Outdoor Activity

CraneOutdoors: Winter Solstice Hike in the Dunes

Hiking the Dunes at the Crane Wildlife Refuge with the Trustees of Reservations.

Join us for a beautiful dune hike to celebrate the solstice! Winter at the Crane Estate has much to offer, and while just about everybody on the North Shore has probably been to Crane Beach, the dunes of Castle Neck are a much less-explored world unto themselves. Offering one of the most accessible dune ecosystems north of Cape Cod, Castle Neck has over six miles of trails, traversing the dunes, maritime scrub forest, and beautiful beaches on both the Ipswich Bay and Essex/Castle Neck River estuary sides of the peninsula. These trails take you through Pitch Pine forests, up huge dunes offering stunning views of Choate Island, and by the varied landscapes of Castle Neck, including naturally occurring cranberry bogs.

When: 
Thursday, December 21, 2023 2-4pm
Location: 
Crane Wildlife Refuge on the Crane Estate
Ipswich
Hike
Walk
Outdoor Activity
Trustees of Reservations
Winter Solstice

Holidays on the Hill

The Trustees host a celebration of Winter and the Holiday Season at Long Hill Sedgewick Gardens in Beverly Massachusetts

The Trustees of Reservations invite you to tour* the gardens at Long Hill Gardens in Beverly, Massachusetts to celebrate the Holidays! The first three weekends of December, join us for our annual Holidays on the Hill event! This festive celebration with music and cheer is sure to get the whole family in the holiday spirit.

When: 
Weekends, December 2-17, 2023 11am-3pm
Location: 
Long Hill and Sedgwick Gardens
Beverly
Garden
Tour
Walk
Hike
Outdoor Activity
Trustees of Reservations
Holidays
Holiday Decorations

All Family Field Trip: Gather, Gorge & Store!

Visit Maudslay State PArk in Newburyport Massachusetts to learn about how animals prepare for the winter

Come explore what nature has in store at some of our most amazing wild places on the north shore with Joppa Flats Education Center . 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: 
Friday, December 15, 2023 10am-Noon
Location: 
Maudslay State Park
Manchester
Hike
Walk
Exploration
Outdoor Activity
Field Trip
Science
Ecology
Natural History
Mass Audubon

Holiday Printmaking with IRWA

Ipswich River Watershed Association hosts a fish printing craft session during Ipswich Evergreen.

Ipswich River Watershed Association hosts a fish printing craft session during Ipswich Evergreen. Participants will be repurposing real fish (shad, originally used for scientific research) and making beautiful and unique prints which can be used for gifts, decorations, cards, or anything your heart desires!

When: 
Saturday, December 16, 2023 1-3pm
Location: 
Ipswich Middle Green
Ipswich Visitor Center
Ipswich
Holiday
Festival
Outdoor Activity
Art
Craft
Fish Printing

Nature Playgroup at Appleton Farms

Come to Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts for a nature playgroup for toddlers

To encourage outdoor play and familiarity with the natural world, a nature-based toddler play group will be held at Appleton Farms every Wednesday. Come to one or all of the sessions, explore the fields and forest, and imagine hidden worlds beneath our feet and above our heads. Children and their caregivers will peek under rocks, inspect tree bark for hiding bugs, jump in puddles, and have fun together in the fields, forests, and ponds. Recommended for ages 2-5; babies in backpacks are welcome.

When: 
Wednesday through December 20, 2023 10-11am
Location: 
Appleton Farms
Ipswich
Food
Farm
Outdoor Activity
Cuisine
Dinner
Live Entertainment

Newbury Outdoor Escape Room at NTL

Outdoor Escape Room at the public town library in Newbury Massachusetts

Do you like to solve puzzles and brain teasers? Are you a local Newbury resident who is interested in learning a little bit more about Newbury’s unique history? Have you ever been accused of witchcraft while living in a 17th-century Puritan New England town? If you answered yes to any of these questions, the Newbury Town Library has the perfect opportunity for you!

When: 
Saturday, November 25, 2023 Noon -1pm
Location: 
Newbury Town Library
Newbury
Escape Room
Library
Outdoor Activity

Autumn Adventure Walk

Walk the trails of Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary looking for signs of animals preparing for winter!

Focus your "peepers" on more than just leaves this fall! Autumn is an exciting time of change in nature, when both plants and animals get ready for the coming cold. Walk the sanctuary trails while investigting some of the signs of this beautiful season. Learn about the amazing ways that plants and animals prepare themselves for survival and test some of your own skills.

When: 
Saturday, November 4, 2023 10-11:30am
Location: 
Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
Topsfield
Hike
Tour
Walk
Exploration
Outdoor Activity
Mass Audubon

Crane Estate Art Show

Breathless by Paul George - just one of the artists showcasing their work at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts

Come to the 20th Annual Crane Estate Art Show and Sale: Celebrating the Past, Present, and Future and enjoy amazing paintings, photography, fiber art, and sculpture! During the Art Show you’ll see over 200 pieces of original artwork, student works, a funky small works gallery, unusual gifts at the Castle Hill gift shop, and that perfect find. Proceeds benefit The Trustees and the artists.

When: 
Saturday, November 4, 2023 10am-4pm
Sunday, November 5, 2023 10am-4pm
Location: 
Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
Ipswich
Art
Trustees of Reservations
Crafts
Outdoor Activity

Beverly Downtown Trick or Treat

Trick or treat in Downtown Beverly Massachusetts!

Beverly Main Streets invites kids and families to Downtown Beverly for the Annual Downtown Trick or Treat event! Come Downtown Thursday, October 26, 2023 from 4-6pm for Downtown Trick-or-Treat! This event is a collaboration with the City of Beverly, and provides a fun night downtown for little ones and their families. Look for the orange flyer in windows of participating businesses, and stop in to say hi and receive a treat. Downtown Trick or Treat is held rain or shine, but please check our website and social media in case of extreme weather.

When: 
Thursday, October 26, 2023 4-6pm
Location: 
Downtown Beverly
Beverly
Halloween
Trick or Treat
Outdoor Activity

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Brookwood School Summer Program for kids Pre-K through 9 in Manchester Massachusetts

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!
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
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Chess Instruction at Abbot Library
Kids can play clocked chess matches against each other each Wednesday at the Abbot Public Library in Marblehead Massachusetts
Students in grades 2-6 are invited to weekly evening chess instruction by high school student Flynn MacCallum at levels from beginner through advanced players on Mondays in the Children’s Room. The Children’s Room will provide chess boards and pieces. This program is supported by the Oliver P....
Where: Abbot Public Library
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
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Friday, February 21

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...
Where: Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham
10:30 am to 11:15 am
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Kidleidoscope at Breakheart Reservation
Kidleidoscope is a program designed for preschoolers at Bradley Palmer State Park
Come join our park interpreter for a story time and nature walk! Complete a small craft and explore the woods! Walks are gently paced and approximately 1 mile, though not accessible for strollers. Appropriate for families with children 3-5 years old. Meet at the Visitor Center.
Where: Breakheart Reservation
10:30 am to 11:30 am
♦ Read More →

Saturday, February 22

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!
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Quarry Quest Treasure Hunt
Kids will enjoy this treasure hunt at the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry in Rockport Massachusetts
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
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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...
Where: Grace Episcopal Church in Salem
9:15 am to 11:15 am
♦ Read More →

First Aid, CPR & AED Training at ESM
Get First Aid, CPR or AED Certified in this workshop at Essex Shipbuilding Museum in Massachusetts
Take a CPR, First Aid, and AED Certification Course hosted by the Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum at the charming Museum School House. Gain essential life-saving skills and the confidence to handle emergencies with ease.
Where: Essex Shipbuilding Museum
10:00 am to 2:00 pm
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Children's Maple in the Barnyard at Appleton Farms
Visit Appleton Farms' sugaring operation and learn about making maple sugar syrup!
Maple Season is here! This special program for ages 3-11 & their families will focus on the magic of maple from start to finish. We will discover this tradition by observing trees, tasting sap, learning the tools involved, and finally, tasting the sweet product. We will make sure to have time...
Where: Appleton Farms
10:45 am to 3:00 pm
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Guided Tour | When Granite Was King!
Find out the story behind the history of granite quarrying at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, Massachusetts!
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.
Where: Halibut Point State Park
11:00 am to 12:30 pm
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CraneOutdoors: Family Winter Wildlife Walk
Come explore the dunes on Castle Neck and Crane Beach in Ipswich Massachusetts to learn about winter wildlife.
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 3:00 pm
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Nice n' Easy Hike at Breakheart Reservation
Nice and Easy winter hike at Breakheart Reservation in Saugus Massachusetts
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 pm to 11:30 pm
♦ Read More →
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