All Ages

Apple Picking on the North Shore

Pick your own apple orchards and places to buy fresh local apples on Massachusetts' North Shore

We've assembled a list of some of our favorite apple orchards north of Boston. Many offer pick-your-own apples and apples that are available for purchase by the pound. In addition to apple picking, many of the orchards offer trail walks, farm stands, baked goods, petting farms, country stores, hay rides and other child-friendly activities.

Haunted Happenings Grand Parade

Haunted Happenings kicks off a month of spooktacular fun with the Grand Parade!

Come join or watch this Salem tradition to kick off Haunted Happenings that is filled with pageantry, music, and the enthusiasm of thousands of Salem’s students from kindergarten to college. The theme for this year’s Parade is “Our Time on Earth”, inspired by the 2024 exhibition that was previously on view at the Peabody Essex Museum, which should give parade participants a wide array of costumes and stories to tell!

When: 
Thursday, October 3, 2024 6:30-8pm

Landmark 5k Road Race and Kids Fun Run

Landmark School's annual 5K Road Race is a family fun event that helps support the mission of Landmark School.

Landmark School's 5K Road Race and Kids 1K Fun Run are part of their Homecoming & Fall Festival. It is one of the largest events of the academic year, bringing together students, parents, alumni, faculty, friends, and members of the broader North Shore community. This event is also part of the Landmark Cares fundraiser, which helps students who have dyslexia reach their full potential.

When: 
Saturday, September 21, 2024 10:30am-Noon
Location: 

Wicked Half Marathon

The Taché Realty Wicked Half Marathon will be supporting the Salem Food Pantry & the Salem Children’s Charity.

The Annual Taché Realty Wicked Half Marathon is held in historic Salem, Massachusetts! Participants will have a 4 hour time cap to complete this course. The course will offer aid stations every 1.5-2 miles and there will be a ton of cheerful volunteers on the course. Everyone will receive a custom finisher medal that you will be a nice addition to your collection. The event attracts close to 1000 runners, including elites to beginners traveling from all over the world. We promise the scenery in Salem and Marblehead will make these miles fly by! The Taché Realty Wicked Half Marathon will be supporting the Salem Food Pantry & the Salem Children’s Charity.

When: 
Sunday, September 22, 2024 7am

Corn MAiZE and Haunted Attractions at Connors Farm - Danvers

Corn MAiZE, Maze and Haunted Attractions at Connors Farm - Danvers, Massachusetts

Come to Connors Farm to find your way through this year's maze and enjoy many family fun activities! After completing the maze, stay and have some fun around the farm. Children enjoy apple and pumpkin picking, hayrides, and most of all, visiting the barnyard animals.

When: 
Daily, August 31 - November 3, 2024 Hours Vary
Location: 

It’s a Hard Dock Life at Maritime Gloucester

Finding and Identifying Marine Invasive Species at Maritime Gloucester in Massachusetts as partof Trails& Sails

Maritime Gloucester invites participants to pull up dock lines on the pier and see what marine creatures we can find! Using magnifying glasses, microscopes, and identification cards, we’ll discover as many marine invasive critters as we can. After investigating the dock, we encourage families to explore the Maritime Gloucester Campus, including the Seapocket Aquarium, the Marine Science & Education Center, and Gorton’s Seafood Gallery of Maritime Heritage in Gloucester, all free of charge.

When: 
Saturday, September 15, 2024 10am-3pm

CoastSweep Cleanup at Collins Cove Beach

CoastSweep Cleanup hosted by Salem Sound Coastwatch at Collins Cove Beach in Salem Massachusetts

As part of COASTSWEEP Beach CleanupSalem Sound Coastwatch encourages volunteers to come to Collins Cove Beach to help in the statewide effort to keep the Massachusetts coastline clean. COASTSWEEP is the annual statewide cleanup of Massachusetts coastal and riverine environments. Over more than 20 years, COASTSWEEP has engaged thousands of volunteers in cleaning hundreds of miles of shoreline and riverbanks.

When: 
Saturday, September 14, 2024 10am
Appleton Farms offers great farm-based Vacation Week Programs for kids ages 5-11

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

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

Turkey Trot at Breakheart Reservation

Come to Breakheart Reservation for a pre-Thanksgiving Turkey Trot in Saugus Massachusetts!
Breakheart Reservation invites you to a Thanksgiving run/walk! Join us for the annual Breakheart Turkey Trot, a fun-filled event for runners and walkers of all ages! Lace up your sneakers and get ready to hit the scenic trails of Breakheart Reservation in Saugus, Massachusetts. Whether you're a...
9:30 am to 12:00 pm

Swampscott Thanksgiving Farmer's Market

The Swampscott Farmers Market hosts a special Thanksgiving market in Massachusetts
The outdoor markets are done for the season but we will have one last indoor Thanksgiving Market on Sunday, November 19th at Swampscott High School Cafe. Stock up with fresh produce for your Thanksgiving table and get your Christmas shopping started early with our crafters!
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Deck The Halls: Hammond Castle

A holiday themed tour of Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester Massachusetts
Travel back in time to a castle filled with lush, opulent textures inspired by the great medieval and Renaissance castles of Europe. Wander through rooms adorned with White Birch and Christmas trees, sparkling fairy lights, hydrangea-lace garlands, and elegant bows, each space transformed with its...
10:00 am to 8:00 pm

Essex Turkey Trot 5K Race & Fun Walk

The Essex Massachusetts Lions host their annual 5k Turkey Trot!
The Essex Lion's Club hosts the annual turkey trot in beautiful Essex Massachusetts!
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Family & Friends CPR Course

Learn about infant and child cpr and choke saving skills at Beath Israel Lahey Health's Beverly Hospital in Massachusetts!
It is only a matter of a few short minutes before it is too late to save a life … learning what to do provides you precious minutes and gives someone a chance to survive.  The Family & Friends CPR Course teaches the lifesaving skills of child CPR with breaths, child AED use, infant CPR, and m
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

SeaFestival of Trees | Sundays

Browse our maze of festively decorated trees and enjoy a little holiday sparkleat the SeaFestival of Trees in Salisbury Massachusetts
The Seacoast’s most magical holiday tradition is back! The 13th Annual SeaFestival of Trees opens Saturday, November 22 at the Blue Ocean Event Center in Salisbury, transforming the oceanfront venue into a sparkling winter wonderland of more than 145 themed trees, a giant sand sculpture, Santa’s...
11:00 am to 5:00 pm

DIY Holiday Centerpieces | Camp Kent

DIY Holiday Centerpiece Workshop at Camp Kent in Amesbury Massachusetts
Join us at Camp Kent for a DIY holiday centerpiece event! We will be collecting materials from our gardens and the forest, as we prepare for the festivities to come. Each family will receive a beautiful glass jar, as well as a chopped and stained, wooden disk to accent the arrangement. There will...
12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

CraneOutdoors: Castle Neck Hike in the Dunes

Hiking the Dunes at the Crane Wildlife refuge with the Trustees of Reservations.
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...
1:00 pm to 3:30 pm

Sunday STEAM Club at North Shore Children's Museum

Visit Peabody MA, NorthShore, North Shore Children's Museum
Join in on Sundays at 2:30 for STEAM Club for ages 5-11. Each week participants will explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math with our NSCM staff! Every STEAM club session will see your kids participating in hands-on activities while exploring a new topic. Space is limited, please...
2:30 pm to 4:00 pm

Friday, December 5

Take a Trolley Ride with Scrooge!

Salem Trolley Christmas Carol, Fun Holiday Events north of Boston, Trolley Ride with Scrooge
Join Scrooge on the Salem Trolley as you ride through Salem Massachusetts in this rolling production performed by the Griffen Theater . Now entering into it's 39th Season, this humorous & whimsical interactive performance reanimates Dickens’ timeless seasonal holiday classic. Experience...
2:00 pm to 9:30 pm

Tree Lighting in Marblehead

Marblehead's tree lighting is always a festive occasion to kick off the holidays
The Tree Lighting will take place at the new National Grand Bank Parking Lot on Pleasant Street in Downtown Marblehead this year!  Enjoy the festive atmosphere and live music as the town lights the yearly Christmas tree! Festivities begin at 5:30pm with the tree lighting at 7pm.
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm

SeaFestival of Trees | Blades Night

Celebrate with holiday with the Bruins Mascot at the SeaFestival of Trees in Salisbury Massachusetts
Come tho the SeaFestival of Tree for a special Bruins themed night! Wear your Bruins apparel, meet the Bruins mascot and skate on the Seaaside Ice indoor rink! Enjoy a scavenger hunt through a maze of sparkling trees, visit Santa, and enjoy the candy cane forest. Skate rentals available. 
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Hamilton-Wenham Carol Sing & Tree Lighting

Hamilton-Wenham Community hosts a community carol sing and tree lighting in Massachusetts
The Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham invites children to join us for a jolly evening of carol singing and holiday cheer, led by Kimberly Robertson, Music Director for Stage 284! Santa will be arriving in style at about 7:15pm. Free to attend!
6:30 pm

Saturday, December 6

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

Marblehead Christmas Walk

The Marblehead Christmas Walk is several days of local Holiday events in Marblehead Massachusetts
The Marblehead Chamber of Commerce invites you to Marblehead to enjoy several days of holiday festivities, family events and activities!  Come for one or all days with highlights that include Santa's arrival by lobster boat,Festive shopping, Tree Lightings, a holiday parade, Artisan Markets,...
9:00 am to 9:00 pm

Santa Arrives in Marblehead

Come to Marblehead to welcome Santa as he arrives for the Christmas Walk!
Come to the State Street Landing in Downtown Marblehead to welcome Santa as he arrives by lobster boat!  There's plenty of photo ops and Santa's arrival is followed by the Marblehead Christmas Walk Parade. 
9:00 am

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

Christmas at Castle Hill | A Nod to Nature

Christmas at Castle Hill | A Nod to Nature is a weekend of festivities hosted by the Trustees of Reservations at Castle Hill in Ipswich Massachusetts
Visiting Castle Hill at Christmas is a time-honored tradition. Don’t miss this year’s event celebrating the beauty of the natural world. You’ll see birds, flowers, snowflakes, and more as you view 18 spaces decorated for the holidays.
10:00 am to 8:00 pm
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