Nature

Farm-Forest-Ice Cream Hike

Join this Trails and Sails Hike through the woods in Ipswich for an ice cream treat! A Sails & Trails event.

A group hike from Marini Farm through the forest to White Farms for an optional ice cream. Don’t miss this great opportunity to explore the farm, forest, and nature of Ipswich. The group will meet on Linebrook Road in Ipswich. Bike entrance to Willowdale State Forest just west of Marini Farm. Look for the Event sign. Bring water, sunscreen, bug spray and good hiking shoes. this is a Trails & Sails Event.

When: 
Saturday, September 13, 2025 11am-2:15pm
Location: 

Touch Tank Time

You can look at and touch the creatures in Joppa Flats Educations Center touch tank in Newburyport, Massachusetts

Spend some quality time at our touch tank where you can see and hold hermit crabs, moon snails, sea urchins and more! Come see how much our horseshoe crab hatchlings have grown and spend some time in our Kid Zone with a science station, take-home craft and coloring pages. Part of Trails & Sails.

When: 
Friday, September 19, 2025 2-4pm
Saturday, September 20, 2025 10am-Noon

Let's Go Outside!

Head to Parker River Wildlife Refuge for a full day of FREE family fun that's focused on outdoor activity!

Join park staff from the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge for a full day of FREE family fun that's focused on outdoor activity! Our annual celebration of summer returns! Join us for a free day of outdoor activities at the refuge. Learn to surf cast, meet tidepool critters up close, dissect an owl pellet, and even view the sun through a solar scope. This is an open streets event, meaning most of the refuge road is closed to walk, bike, and roll!

When: 
Saturday, June 21, 2025 10am – 2pm

CraneExplorer: Owls Up Close!

Trustees of Reservations features live owl demonstration with Eyes on Owls at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts

Join the Trustees for a special event with Marcia and Mark Wilson from Eyes on Owls, to meet 6 live owls up close and personal! By sharing photos, stories, and live owl demonstrations, the Wilsons highlight our local owls’ unique adaptations, habitats and behaviors in the wild, while sharing tips on how you can look and listen for owls yourself. And everyone gets to practice the owls’ calls during the hooting lessons!

When: 
Saturday, November 2, 2024 1-2pm or 4-5:15pm

Feed the Beach Creatures at Joppa Flats

You can look at, AND touch the creatures in Joppa Flats touch tank! Feeding time is a lot of fun!

It's time to feed our touch tank animals! Assist our animal husbandry intern team with sorting, identifying, and actually feeding our live marine creatures. Feed periwinkles and rock crabs from the rocky shore, horseshoe crabs and minnows from the salt marsh and hermit crabs and shrimp from the sandy beach. Sign up for one or more and learn all about our creatures fascinating behaviors.

When: 
Wednesdays, June 12 & 26, 2024 4-5:30pm
Wednesdays in July 2024 4-5:30pm

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. Open rain or shine. For ages Pre-K and up. This is a great family activity.

When: 
Friday-Sundays & Mondays, June-October 7, 2024 12:30-2:30pm

Science & Lore: Full Moon Walk at Appleton Farms

Hike at the Trustees Appleton Farms with your family under the Full Moon in Ipswich Massachusetts!

Join us as darkness settles on the farm to immerse yourself in a nighttime adventure, guided only by the glow of the full moon. On our journey, we will learn about both the science and the mystery that the full moon holds, celebrating her presence through a sharing of knowledge. We will venture out into the night to walk in her soft glow and listen for the sounds of nighttime on the farm. We hope to end with a newfound appreciation for the magic that the night sky holds.

When: 
Friday, May 24, 2024 8:45-9:45pm
Location: 

Hoo’s Up for Owls?

Look for owls in the woods of camp Denison in Gerogetown, Massachusetts with the folks from North Shore Nature Programs

March is a great month to look for owls. Both Great Horned and Barred owls will have babies in their nests, so these species tend to be vocal and active. Join us for a short hike through the woods at Camp Denison to look and listen for these majestic birds. We will also keep our ears open for howling coyotes and search Baldpate Pond for beavers!

When: 
Friday, March 29, 2024 7-8:30pm

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Glen Urquhart School Pre-K through 8th grade in Beverly MA

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

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

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 16th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, Massachusetts .
8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Rockport Farmers' Market

The Rockport Farmers' Market runs every Saturday at Rockport Music in Downtown Rockport!
The Rockport Farmers Market offers a variety of locally-grown produce, hand-crafted products, baked goods, and live music. It provides a community space to support local farmers and artisans.
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Haverhill Farmers' Market

Haverhill Farmers Market, North Shore Farmers Market, Cape Ann Farmers Marke
The vibrant, colorful Haverhill Farmers Market is where local farmers and food producers meet to sell directly to the community. Established in 1978, the Haverhill Farmers Market mission is to provide access to farm-fresh products and promote local agriculture, as well as serve as a social...
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Andover Farmers' Market

Find Fresh Local Produce at the Andover Massachusetts Farmers Market North of Boston
The Andover Farmers Market is a vibrant hub connecting local farmers, artisans and the community through the joy of local food. Whether you come for carrots or conversation, it is a place to nourish the body, mind and spirit.
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Carriagetown Car Show

Hundred of Classic Cars will be at the Carriagetown Car Show in downtown Amesbury Massachusetts, a Trails and Sails Event
One of the premier car shows of the summer season, be sure to attend the Carriagetown Car Show where all types of vehicles are parked on the closed streets of downtown Amesbury. Come see antiques, hot rods, custom cars, motorcycles and trucks of all makes and models.
9:00 am to 2:00 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

Maritime Adventure Days

Maritime Adventure Free Days at Custom House Maritime Museum Newburyport Massachusetts
Maritime Adventure Free Days offers families and kids a unique opportunity to explore maritime history through interactive activities, guided tours, and hands-on workshops. A day of fun and discovery at the Custom House Maritime Museum for the family.
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Crescent Farm Corn Maze

Crescent Farm corn maze in Haverhill Massachusetts
Imagine the biggest puzzle you’ve ever seen. Now imagine a day in the sunshine with your friends or family. Now add an adventure that takes teamwork and memory skills. All these things and more can be found at Crescent Farms Corn Maze. Crescent Farm Corn Maze trails cut into 9 acres of corn. Inside...
9:00 am to 9:00 pm

Salem Witch Hunt Walking Tour

Learn about the true reality of the Salem Massachusetts Witch Trials Salem Massachusetts on a self guided walking tour with Essex Heritage
This self-guided walking tour is designed to help explain the true history behind the Salem Witch Trials. After more than three centuries of storytelling through countless books, movies, and television shows, the line between historical fact and dramatic fiction has become increasingly blurred....
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Hands on History Day: The American Revolution

Learn about the American Revolution at the Cabot House in Histoirc Beverly Massachusetts
Explore the American Revolution through immersive, hands-on stations highlighting the era’s diverse people and experiences. In the “Molly Pitcher Room,” learn about women’s roles by crafting toilet roll cannons and herbal tea sachets.
9:30 am to 4:00 pm

Step Inside the Historic Custom House

Take in the views of this prominent building where Nathaniel Hawthorne once worked and the U.S. Custom Service operated. This Custom House was built in 1819 and housed offices for the officers of the U.S. Customs Service, as well as an attached warehouse, the Public Stores, used for the storage of...
9:30 am to 4:30 pm

Make a Car or Boat Craft at APL

Kids are invited to come the Amesbury Public Library to a Car or Boat to take home!
Bring the family to create a 3D car or an origami boat in a bottle. All supplies will be outside and enjoyed during the Annual Car Show in downtown Amesbury in the quiet of the Library programming area. Build, decorate, and enjoy some books about transportation!
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Farmstead Cheese Tour

Tour Valley View Farm's goat cheese operation as part of Essex Heritage's Trails and Sails in Topsfield Massachusetts!
Visit Valley View Farm to learn about Essex County's largest farmstead goat cheese maker. See nubian goat herd, learn about cheesemaking, see the cheese cave and sample cheeses. Cheese and farm products available to purchase.
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Marini Farm Corn Maze

The 2025 Marini Farm Corn Maze in Ipswich Massachusetts is themed for The Wizard of Oz
Come to Marini Farm for a fun journey through our corn maze! The Maze Park, corn maze, farm stand, bakery and other attractions provide a great destination for kids birthday parties, school trips, corporate team building, scout outings, and family activities. Marini Farm is located in beautiful...
10:00 am to 10:00 pm

Hospital Point Lighthouse Open House

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.
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Choate Island Day

Choate Island Day with the Trustees of Reservations in Ipswich Massachusetts
Spend a day with the Trustees of Reservations in celebration of Choate Island – the crown jewel of the Crane Wildlife Refuge. Here deer and foxes roam through fields that once housed herds of sheep, and osprey fly over breathtaking views of Essex Bay. The island was first home to indigenous farmers...
10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Haunted Happenings Marketplace

The Haunted Happenings Marketplace runs Thursdays-Sundays during October in Salem Massachusetts
The Haunted Happenings Merchant Marketplace is coming this October! Get ready for a one-of-a-kind shopping extravaganza throughout Historic (and some say haunted) Downtown Salem!
10:00 am to 6:00 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

CoastSweep Cleanup at Salisbury Beach

CoastSweep seashore beach cleanup at Salisbury Beach Massachusetts
As part of COASTSWEEP Beach Cleanup, volunteers are encouraged to come to Salisbury Beach State Reservation to help in the statewide effort to
11:00 am

Overlooking the Essex River Tour

Tour Cogswell's Grant Coastal Farm in Essex Massachusetts as part of Trails & Sails
On this walking tour, explore the landscape history at Cogswell’s Grant in Essex, Massachusetts, from the presence of indigenous people through the colonial period to the present. Walk through hayfields down to the salt marsh and the Essex River, discover the rich history of the people and families...
11:00 am to 12:30 pm

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
Step into a world of imagination, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit, all powered by kids! At this one-day marketplace, young entrepreneurs ages 8-18 years old will showcase their creativity and grit as they launch real businesses they’ve built from the ground up.
11:00 am to 2:00 pm

Climb Up Gloucester City Hall Tower

Take a Free tour of Gloucester Massachusetts City Hall's renovated tower as part of Trails and Sails 2024!
Experience the WOW factor when you climb up Gloucester’s City Hall clock and bell tower and emerge at the bell level. Views, weather permitting, are awesome. Members of Gloucester’s City Hall Restoration Commission will be on hand to inform you of the history of this architecturally significant...
12:00 pm to 3:00 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.
1:30 pm to 4:30 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

Nature’s Myth and Folklore Storytelling Series

Learn about colonial medicine at Pioneer Village in Salem Massachusetts
Come to Pioneer Village for a craft and storytelling event that shares tales of natural folklore and wild wisdom from around the world. These stories inspire an appreciation for different cultures as well as encourage engagement with the natural environment.
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm

A Spiritual Quest Weekend at Hilldale Cemetery

Hilldale Cemetary in Haverhill Massachusetts is one of the North Shore's most active paranormal spots!
Do you believe in Ghosts? If you do then join the Essex County Ghost Project and Witches Wonder fort a spooktacular evening of haunts and fun . The gates open at 6:30 pm and hunt starts at 7pm . We are exploring one of New England’s most Haunted historical sites . There have been reports of full...
7:00 pm to 9:30 pm

Paddle Around Historic Rockport Harbor

Paddle around Rockport Massachusetts Harbor for FREE as part of Trails and Sails
Come join North Shore Adventures and Outdoor Center for some fun on the water! No experience necessary. Depart from our private beach in one of our safe, stable kayaks or paddle boards and paddle around the historic Rockport Harbor for 30 mins. See lobster boats, Motif #1, the Rockport Break water...
10:30 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

Sunday, September 28

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

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

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 16th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, Massachusetts .
8:00 am to 6:00 pm

GNOCA 5K Run/Walk

GNOCA's 5K Run/Walk in Honor of Jackie Poor & Paula Holm is a 5k Run or Family Friendly Stroll through Scenic Newburyport starting & ending at Michael's Harborside. Tee Shirts will be given to the First 100 Registrants. All participating runners will be assigned numbers and timed. Great...
8:30 am to 1:00 pm

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

Salem Witch Hunt Walking Tour

Learn about the true reality of the Salem Massachusetts Witch Trials Salem Massachusetts on a self guided walking tour with Essex Heritage
This self-guided walking tour is designed to help explain the true history behind the Salem Witch Trials. After more than three centuries of storytelling through countless books, movies, and television shows, the line between historical fact and dramatic fiction has become increasingly blurred....
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Crescent Farm Corn Maze

Crescent Farm corn maze in Haverhill Massachusetts
Imagine the biggest puzzle you’ve ever seen. Now imagine a day in the sunshine with your friends or family. Now add an adventure that takes teamwork and memory skills. All these things and more can be found at Crescent Farms Corn Maze. Crescent Farm Corn Maze trails cut into 9 acres of corn. Inside...
9:00 am to 9:00 pm

Rowley Farmers Market

Rowley Farmers Market - a seasonal open-air market every Sunday July-September on Rowley Common
The Rowley Farmers Market is an open air market held on Sundays on the Rowley Town Common.  There's always a great selection of fresh local produce, food stuffs and locally hand-made goods. Come pick up some great locally grown food, freshly baked bread by Faith Anne's Unique bread, specialty teas...
9:00 am to 1:00 pm
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