Latest Stories, Events, Activities, Camps & Recipes

Come to the Patton Homestead in Hamilton Massachusetts for a self-guided Sails and Trails Tour
Visitors are invited to engage in a self-guided audio tour created by the Wenham Museum for the Patton Family Archive and Town of Hamilton. Participants may come to the property at their leisure. A kiosk housing the QR code, and start of the tour, is located in the lower, gravel parking lot; parking is free of charge. The tour shares historical information about the Patton Family and grounds. Upon completion, guests are encouraged to explore the nature trail along the Ipswich River and take in the view at the Greenbelt River Overlook.
Location: Patton Homestead
Take a Free tour of Gloucester Massachusetts City Hall's renovated tower as part of Trails and Sails 2024!
Get a bird’s eye view of Gloucester and Cape Ann! Experience the WOW factor by climbing up the interior of City Hall’s clock and bell tower. Weather permitting, the views over Gloucester and Cape Ann are spectacular. Your guides will also tell you about the history of Gloucester’s most significant architectural building that has defined our skyline for over 150 years.
Location: Gloucester City Hall
Take a hike along the newly created trail links the southern edge of the Trustees of Reservation's Ravenswood Park with the City of Gloucester's Rafe's Chasm Park.
Join us for a hike across Magnolia Woods to the oceanside cliffs of Rafe’s Chasm! This 3-mile round trip hike takes us through a 300-acre area of woodlands owned by the City of Gloucester (across the street from Ravenswood Park), out to Rafe’s Chasm, which features spectacular views of the ocean from rocky cliffs.
Location: Ravenswood Park
Take a self-guided tour of Hammond Castle in Gloucester as part of Trails and Sails!
Hammond Castle Museum was built in the 1920s by inventor John Hays Hammond, Jr. as a home for his extensive collection of medieval artifacts and his research laboratory.Guests may explore the breathtaking building and grounds of Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester and take a SELF-GUIDED tour offering new insight into the inventor that was one of the North Shore’s most dynamic residents. Guests should plan 60 minutes to explore the Museum. We look forward to your visit!
Location: Hammond Castle Museum
Finding and Identifying Marine Invasive Species at Maritime Gloucester in Massachusetts as partof Trails& Sails
Maritime Gloucester invites participants to pull up dock lines on the pier and see what marine creatures we can find! Using magnifying glasses, microscopes, and identification cards, we’ll discover as many marine invasive critters as we can. After investigating the dock, we encourage families to explore the Maritime Gloucester Campus, including the Seapocket Aquarium, the Marine Science & Education Center, and Gorton’s Seafood Gallery of Maritime Heritage in Gloucester, all free of charge.
Location: Maritime Gloucester
Explore the Brocklebank Museum in Georgetown Massachusetts as part of Trails and Sails!
Visit the Brocklebank Museum, built in the late 1600s, with ties to the abolitionist movement and the famous Beecher family. Experience the lifestyle and the occupations of those living in Essex County from the early 1600’s through the early 1900’s. Step back in time with the Georgetown Historical Society at our open house of the Brocklebank, Nelson, Beecher house and grounds. Tour our historic home, kitchen door gardens and historic fruit tree varieties’.
Location: Brocklebank Museum
The Essex Massachusetts Shipbuilding Museum's Shipyard is fun for the whole family. This open house is part of Essex Heritage Trails & Sails
Essex Shipbuilding Museum invites families to enjoy complimentary admission to the Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum and explore the Shipyard!
Location: Essex Shipbuilding Museum
See an ancient weapon demonstration at the Rebecca Nurse Homestead in Danvers Massachusetts as part of Trails and Sails!
Come to Rebecca Nurse Homestead to try your hand at ancient hunting practices! The technique of using an atlatl, or spear throwing stick, is an ancient global technology. Join us, along with the Eugene Winter Chapter of Mass Archaeological Society, as they teach you the finer points about hunting in the ancient world! Stop by the Rebecca Nurse Homestead and hunt a woolly mammoth or woolly rhinoceros. Fun and educational for adults and kids of all ages. Wooly mammoth tooth and mastodon tooth and tusk will be on display along with samples of Native American Artifacts found in Danvers. This event is FREE as part of Trails & Sails! If you would like to visit the Nurse Homestead museum, paid admission is required.
Location: Rebecca Nurse Homestead
Take a tour of this historic Beverly landmark thats usually closed to the public as part of Trials and Sails!
One of Beverly's most familiar landmarks, this lighthouse commands a spectacular view of Salem Sound, and 3 other lighthouses. An enduring monument to Beverly's nautical heritage, it is one of 5 Massachusetts lighthouses that still retains its original Fresnel lens.
Location: Hospital Point Lighthouse
Become an archaeologist at the historic John Balch house in Beverly Massachusetts
Have you heard the expression, “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure”? Become an archaeologist at the historic John Balch house with this program focusing on excavations performed at the house in 1998. Examine a selection of objects found during the dig, find out about what they were used for and when they were using it, then get your hands dirty by digging in a makeshift pit yourself! Tours of the house are offered throughout the day.
Location: Balch House

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Art Academy Summer Program at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly MA

Todd Farm Market

Come to Todd Farm on Sunday - A classic New England Fleas Market in Rowley Massachusetts!
From early Spring to late Fall, Todd Farm is a great Sunday destination for families!  Head to the farm and explore the outdoor award-winning Market featuring up to 240 vendors from all over New England and New York!
5:00 am to 3:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Take a hike along the Saugus River Estuary ande explore the Saugus Iron Works Park grounds in Massachusetts
Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Trails & Sails

Explore the North Shore with over 150 Free Events in Essex National Heritage Area's Trails & Sails celebration in Massachusetts.
Essex National Heritage Area sites will offer over 150 free family fun events from September 14-29, 2024 for the annual celebration of TRAILS & SAILS. Discover special places in your backyard and be guided through unique landscapes on land and sea, explore historic properties, and take in...
7:00 am to 10:00 pm

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

Outdoor Sculpture at Maudslay | Thread

Artists will install their sculptures at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts for public viewing!
Enjoy a self-guided walking tour of the 25th Annual Outdoor Sculpture at Maudslay Exhibit September 8-29 featuring 50 site specific sculptures by local artists addressing this year’s theme, ‘Thread' within the magnificence of Maudslay State Park in Newburyport. Look for the large green trail head...
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

The Lady of Salem: Maritime Art

Learn about the history of Salem Massachusetts through this unique public art installation self-guided tour!
Discover Salem’s Golden Age of Sail as you uncover clues! Celebrate America’s Maritime History! The Ladies of Salem will have you looking up at whimsical and beautifully designed figureheads gracing lampposts downtown. “What is a figurehead ?” you may ask? It’s a large carved wooden decorative...
8:00 am to 10:00 pm

Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit at Pingree School

Pingree School in Hmailton Massachusetts hosts their annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture exhibit each Fall. Sculpture: Phoenix by Robin Tost.
Pingree School hosts the 15th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, MA. Pingree . The exhibit will open in early September with more than 50 temporary works on display in addition to the 20 pieces in the permanent collection of Pingree School. The exhibit ...
8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Birding Basics Walk at Halibut Point

You and your child can learn the basics of birding at Halibut Point State Park
Stroll our seaside treasure with birding basics. Watch for them in the field’s, woodland’s, and at the ocean’s edges. Learn about their sounds, habits, and flight patterns. Enjoy extraordinary views. Bring your binoculars.
8:00 am to 10:00 am

Newburyport Farmers' Market

Newburyport Farmers find organic locally grown produce, meat, dairy Newburyport
The Newburyport Farmers Summer Market celebrates local fresh produce every Sunday morning rain or shine!  Start your Sunday browsing fresh North Shore local produce, meats, cheeses, and seafood in an open air market atmosphere! Food and beverage vendors offer fresh hot coffee, breakfast treats and...
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Visit the Saugus Iron Works Museum

Visit the Saugus Iron Works Museum and learn about the history of iron making in Massachusetts
Learn about the history of iron making at the Saugus Iron Works Museum. Exhibits include artifacts excavated during the archaeological dig performed on-site in the 1940s-1950s.
9:00 am to 4:00 pm

'Head to the Hill' 5K Road Race

North Shore Lynch Van Otterloo YMCA 'Head to the Hill 5k Marblehead Massachusetts
Join North Shore YMCA and the Lynch van Otterloo YMCA host the 'Head to the Hill' 5k. Traverse the hills of Marblehead in support of the Y's Corner Stone collaborative program that provides free membership and support to individuals with cancer, those in treatment/recovery and their immediate...
9:00 am

Half Marathon by the Sea

Half Marathon by the Sea in manchester Massachusetts hosted by YuKanRun!
Named for the host community of Manchester-by-the-Sea, the race provides scenic views. Race through the historic and charming downtown and past the pristine fresh water lakes in nearby Hamilton, MA.
9:45 am

It’s a Hard Dock Life at Maritime Gloucester

Finding and Identifying Marine Invasive Species at Maritime Gloucester in Massachusetts as partof Trails& Sails
Maritime Gloucester invites participants to pull up dock lines on the pier and see what marine creatures we can find! Using magnifying glasses, microscopes, and identification cards, we’ll discover as many marine invasive critters as we can. After investigating the dock, we encourage families to...
10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Rowley's Annual Antique Tractor Show

The Rowley Antique Tractor Contest has more than tractors!
Come to the Rowley Town Common to enjoy a celebration of farms and farming.  In addition to the famers market, there will be working antique tractors will be on display for judging.  Enjoy a live bluegrass music performance at t
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Beverly Airshow 2024

Come see aviation honored in all shapes and sizes at the Beverlyu Massachusetts Regional Airport!
Families are invited to the Beverly Regional Airport for a weekend of fun! Come for an action-packed day featuring six amazing live performers, remote control aircraft displays, and static and military aircraft exhibits. Watch skydivers at noon and enjoy a variety of food trucks on site. Take a...
10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Swampscott Farmer's Market

The Swampscott Farmers Market happens every Sunday through October.
Rain or shine, the Swampscott Farmers’ Market features a wide variety of produce, meats, fish, breads, flowers and crafts from farmers, food producers, and artisans from around Massachusetts and nearby New England states. Anchoring the market, Swampscott will have Clark Farm providing a large...
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

CoastSweep: Stage Fort Park

Damaged and lost fishing gear is a major source of coastal trash, like this lobster pot washed onto the shore by a storm. CoastSweep Cleanup Gloucester Massachusetts
As part of COASTSWEEP Beach Cleanup, volunteers are encouraged to come to Stage Fort Park to help in the statewide effort to keep our coastline clean along the
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

North Andover Farmers' Market

North Andover Farmers Market every Sunday Through October 2, 2022
The North Andover Farmers Market is the perfect destination for anyone living in the Merrimack Valley or the North Shore to shop and enjoy locally-sourced products. The market will take place in the center of town at the intersection of First Street and Main Street. The market has become known for...
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Free Ranger guided tours of the Saugus Iron Works House in Massachusetts
Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.
11:00 am

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

Salem Witch Hunt Walking Tour

Learn about the true reality of the Salem Massachusetts Witch Trials Salem Massachusetts on a guided walking tour with Essex Heritage
Essex Hertiage invites you to learn the true causes and events behind the Salem Witch Trials in our documentary film, then discover the myths during our walking tour. The Salem Witch Trials happened over 300 years ago, and it has been dramatized in books, documentaries, movies, and even TV shows....
11:45 am to 3:00 pm

Farm Days Festival

Farm Days is a family event held at Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts
Join us for our Annual Fall Celebration at Appleton – Farm Days! Spend the afternoon exploring the farm, listening to music, enjoying great food & beer, hiking our trails, entertaining the kids and more. Please Note: Tickets are per vehicle, not per person, and include access to the farm and...
12:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Vintage BaseBall at Spencer-Peirce Little Farm

Come see how baseball used to be played at Spencer Pierce Little Farm. Photo: Matthew Muise Photography
It’s Base Ball, 1864 style at Spencer Peirce Little Farm! These fun, historically accurate games feature underhand pitching and no gloves are allowed. A ball bounced once and caught is an out! Snacks, baseballs, and cards are available for purchase. Come and see for yourself how this game was...
12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Drop-in Open House at the Nature Center

Drop-in Open House at the Bradley Palmer State Park Nature Center in Hamilton Ipswich Massachusetts
Explore the Nature Center at your leisure. The Park Interpreter will be on hand to demonstrate and answer questions. Come see and touch animal furs, replica skulls, animal models, and other natural history materials. For little artists, coloring pages and washable markers will be on hand.
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Step Aboard the Friendship of Salem

Permission to come aboard the Friendship of Salem is granted at Derby Wharf in Salem Massachusetts!
Explore the FRIENDSHIP OF SALEM, a replica tall ship based on a 1796 Salem vessel at Salem Maritime National Historic Site.
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Brocklebank Museum Open House

Explore the Brocklebank Museum in Georgetown Massachusetts as part of Trails and Sails!
Visit the Brocklebank Museum, built in the late 1600s, with ties to the abolitionist movement and the famous Beecher family.
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Spirit of ’76 & WPA Murals Tours

The famous painting 'The Spirit of '76' by Archibald Willard at Abbot Hall in Marblehead Massachusetts
Did you know the famous painting The Spirit of '76 painting resides at Abbot Hall in Marblehead?
Where: Abbot Hall
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works Tours

Free Ranger guided tours at Saugus Iron Works Colonial Industrial Site in Massachusetts
Join the National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a tour of the colonial industrial site. On select days, you may be able to stick around and witness pop-up molten iron pour, blacksmithing, waterwheel demonstrations, and take part in hands-on river stewardship activities.
2:00 pm

Historic Port of Ipswich Tour

Ipswich Museum hosts a Trails and Sails Historic Tour of the Town of Ipswich Massachusetts as a port.
Join local history buff, Scott Jewell, on a walk around the town of Ipswich and learn about the fascinating history of its former bustling port. Once a hub of maritime trade and commerce, the fate of the port was intricately tied to the rise and fall of the town’s 18th century economy, and the...
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Saturday, September 21

Ocean Views Walk from Ravenswood to Rafe's Chasm

Take a hike along the newly created trail links the southern edge of the Trustees of Reservation's Ravenswood Park with the City of Gloucester's Rafe's Chasm Park.
Join us for a hike across Magnolia Woods to the oceanside cliffs of Rafe’s Chasm! This 3-mile round trip hike takes us through a 300-acre area of woodlands owned by the City of Gloucester (across the street from Ravenswood Park), out to Rafe’s Chasm, which features spectacular views of the ocean...
10:00 am to 12:30 pm

Salisbury Days Car Show

Come to Salisbury Beach Massachusetts for a classic car show that lasts all weekend!
Salisbury Days is hosting a classic car & motorcycle show at Salisbury Beach, along and around the Broadway Loop. Hope to see you there! No registration required. FREE for spectators and Exhibitors. Trophies. ALL music - Live streamed from @Tayles & Co Radio / Cool 94.1.
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Marbleheaders in the American Revolution

Glovers Regiment in Marblehead Massachusetts is just one stop on this Trails & Sails tour.
Pick up a program book and experience Revolutionary War-era Marblehead at various sites in the Historic District. Meet the wife of war hero, James Mugford; explore Fort Sewall with Glover’s Regiment; meet diarist Ashley Bowen portrayed by Donald Friary and experience an Anglican service at St....
11:00 am to 3:00 pm

Coastal Farming Walking Tour - Essex

Tour Cogswell's Grant Coastal Farm in Essex Massachusetts as part of Trails & Sails
Cogswell’s Grant is a coastal farm of 165 acres located along the banks of the Essex River, just two miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean. On this walking tour, explore Cogswell’s Grant’s landscape history, from the presence of indigenous people through the colonial period to the present. Walk...
11:00 am to 12:30 pm

Salem Food Truck Festival

Salem Massachusetts Food Truck Festival Haunted Happenings on the Salem Common
Food Truck Festivals of America returns to Salem with the ultimate food truck experience for a two-day festival that will feature some of the area’s most popular food trucks. The vendors will be dishing out fan favorites as well as dozens of regional and national craft breweries.
11:00 am to 6:00 pm

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

Kites & Castles at Salisbury Beach

Kites and Castles at Salisbury Beach is just one event of many for families during Salisbury Days in Massachusetts
Grab your fanciest kite and/or your best shovel and let's enjoy the beautiful beach together! Beginners to experts are invited and encouraged to attend. FREE children's kites (while they last). A Salisbury Days Event.
11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Free Ranger guided tours of the Saugus Iron Works House in Massachusetts
Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.
11:00 am

Children’s Business Fair in Wenham

Could a Ten Year Old Invent the next Uber? Find out at the Hamilton Wenham Children’s Business Fair in Massachusetts
Observe the opportunity for children to launch their very own startup business! Deadline to apply for a booth: September 1st, 5pm. Kids develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and then open for customers at our one-day marketplace. **At this time, we cannot accept...
11:00 am to 3:00 pm