Exploration

Vacation Family Treks & Trails: Hawks, Owls & Eagles

Come explore the world of predatory raptors and birds on the North Shore!

What raptor is that flying overhead? How do birds stay warm all winter? Do you know how to identify an animal's tracks? Come find out as we guide you on a winter walk to keep minds and bodies active with group games, family challenges, and lots of great wildlife and bird sightings. We'll meet at Joppa Flats, then hop into our cars and head out for the day's adventure. All field equipment will be provided. Join us for one or more of these fun family programs during the holidays!

When: 
Wednesday December 28, 2016 1-3pm
Location: 
Joppa Flats Education Center
Newburyport
Exploration
Scavenger Hunt
Vacation Week
Science
Nature
Conservation
Crafts

Imagine, Sing & Learn: Ready for Winter!

Kids will learn about how animals get ready for Winter months at Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport

This parent/child program is designed for the creative, curious, and active preschooler. Each 90-minute session offers a structured series of activities including original songs, movement, dramatic play, hands-on science, and a thematic snack. You'll receive coloring pages, song lyrics, vocabulary, a fun fact sheet, and a suggested reading list in an electronic goody bag! This week we'll be focusing on how animals and other creatures keep warm in the wild.

When: 
Friday, December 10, 2016 9:30-11pm
Location: 
Joppa Flats Education Center
Newburyport
Exploration
Sing Along
Dance
Science
Discovery
Crafts

Imagine, Sing & Learn: Wake Up, It's Night!

Come discover the wonder of the nocturnal creatures at Mass Audubons' Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburport! Photo: Neil McIntosh

This parent/child program is designed for the creative, curious, and active preschooler. Each 90-minute session offers a structured series of activities including original songs, movement, dramatic play, hands-on science, and a thematic snack. You'll receive coloring pages, song lyrics, vocabulary, a fun fact sheet, and a suggested reading list in an electronic goody bag! This session focuses on creatures that wake up a nightfall and spend their waking hours in the dark!

When: 
Friday, October 14, 2016 9:30-11am
Location: 
Joppa Flats Education Center
Newburyport
Exploration
Sing Along
Dance
Science
Discovery
Crafts

Downrig or Die!

Celebrate 400 Years of Maritime History at Derby Wharf in Salem Massachusetts! V

Salem Maritime National Historic Site will be celebrating sailing, ships, and our maritime heritage. Details about activities are coming soon. (Sneak peak! Activities will include sails of the Essex built schooners Fame and Ardelle, activities and lectures at St. Joseph Hall, and a social at Victoria's Station from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.) 

When: 
Saturday, November 5, 2016 Noon-9pm
Location: 
Salem Maritime National Historic Site
Salem
Exploration
Demonstration
Presentation
Festival
History
Discovery
Live Music
Maritime
Heritage

Create a Woodland Creature for Preschoolers

Preschoolers will make their own version of a woodland creature at Mass Audubons' Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburport! Photo: Bill O'Connor

Join Joppa Flats Education Center with your pre-schooler for an adventure to collect acorns, pine cones, lichen, bark, and moss at Newburyport's Moseley Pines. Then, we'll put imagination together with these wonderful natural materials, and you and your child will create a new woodland creature friend with what we find! You'll go home with a new excitement for finding natural treasures and turning them into creative projects.

When: 
Thursday, October 13, 2016 10-11:30am
Location: 
Moseley Woods
Newburyport
Exploration
Sing Along
Dance
Science
Discovery
Crafts

Trail Blazing Trek

Join Mass Audubon naturalists on a hike some of the less travelled trails at IRWS.

Ipswich River Sanctuary invites you to come explore! Looking to get off the beaten path and take "the one less traveled?" Haven't yet hiked alll 12 miles of our sanctuary's interconnected trails? Have a yearning to explore places like Hassocky Meadow or White Pine Loop? Come with us as we trek some of the sanctuary's less frequented trails to discover new sights and sounds in these spectacular habitats.

When: 
Saturday, October 1, 2016 1:30 pm - 3pm
Location: 
Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
Topsfield
Hike
Tour
Walk
Exploration
Outdoor Activity
Mass Audubon

Rail Trail Bike Ride

Bike the Rail Trail from Topsfield to Danvers and back as part of Trails and Sails!

Join ECTA Trail Steward and Topsfield Rail Trail Committee Chairman Joe Geller as he leads us on a bike tour of the Topsfield Linear Common Rail Trail through Topsfield, Wenham, Danvers and Peabody.  We will begin at the Town Hall parking lot in Topsfield at 9 a.m. and ride to Lowell Street in Peabody.  We'll stop for a short break at Karl's Sausage Kitchen off Lowell Street in Peabody for rest rooms for about 20 minutes before returning to Topsfield.  This is a great chance to discover a fantastic and safe multi-use path you never knew was there!!

When: 
Sunday, September 25, 2016 9am - Noon
Location: 
Topsfield Town Common
Danvers
Hike
Walk
Exploration
Trails & Sails 2016

Maritime Archaeology and Heritage on the Wharf

Celebrate 400 Years of Maritime History at Derby Wharf in Salem Massachusetts!

Join the Salem Maritime National Historic Site and Dr. Calvin Mires, Co-Founder and Instructor of Seafaring Education and Maritime Archaeological Heritage Program (SEAMAHP) in bringing maritime heritage to life through hands-on activities. Although we won't actually be practicing archaeology, visitors young and old will have the opportunity to use the tools and methods of archaeological research, survey and documentation.

When: 
Saturday, September 24, 2016, 11am-4pm (Open Doors)
Location: 
Salem Maritime National Historic Site
Salem
Exploration
Demonstration
Presentation
Festival
History
Discovery
Maritime
Heritage
Archaeology
Trails & Sails 2016

Pages

Art Academy Summer Program at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly MA

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...
Where: Maudslay State Park
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
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StoryWalk Series at Maudslay
“Magnificent Monarchs” by Linda Glaser Storywalk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts
Enjoy this pre-school StoryWalk® at your leisure with the younger set and combine reading and time in nature! “Magnificent Monarchs” by Linda Glaser is featured in this StoryWalk Series. Younger kids will love this gentle, richly illustrated children’s nonfiction book aimed at preschool–third grade...
Where: Maudslay State Park
7:00 am to 8:00 pm
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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!
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic
The Annual Hampton Beach, NH Master Sandsculpting Competition 2025
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 23rd. Watch Greg Grady and “The Grady Bunch” build a mammoth Sand Demo Site. 
Where: Hampton Beach
7:00 am to 11:00 pm
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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.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Crane Outdoors: Kayak Adventure on the Castle Neck River
Take a guided kayak paddle adventure on the Castle Neck River with the Trustees of Reservations!
One of the best was to enjoy the natural beauty of the Massachusetts North Shore is kayaking the placid waters of the Great Marsh—the largest continuous stretch of salt marsh in New England, extending from Cape Ann to New Hampshire. The Castle Neck peninsula on the Crane Estate is a vast barrier...
Where: Crane Wildlife Refuge on the Crane Estate
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
♦ Read More →

CraneOutdoors: Kayak Historic Fox Creek
Kayak the twists and turns of Fox Creek in Ipswich with the Trustees of Reservations
The Great Marsh—the largest contiguous salt marsh in New England—is not only brimming with fascinating natural history, it is also home to a rich cultural history. Nowhere is this more evident than in the meandering waters of Fox Creek. Connecting the tidal estuaries of the Essex River basin and...
Where: Crane Wildlife Refuge on the Crane Estate
9:00 am to 12:30 pm
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Interpretation Station at Maudslay

Learn about the bloom cycles at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts
Join the park interpreter at this station to discover the many park perks at Maudslay! Each week a different feature and area will be highlighted. Check the board at each entrance to find the location of the Interpretation Station. For all ages.
Where: Maudslay State Park
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Rockport Farmers' Market
The Rockport Farmers' Market runs every Saturday at Rockport Music in Downtown Rockport!
The Rockport Farmers Market offers a variety of locally-grown produce, hand-crafted products, baked goods, and live music. It provides a community space to support local farmers and artisans.
Where: Harvey Park - Rockport
9:00 am to 1:00 pm
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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...
Where: Marblehead Farmers' Market
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
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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 →

Topsfield Strawberry Festival 2025
NorthShore Kids' and Parents' Events Calendar for Boston's North Shore families
The soil in the garden has barely been turned and already the first sign of Summer has appeared. Strawberries! With Strawberries comes the Topsfield Historical Society's 56th Strawberry Festival and Craft Fair in early June which offers a spectacle of strawberry fun for each and every one. The...
Where: Topsfield Town Common
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Arts Fest Beverly
Arts Fest Beverly is a free outdoor festival that's fun for the whole family in the heart of downtown Beverly Massachusetts
Beverly Main Streets will be hosting their 22nd annual Arts Fest Beverly in downtown Beverly . This community event is free and open to the public, and will bring thousands of people to Cabot St for a day of shopping, live music, local food, and activities for the whole family. Over 125+ juried...
Where: Beverly Main Streets
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Ipswich RiverFest
Ipswich River Watershed Association Paddle-a-thon is a fun day on the Ipswich River for the whole family!
Celebrate the start of summer and Father’s Day weekend at RiverFest—a free, family-friendly festival full of outdoor fun, nature, music, and more—on Saturday, June 14, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Ipswich River Park in North Reading.
Where: Ipswich River Park
10:00 am to 1:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Annual Art in the Barn Exhibit and Sale
Art in the Barn is a fundraiser for the Essex County Greenbelt Association Essex Mass
Art in the Barn is recognized as one of the North Shore’s premier art events, showcasing the work of some of the most talented artists in the region. An annual fundraising event for over 30 years, the show takes place at Greenbelt’s headquarters, Cox Reservation in Essex, an iconic plein air...
Where: Cox Reservation
10:00 am to 5:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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.
Where: Boston Common and Boston Public Garden
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
11:00 am
♦ Read More →

Long Hill Garden Tours
Tour the Gardens at the Trustees of Reservations Long Hill Gardens in Beverly, Massachusetts!
The Trustees of Reservations invite you to join our expert guides for a tour around Long Hill’s stunning Sedgwick Gardens and learn more about the special plants. Visit Long Hill’s breathtaking gardens and stately historic house for a guided tour. Enjoy the rich history of this grand country estate...
Where: Long Hill and Sedgwick Gardens
11:00 am to 12:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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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Father's Day Pizza & BBQ Bash at Appleton Farms
Fathers Day BBQ, Beer and Bluegrass at Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts
Bring Dad to Appleton Farms on Father’s Day weekend for our own seasonal wood-fired pizza, local beer, local BBQ, and live music! We’ll have Notch Brewing on-site serving up some cold suds, and barbecue from Fat Belly Food Truck and Sweet Treats from the Down River Ice Cream.
Where: Appleton Farms
12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
2:00 pm
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Derek Hines Flag Day 5k
Run the Flag Day 5k and raise funds for Massachusetts Veterans who have sustained serious injury in the line of duty
The 1st LT Derek Hines Soldiers Assistance Fund is excited to return to Cashman Park for the 14th Annual Flag Day 5K road race. The 5K walk or run will be hosted on June 14, 2025 at Cashman Park in Newburyport, MA. We look forward to gathering in person this year as we continue to honor 1st LT...
Where: Downtown Newburyport, Where: Cashman Park
4:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Essex River Day
Essex River Day was created to celebrate one of our most valued resources - the Essex River Massachusetts
Essex River Day 2025 is CANCELED - No Rain Date! Essex River Day was created to celebrate one of our most valued resources - the Essex River. This simple idea has grown into an annual event to kick-off the start of summer! Head down to Memorial Park at 24 Martin Street next to Essex Town Hall on...
Where: Memorial Park (Essex), Where: Downtown Essex
5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Sunday, June 22

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...
Where: Maudslay State Park
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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 →

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...
Where: Tannery Marketplace
9:00 am to 1:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Crane Outdoors: Kayak Adventure on the Castle Neck River
Take a guided kayak paddle adventure on the Castle Neck River with the Trustees of Reservations!
One of the best was to enjoy the natural beauty of the Massachusetts North Shore is kayaking the placid waters of the Great Marsh—the largest continuous stretch of salt marsh in New England, extending from Cape Ann to New Hampshire. The Castle Neck peninsula on the Crane Estate is a vast barrier...
Where: Crane Wildlife Refuge on the Crane Estate
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Interpretation Station at Maudslay

Learn about the bloom cycles at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts
Join the park interpreter at this station to discover the many park perks at Maudslay! Each week a different feature and area will be highlighted. Check the board at each entrance to find the location of the Interpretation Station. For all ages.
Where: Maudslay State Park
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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.
Where: Boston Common and Boston Public Garden
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
♦ Read More →

North Andover Farmers' Market
North Andover Farmers Market every Sunday Through October 2, 2022
The North Andover Farmers Market is the perfect destination for anyone living in the Merrimack Valley or the North Shore to shop and enjoy locally-sourced products. The market will take place in the center of town at the intersection of First Street and Main Street. The market has become known for...
Where: Downtown North Andover
10:00 am to 1:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Long Hill Garden Tours
Tour the Gardens at the Trustees of Reservations Long Hill Gardens in Beverly, Massachusetts!
The Trustees of Reservations invite you to join our expert guides for a tour around Long Hill’s stunning Sedgwick Gardens and learn more about the special plants. Visit Long Hill’s breathtaking gardens and stately historic house for a guided tour. Enjoy the rich history of this grand country estate...
Where: Long Hill and Sedgwick Gardens
11:00 am to 12:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
11:00 am
♦ Read More →

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? Kayaking the pristine, sheltered waters of the Essex River Basin offers one of the top on-the-water experiences to be had in Northeast. Add to that a hike on the area’s largest island and you have the...
Where: Crane Wildlife Refuge on the Crane Estate
1:00 pm to 4:30 pm
♦ Read More →
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