Outdoor Activity

All Family Field Trip: Winter Mammal Tracking

Families will learn about identifying animal tracks at Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport Massachusetts!

What animal signs might you see in the winter woods? We'll talk about paw prints, scat, nipped twigs, feathers, and other signs of activity. You'll find out how to detect the size of an animal, the direction and speed of movement, and the age of a track, and we'll give you your own tracking pocket guide for your future adventures!

When: 
Thursday, January 25, 2024 10am-Noon

Superbowl of Birding 2024

The Superbowl of Birding 2024 is a unique competition conducted in Rockingham County, NH, and Essex County, Massachusetts

The Superbowl of Birding 2024 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 27, 2024 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 15, 2024 7am–7pm

Owl Prowl at Appleton Farms

Learn all about owls at Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts

Join Appleton Farms Educators for a special family focused evening with the owls. This interactive program will meet in the barn and kick off with an owl pellet dissection. After we discover what owls eat for dinner, we will head outside in search of Great-Horned, Eastern Screech, Barred, and Northern Saw-Whet Owls. After the walk, we will warm up with hot cocoa and read the story “Owl Moon” by Jane Yolen.

When: 
Saturday, January 13, 2024 4-6PM
Location: 

Ipswich Evergreen

Celebrate the onset of Winter with Ipswich Massachusetts' community-centered events!

Ipswich Evergreen is a Holiday festival and civic celebration at the  Ipswich Visitor Center , and Ipswich's Old South Meetinghouse Green. Ipswich has great cause for merriment and jubilation! With the new year in sight, let us gather as a community to reflect on what makes living in Ipswich the year round most wonderful with a make and take wreath session. Celebrate the solstice, make and take an evergreen wreath, and join the community celebration!

When: 
Saturday, December 16, 2023 1-3pm

Preschool Winter Solstice Lantern Walk

Come celebrate the Winter solstice at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary with a night time walk using lanterns!

Celebrate the shortest day of the year and welcome the lengthening days ahead with a candlelit evening walk on the trails of the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary. Sanctuary naturalists will share solstice stories and folklore outdoors by bonfire then, with candles in hand, we'll light up the night with a stroll through the forest and perhaps catch sights or sounds of animals active during the winter season.

When: 
Saturday, January 13, 2023 4:30-6pm

A Winter Solstice Celebration at Harold Parker

Come celebrate the longest night - Winter Solstice - at Harold Parker State Forest

Come celebrate the longest night and shortest day of the year at Harold Parker State Forest! What causes the winter solstice, and what does it mean for us? Come to Harold Parker State Forest and discover this most important day of the year to ancient peoples and also to ourselves. Join us for a cup of hot chocolate! We will celebrate the solstice at sunset at exactly 4:14 pm and usher out the shortest day of the year. Dress warmly and wear hiking footwear, bring water with you. We will be taking a short hike prior to the solstice sunset ritual.  

When: 
Thursday, December 21, 2023 3-5pm

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Art Academy Summer Program at Montserrat College of Art 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

Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic

The Annual Hampton Beach, NH Master Sandsculpting Competition 2024 is Star Wars themed.
The fun starts when 200 tons of imported sand is dropped on Hampton Beach and the “Grady Bunch” starts pounding up the sponsor site. The entire area is illuminated for night viewing through June 26. Watch Greg Grady and “The Grady Bunch” build a mammoth Sand Demo Site. View all entries online on...
7:00 am to 11:00 pm

Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk

 Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Sing & Dance with the Music Man

Sing & Dance with the Music Man Brian Doser in Hamilton visit Massachusetts
Come join the fun at Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham Monday, Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10am for 30 - 45 minutes of great music with Brian Doser! Sing and dance with the Music Man during a family concert, featuring familiar and original tunes, performed by local dad and musician,...
10:00 am to 10:45 am

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.
10:00 am to 3:59 pm

Willowdale Mansion Tour

Tanke a tour of the Willowdale Mansion at Bradley Palmer State Park in Topsfield MA
The historic tour of Willowdale Estate covers historic background, context and conversation about the Arts & Crafts style mansion. Here is your chance to go inside the Willowdale  Mansion (willowdaleestate.com) for a unique guided tour. Now an event and wedding venue, this over 100 years-old...
10:30 am to 11:30 am

Growing Wild for Pollinators

Come to Bradley Palmer State Park in Hamilton Massachusetts to learn all about pollinators
Discover the wild world of pollinators and what they do for the natural world around us. Learn how important is it to protect our pollinators for the health of humans, plants, and the environment. Best for ages 6 years and up.
1:00 pm to 2:30 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

Beverly Farmers' Market

Get fresh local produce at the Beverly Farmers Market in downtown Beverly Massac
The Beverly Farmers’ Market supports local agriculture while making healthy food available to all members of the Beverly community at affordable prices; the market promotes sustainable living practices and fosters community connections through our vendors, free activities and events. The market...
Where: Odell Park
3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Saturday, June 29

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

Off the Beaten Path Hike

Off the Beaten Path Hike at Bradley Palmer State Park in Hamilton Massachusetts
Come for a stroll with the Park Interpreter along various trails throughout the park, with special interest points noted. Hike is of moderate difficulty, about 2 miles. This is best for ages 8 years and up. Meet at the Main Parking Lot, 40 Asbury St., Topsfield.   
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm

CraneOutdoors: Choate Island Kayak and Hiking Adventure

Take a guided kayak paddle and hike to Choate Island with the Trustees of Reservations!
Join The Trustees of Reservations for a paddle and a hike – what better way to spend an afternoon?  Circumnavigating an island is one of the great rewards of kayaking and reaching the summit of a hill that offers a great view is one of the payoffs of a good hike. This adventure in the Crane...
1:00 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

Newburyport Lantern Festival

Greater Newburyport Ovarian Cancer Awarness GNOCA will host the annual Lantern Festival.
Greater Newburyport Ovarian Cancer Awarness GNOCA will host the annual Lantern Festival at Downtown Newburyport. In the Asian tradition, we will remember families & friends & make wishes for the future. Come decorate, light, & float lanterns at dusk.
6:30 pm to 9:00 pm

Fireworks and Beach Concerts at Salisbury Beach

Fourth of July Fireworks at Salisbury Beach include a campfire and marshmallow roast on the beach.
Join us at Salisbury Beach for an unforgettable family night out! Every Saturday through the summer, enjoy spectacular fireworks (weather permitting) that light up the sky. Before the fireworks, there's a live concert starting at 7:30 PM on the Salisbury Oceanfront Stage, perfect for families with...
10:15 pm

Sunday, June 30

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

Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk

 Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...
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
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