmer's Market!
The Marblehead Farmer's Market boasts 15+ local farms, and booths with an educational spin nutrition, vendors and farms selling homemade prepared goods and craft vendors that are switched up in a rotation basis week to week. Additionally there are entertainers and exhibits by environmentally...
9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Plant Sale at Emma Andrews Library

Plant Sale fundraiser at Emma Andrews Library in Newburyport Massachusetts
Emma Andrews Library and Community Center invites you to the library for their annual fundraising plant sale!   As you are contemplating your gardens and find an excess of plants or plants that need dividi
9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Music Together - Saturday

Marblehead, Beverly Farms, Hamilton, Salem, Peabody Music Together
Music Together® is a research-based music & movement program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and the grown-ups who love them. Music Together® classes make it easy for parents/primary caregivers to play a crucial role in activating their child's music development. Classes are 45 minutes...
9:15 am to 11:15 am

Home & Food Truck Show | Topsfield

Home and Food Truck show at the Topfield Fairground in Massachusetts
April 20th & 21st. FREE admission and FREE parking. All INDOORS & Enjoy the Food Trucks outside. Speak to leading home industry professionals to plan your spring home projects.
10:00 am to 6:59 pm

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.
10:00 am to 3:59 pm

Sing & Dance with the Music Man

Sing & Dance with the Music Man Brian Doser in Hamilton visit Massachusetts
Come join the fun at Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham Monday, Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10am for 30 - 45 minutes of great music with Brian Doser! Sing and dance with the Music Man during a family concert, featuring familiar and original tunes, performed by local dad and musician,...
10:00 am to 10:45 am

Guided Tour | When Granite Was King!

Find out the story behind the history of granite quarrying at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport!
Halibut Point State Park is also a granite quarry with a history that goes back billions of years! Over one hundred years ago, the Rockport Granite Company quarried granite stone here.
11:00 am to 12:00 pm

Long Hill Garden Tours

Tour the Gardens at the Trustees of Reservations Long Hill Gardens in Beverly, Massachusetts!
The Trustees of Reservations invite you to join our expert guides for a tour around Long Hill’s stunning Sedgwick Gardens and learn more about the special plants it’s most known for. In addition to learning about what plants are in bloom as well as the rare and unique species in our collection, you...
11:00 am to 12:00 pm

Garden Tours at Stevens Coolidge Estate

Come enjoy the fantastic flower display in the gardens at the Trustees of Reservations Stevens-Coolidge Place in North Andover!
Enter a world of early 20th-century country elegance and contemporary garden design all in bloom at Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens. These expansive manicured gardens boast both plentiful European-inspired flower beds as designed in the 1920s, as well as newly installed gardens featuring...
12:00 pm

CraneOutdoors: Choate Island Kayak and Hiking Adventure

Take a guided kayak paddle and hike to Choate Island with the Trustees of Reservations!
Join The Trustees of Reservations for a paddle and a hike – what better way to spend an afternoon?  Circumnavigating an island is one of the great rewards of kayaking and reaching the summit of a hill that offers a great view is one of the payoffs of a good hike. This adventure in the Crane...
1:00 pm to 4:30 pm

Thursday, June 13

Salem Farmers' Market

The Salem Farmer's Market bring the goodness of local farm to downtown Salem!
The Salem Farmers' Market brings fresh local produce and other foods from North Shore farms and other local resources to downtown Salem every Thursday at  Bentley Academy Charter School!
3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Ipswich Homegrown Market

Ipswich Homegrown Market on the Middle Green in Ipswich Massachusetts.
Every Thursday through the Summer, you will find fresh local produce and other foods from local vendors at the Middle Green in Ipswich Massachusetts! Come enjoy this weekly community event featuring local growers, makers, artists, and dreamers.
3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Salisbury Farmers' Market

Salisbury Farmers Market is a great source of local produce.
The Salisbury Farmers' Market offers a vibrant community experience with a variety of fresh, locally sourced produce, unprocessed honey, farm-fresh eggs, and maple syrup. Enjoy music, local market creations, and engage with local farmers. The market also features monthly craft markets, cooking...
5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Summer Concert Series at Lynch Park

Free Summer Concerts hosted by Bev Rec at Lynch Park in Beverly Massachusetts
Enjoy free concerts this Summer at Lynch Park in Beverly, Massachusetts!  Families are encourages to grab a chair and a blank and head to the park for a free concert at Lynch Park's ampitheater.
Where: Lynch Park
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Friday, June 14

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.
10:00 am to 3:59 pm

Annual Art in the Barn Exhibit and Sale

Art in the Barn is a fundraiser for the Essex County Greenbelt Association Essex Mass
Art in the Barn is recognized as one of the North Shore’s premier art events, featuring the most talented artists in the region. An annual event for over 30 years, the show normally takes place at Greenbelt's headquarters, Cox Reservation in Essex, and this year we will bring the fine art paintings...
10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Home & Food Truck Show | Topsfield

Home and Food Truck show at the Topfield Fairground in Massachusetts
April 20th & 21st. FREE admission and FREE parking. All INDOORS & Enjoy the Food Trucks outside. Speak to leading home industry professionals to plan your spring home projects.
10:00 am to 6:59 pm

Fathers Day Jet Rally Plum Island

The Fathers Day Jet Rally is hosted by Plum Island Airport RC Club in Newburyport Massachusetts!
Come to Plum Island during Fathers Day Weekend full of RC fun and flying! Spectators always welcome! This is a great opportunity to see some cool models!
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Music Together - Friday

Marblehead, Beverly Farms, Hamilton, Salem, Peabody Music Together
Music Together® is a research-based music & movement program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and the grown-ups who love them. Music Together® classes make it easy for parents/primary caregivers to play a crucial role in activating their child's music development. Classes are 45 minutes...
10:30 am to 11:15 am
Subscribe to Exploration