Outdoor Activity

Teen Naturalist Club at IRWS: Spring/Summer Series

Join Mass Audubon for their Teen Naturalist Club at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield Massachusetts!

Explore a variety of local ecosystems, learn more about a wide range of natural history topics, and do real wildlife data collection and conservation projects in this exciting club for teens!

When: 
Saturday, March 15, 2025 2-5 pm
Saturday, March 29, 2025 2-5 pm
Saturday, April 12, 2025 2-5 pm
Saturday, April 26, 2025 2-5 pm
Saturday, May 17, 2025 8-11 am
Saturday, May 24, 2025 2-5 pm
Saturday, June 7, 2025 2-5 pm

Family Open House: Signs of Spring Celebration

Come to the Joppa Flats Education Center for our Spring open house in Newburyport Massachusetts

Drop in to learn about returning songbirds, animals waking up from winter, and migrating ocean creatures! Test your knowledge and skills at a science station, examine natural objects with our new bioscope, and take home a fun nature craft or two. Family presentations with Miss Lisa at 11am about whales and at 2pm about sea turtles.

When: 
Saturday, March 1, 2025 10am - 3pm

Maple Sugaring Saturday at IRWS

Sugaring Off tours are a fun and tasty way to learn about maple sugaring at IRWS

Experience the age-old tradition of maple sugaring at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary! The warm days of late winter awaken the flow of sap in the maples resulting in sweet-smelling, billowing clouds of steam rising from the sugarhouse. On a naturalist-guided walk, learn how to identify a sugar maple, observe tapping and sap collection methods, watch the sap being boiled down in the sugarhouse, and get a sweet taste of the final product. 

When: 
Saturdays, March 1, 8 & 15, 2025 10:30am-3:30pm

Birds, Bees & Butterflies | Family Nature Series at Cox Reservation

Essex County Greenbelt Association hosts an Exploration Workshop for families at Cox Reservation in Essex Massachusetts!

Essex County Greenbelt Association invites families to Cox Reservation for a fun session that's all about bees! This show-and-tell introduces children of all ages to the importance of bees and other pollinators.

When: 
Saturday, May 17, 2025 10am-1pm
Location: 

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.

When: 
Fridays, December 2024 - February 2025 10:30-11:30am

February School Vacation at Bradley Palmer

Bradley Palmer State Park has some great acitivities for kids during February vacation week in Massachusetts

Bradley Palmer State Park is located at 40 Asbury St. in Topsfield. All programs are free and open to the public. Reasonable accommodations upon request. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Events outside may include rough, uneven trails that contain ice and snow, warm clothing and sturdy footwear are recommended. Inclement weather cancels events.

When: 
Daily Febraury 16-20, 2025

Salem's So Sweet Festival

Salem Massachusetts' retailers have some sweet surprises in store during the Salem's So Sweet Weekend Festival

Salem Main Streets and the Salem Chamber of Commerce invite you to come enjoy the annual Salem’s So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival – a decadent tradition of delectable chocolate, sparkling ice sculptures, and Valentine’s Day shopping! Now in its 23rd year, the signature elements of the festival include a Friday night kickoff party, 30 ice sculptures sprinkled around the downtown, two nights of illuminated sculptures, a “Chocolate Hearts” game with prizes, live music, and sweet specials and promotions at local shops and restaurants throughout the city. It is Salem's sweetest time of year!

When: 
Friday, February 7 - Sunday, February 9, 2025
Location: 

For the Love of Birding at Halibut Point

Meet at Halibut Point State Park for Beginning birding - held on the 3rd Sunday of each month.

Start your morning strolling our seaside treasure with Birding Basics Halibut Point State Park. For all ages.
Winter brings birds and ducks to the seashore that escape freezing ponds up north. You’ll see Harlequin ducks and loons among the winter visitors at the rocky coastal water’s edge. Join us for a short, leisurely walk while learning about their sounds, habits, and flight patterns. Halibut Point is such a great place to bird watch with all of its micro environments and seaside location.

When: 
Sunday, February 16, 2025 8-10am

Superbowl of Birding 2025

The Superbowl of Birding 2025 is a unique competition conducted in Rockingham County, NH, and Essex County, Massachusetts

The Superbowl of Birding 2025 is a unique competition conducted in Rockingham County, NH, and Essex County, MA. During a 12-hour period, teams of birders of all ages and abilities seek out the greatest number of avian species and amass the most points based on the rarity of the birds recorded. Teams compete this year for prizes in 11 categories. Enjoy spectacular winter birding and find out just how good you and your team really are!

When: 
Saturday, January 25, 2025 5am-5pm

Fee-Free Day: Martin Luther King Jr. Day at Parker River

Fee-Free Day: Martin Luther King Jr. Day at Parker River NWR in Newburyport Massachusetts

In recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, all national wildlife refuges and other U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands that normally charge an entrance fee offer free admission January 15, 2024. The Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Newburyport Massachusetts is participtating, so come to the refuge and apend some time outside!

When: 
Monday, January 20, 2025 7am–7pm

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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kimball Farm Corn Maze

Kimball Farm corn maze in Haverhill Massachusetts
At the Kimball Farm Corn Maze all are welcome to come and enjoy the challenge of finding your way through the winding corn field maze. Our originally designed CORN MAZE  is full of Crazy angles and is sure to be a fun challenge. Have no fear, there will be clues along the way.  Be daring and try...
10:00 am to 9:00 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

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

Kids Fun Fest on Salem Common

Salem Common Neighborhood Association invites families to the Common for an afternoon of fun for the whole family!
A tradition on Salem Common, the Fun Fest has lots of great family activities for kids of all ages, including slides, rides, games, and fun! There's nothing like October in Salem and the Salem Common Neighborhood Association is thrilled to host two weekends of our annual Kids Fun Fest on the Comm
10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Ipswich Illumination

Come to Ipswich Massachusetts as points along the Ipswich River are illuminated!
The Town of Ipswich, Massachusetts, proudly presents 2025 Ipswich Illumination. This year we are celebrating harvest, hearth, & home, and our maritime history, heritage & culture.
11:00 am to 9:30 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

Georgia Made This: Scavenger Coin Hunt

Georgia Wrenn was born and is being raised in the Witch City of Salem, Massachusetts, where Halloween is celebrated 365 days a year.
Georgia's seventh annual Salem Gold Coin Hunt returns this October, courtesy of the Peabody Essex Museum! Each Saturday and Sunday throughout October, Georgia will release special clues at 12 noon through her Instagram page and the PEM's Instagram story. Those clues will help coin hunters narrow...
12:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Fall Foliage Cider & Donut Cruises

Take a guided tour of the Essex Massachusetts Marshes with Essex River Cruises this Autumn
Essex River Cruises hosts a narrated sightseeing tour that winds down the beautiful Essex River aboard Essex River Queen, a pontoon boat.
1:00 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

Halloween on the Hill

The Trustees host a celebration of Autumn and Halloween 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 Autumn and Halloween! Long Hill is excited to bring back our annual Halloween on the Hill event! Come explore our beautiful property as we transform the Long Hill gardens into a...
5:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Saturday, November 1

Kimball Farm Corn Maze

Kimball Farm corn maze in Haverhill Massachusetts
At the Kimball Farm Corn Maze all are welcome to come and enjoy the challenge of finding your way through the winding corn field maze. Our originally designed CORN MAZE  is full of Crazy angles and is sure to be a fun challenge. Have no fear, there will be clues along the way.  Be daring and try...
10:00 am to 9:00 pm

Music and Movement at North Shore Children's Museum

North Shore, North Shore Childrens Museum in Peabody MA
Music and Movement with Marybeth Maes is an engaging music and movement class for young children at the North Shore Children's Museum. Marybeth brings her guitar and instruments for the children to use while they sing, dance, and play.
10:00 am to 11:00 am

Harvest Market at Appleton Farms

Harvest Farmer's Market at Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts. Fresh Local Fall Harvest Produce and other foods
Join us in a celebration of the Harvest season at our annual Harvest Market! Our Harvest Market features a bounty of Appleton’s organic produce accompanied by other local edibles & gifts from area artisans, crafters, and producers of fine foods. The Appleton culinary team will also have sweet...
12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Fall Foliage Cider & Donut Cruises

Take a guided tour of the Essex Massachusetts Marshes with Essex River Cruises this Autumn
Essex River Cruises hosts a narrated sightseeing tour that winds down the beautiful Essex River aboard Essex River Queen, a pontoon boat.
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Sunday, November 2

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

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

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

Kimball Farm Corn Maze

Kimball Farm corn maze in Haverhill Massachusetts
At the Kimball Farm Corn Maze all are welcome to come and enjoy the challenge of finding your way through the winding corn field maze. Our originally designed CORN MAZE  is full of Crazy angles and is sure to be a fun challenge. Have no fear, there will be clues along the way.  Be daring and try...
10:00 am to 9:00 pm
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