Cape Ann Artisans are among the most established artists currently living and working in Gloucester and Rockport. Some studios are centrally located while many are tucked away among Cape Ann’s distinctive and diverse neighborhoods.
We invite the curious and adventuresome art-lovers to visit us off-season for a deep dive into our creative life on Cape Ann. The tour is free and self-guided.
Join the park interpreter for a hike thru the Artichoke Woods to see this resource rich location and special part of the park bordering on the Artichoke River.
Choate Island is the crown jewel of the Crane Wildlife Refuge and is only accessible by boat. Enjoy one stunning view after the next on this rare chance to explore the cultural and natural history of the island. Walk a 1.5 mile network of carriageways and footpaths that lead past The Proctor Barn, White Cottage, and Choate House, all the way to the top of the island where the Crane Family burial ground looks out over Plum Island Sound. This tour includes a complimentary boat ride from the Crane Estate boat dock to Choate Island and back.
Many changes occur as our world moves from Summer into Fall. Join the park interpreter for this fun program that focuses on finding the changes with nature in Autumn.
Come tour the Cat Cove Marine Laboratory as part of Trails & Sails! The Cat Cove Marine Laboratory is operated by Salem State University to promote the sustainable use of aquatic resources on the North Shore and elsewhere. Massachusetts’ North Shore is historically, culturally and economically linked with the ocean. More recently, the ecological importance of coastal waters has been recognized. Salem State University and its Cat Cove Marine Laboratory acknowledge the traditional, biological and social importance of our coastal waters. Methods to preserve, manage and utilize this treasured resource are developed and disseminated at the Laboratory. Participants in Trails & Sails will tour the Laboratory, learn about its relevance and gain insight into how some of their tax dollars are being spent. The visit is interactive, be prepared to feed fish, shellfish and to handle creepy crawlers!
Chill with the coolest guys in town! Enjoy a cool visit to Cape Pond Ice Company, icing Gloucester's fleet since 1848. We were featured in Sebastian Junger's account of The Perfect Storm. Tours highlight the history of the ice industry, with vintage film of natural ice harvests. See first hand 300-pound block ice being made (up to 350 tons per day), fishing vessels taking on ice and ice sculptures being carved in our historic icehouse on Gloucester's working waterfront. Part of Trails & Sails
In addition to pick-your-own favorites like zinnias, cosmos and rudbeckia, visitors will find new varieties to add pop and flair to their bouquets. The garden is fun for all ages and there is always something new to learn! Please note there is a fee to cut flowers and picking is only available at the Cutting Garden during PYO hours.
This evening event will provide a tour of ifarm’s many facets, including: the farm’s 240-year history, our historic farmhouse, barn, and carriage house venues, our cut flower gardens, (which feature over forty varieties of flowers) and our permaculture (permanent agriculture) gardens, which utilize both traditional and innovative techniques for raising crops as sustainably as possible.
Join the park interpreter & DCR Bat Research Monitor Amanda Melinchuk for this two part program, starting with a Power Point presentation concerning the threat to bats, how they benefit the eco system & much more! Then take a short walk in the field to see & hear bat activity and at the site of Maudslay’s newly in stalled bat box.
Join Historic Beverly on a journey through Beverly to visit the homes and businesses of some of Beverly's most famous privateers, including the legendary Hugh Hill! We will also experience some beautiful waterfront views as our guides explain how these sites would have looked and been used. Walking tours offer insight into the hidden history of Beverly and introduce you to its key events and major figures. Rain or shine; in case of severe weather, check with us that day. Part of Trails & Sails!
