Outdoor Activity

Teen Volunteer Training Program

Join Mass Audubon for a volunteer training opportunity for teens with instructors from Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport Massachusetts!

Teen Volunteers recieve full training on how to assist staff with our public programs featuring live beach creatures and pollinators like butterflies and moths. These young people act as role models for our young visitors and are passionate about learning all about local ecosystems and want to share their knowledge with others on how to protect the environment.

When:

Saturday, June 22, 2024 3-7pm

Wednesday, June 26, 2024 10am-2pm

Saturday, June 29, 2024 3-7pm

Location:

Joppa Flats Education Center

Read more about Teen Volunteer Training Program

All Family Field Trip: Birds of the Salt Marsh

Families are invited to explore the Marsh habitat with the Joppa Flats Education Center!

Come explore what nature has in store at some of our most amazing wild places on the north shore. Our engaging and experienced staff will introduce families to local beaches, forests, and wetlands to make observations in nature, identify wildlife, and enjoy hands on science activities outdoors. Sign up for one, some, or all!

When:

Thursday, June 20, 2024 10am-Noon

Location:

Joppa Flats Education Center

Read more about All Family Field Trip: Birds of the Salt Marsh

Meet Beach Creatures and More!

Discover and explore the facts of the creatures you find at the beach at Joppa Flats Education Center Newburyport

Come to Joppa Flats this summer to enjoy some live animal encounters both outdoors in our riverside yard and indoors in our air conditioned lobby! You'll rotate through different live animal stations at your own pace and stay as long as you like!

When:

Fridays, June 28 - July 26, 2024 10am-3pm

Location:

Joppa Flats Education Center

Read more about Meet Beach Creatures and More!

Speed at Lynch Park

When a young Los Angeles police department, Special Weapons and Tactics (S.W.A.T.) officer called Jack Traven angers retired Atlanta police department bomb squad member Howard Payne, by foiling his attempt at taking hostages stuck in an elevator with a bomb, Payne in retaliation arms a bus with a bomb that will explode if it drops below 50 miles per hour.

When:

Sunday, August 4, 2024 8-10pm

Location:

Read more about Speed at Lynch Park

Butterfly Walk at Ward Reservation

Learn all about butterflies on this FREE guided hike at The Trustees of Reservations' Ward Reservation!

Join butterfly expert, Howard Hoople, on a walk through the trails of Ward Reservation’s forests and fields in search of the butterflies and moths that make this special place home. Even if the butterflies/moths are scarce, you will learn a lot about why they like this beautiful property.

When:

Saturday, June 8, 2024 1-3pm

Location:

Trustees of Reservations

Hike

Walk

Butterfly

Read more about Butterfly Walk at Ward Reservation

Faerie Houses in the Gardens

Explore the gardens in a fun and magical way at the Stevens-Coolidge Estate in North Andover Massachusetts!

Explore the gardens in a fun and magical way! Moonrise Fae have made faerie houses and nestled them in to corners of the garden. Join us to explore and let your imagination lead you on an adventure among the flowers. General admission to the property is included with this registration. Refunds must be requested within 7 days of your visit.

When:

Thursday-Monday, June 1-30, 2023 10am-6pm

Location:

Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens

Read more about Faerie Houses in the Gardens

Merrimac Old Home Days

Merrimac Old Home Days is a family-friendly weekend celebrating the town of Merrimac, MA! Enjoy an outdoor movie, bonfire, beer garden, games, music, sports, crafts and food; there is something for everyone!

When:

Friday, August 11 - Sunday, August 13, 2023

Read more about Merrimac Old Home Days

Marblehead Spring Celebration

Spring Celebration for families in the heart of Marblehead Massachusetts

Discover Marblehead and the Marblehead Chamber of Commerce are partnering up again for the 2024 Marblehead Spring Celebration! The event is on Saturday, May 11^th (rain or shine)! This collaboration provides a festive showcase for local businesses, restaurants, stores, makers and artists all around Marblehead. It’s a great way to get out and enjoy Spring with the whole family. Click the link below to see all of the festivities!

When:

Saturday, May 11, 2024 10am-5pm

Location:

Read more about Marblehead Spring Celebration

Early Spring Birds at IRWS

Come learn what birds are returning to the North Shore at the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary! Image: Mass Audubon

Come learn what birds are returning after spending the winter months in the warm south. Equipped with binoculars, let's see how many different colors, sizes and sounds of birds we can find. We'll observe nests and attempt to build one of our own!

When:

Saturday, April 20, 2024 10-11:30am

Saturday, April 27, 2024 10-11:30am

Location:

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

Read more about Early Spring Birds at IRWS

WALL-E at Lynch Park

WALL-E, short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-class, is the last robot left on Earth. He spends his days tidying up the planet, one piece of garbage at a time. But during 700 years, WALL-E has developed a personality, and he's more than a little lonely. Then he spots EVE (Elissa Knight), a sleek and shapely probe sent back to Earth on a scanning mission. Smitten WALL-E embarks on his greatest adventure yet when he follows EVE across the galaxy.

When:

Sunday, August 4, 2024 8-10pm

Location:

Read more about WALL-E at Lynch Park

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!

Where: Halibut Point State Park

7:00 am to 6:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Nice n' Easy Hike at Breakheart Reservation

Join the Park Interpreter for this weekly guided hike! Each trip will highlight natural and historic features unique to Breakheart. Hikes are moderately paced and range from 2-3 miles over sometimes uneven and rocky terrain. Best for ages 8 years and up. Meet at the Visitor Center.

Where: Breakheart Reservation

9:30 am to 11:30 am

♦ Read More →

Gloucester's So Salty 2026

Celebrate the fish city’s recognizably salty character with local cultural institutions and businesses during the 5th Annual Gloucester’s So Salty festival sponsored by the Cape Ann Museum in partnership with Discover Gloucester! This annual event brings over 2,000 people to the downtown area each...

Where: Downtown Gloucester, Where: Cape Ann Museum, Where: Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church , Where: Sawyer Free Library Temporary Space, Where: Local Colors

10:00 am to 4:00 pm

♦ Read More →

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike

Come explore the lesser-visited corners of Castle Hill and its surroundings with us this season. This hike is a CraneOutdoors guide favorite because it’s got a little bit of all the things that make the Crane Estate such a special place…

Where: Castle Hill on the Crane Estate

10:00 am to 12:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Native Seed Sowing at Long Hill

Join Cole Campbell, production horticulturist at Native Plant Trust, for this native seed-sowing workshop at Long Hill Public Garden in Beverly, MA. Learn about our native plant seeds, and then get your hands in the soil to sow some seeds that you can take home with you.

Where: Long Hill and Sedgwick Gardens

11:00 am to 12:30 pm

♦ Read More →

Saturday, February 21

February Vacation at MIT Museum

Come on your own, with friends, or bring the whole family to the museum for a special week of programming. The museum has a number of activities planned for the week of February 14-22, including extended Maker Hub and Learning Lab hours, tours, gallery cart demos and family workshops. With the...

Where: MIT Museum

10:00 am to 5:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Low-Sensory Play at North Shore Children's Museum

Join us for a low-sensory play session. For some children, visiting places like NSCM can be over-stimulating. This special play session will have reduced noise, crowds, and stimulation. While medical diagnosis is not required, we encourage that these limited tickets be used for families with a...

Where: North Shore Children's Museum

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Sunday, February 22

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!

Where: Halibut Point State Park

7:00 am to 6:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Quarry Quest Treasure Hunt

Enjoy an outdoor treasure hunt at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations during February Vacation! Halibut Point State Park invites kids and families to follow clues then unscramble to find a treasure box!

Where: Halibut Point State Park

10:00 am to 2:00 pm

♦ Read More →

StoryWalk at Halibut Point

Enjoy this pre-school StoryWalk® at your leisure with the younger set and combine reading and time in nature! StoryWalk®! Nest Robin Built, by Denise Fleming. Self-guided reading pages posted along a lovely Park trail near the visitor center. Connect with nature and each other while enjoying the...

Where: Maudslay State Park

10:00 am to 2:00 pm

♦ Read More →

February Vacation at MIT Museum

Where: MIT Museum

10:00 am to 5:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Watching the Coastal Edge at Halibut Point

Meet at the Halibut Point State Park visitors center to learn about the role Halibut Point has played in America’s military history. One day after the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, U.S.

Where: Halibut Point State Park

11:00 am to 12:30 pm

♦ Read More →

CraneOutdoors: Family Winter Wildlife Walk

A CraneOutdoors Family Winter Wildlife Walk will take you on a stroll through the Crane Beach dunes while learning about the plants and animals that call this special place home. You may be familiar with Crane Beach, but have you ever visited the dune trails? The dunes of Castle Neck are a much...

Where: Crane Wildlife Refuge on the Crane Estate

1:00 pm to 3:30 pm

♦ Read More →

Sunday STEAM Club at North Shore Children's Museum

Join in on Sundays at 2:30 for STEAM Club for ages 5-11. Each week participants will explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math with our NSCM staff! Every STEAM club session will see your kids participating in hands-on activities while exploring a new topic. Space is limited, please...

Where: North Shore Children's Museum

2:30 pm to 4:00 pm

♦ Read More →