Ipswich

Choate Island Hike

Tour the Choate House on this guided exploration of Choate Island.

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.

When: 
Saturday, June 8, 2019 1:30-4:30pm
Saturday, June 22, 2019 12:30-3:30pm
Saturday, July 6, 2019 12-3pm
Sunday, July 28, 2019 12:30-3:30pm
Sunday, September 15, 2019 1:30-4:30pm
Saturday, September 28, 2019 12-3pm

Friday Farm Dinners at Appleton Farms

Families enjoy dinner on at Appletons Farms with ingredients fresh from the farm!

Join Appleton Farms for a dinner on the farm! Each Friday Appleton Farms invites you to join us for dinner. Relax under the setting sun and enjoy a truly unique farm to table experience. From fresh vegetables and fruits, to local pasture raised meats and sustainable seafood, Chive Events will prepare each meal using the best ingredients available from our own and other local farms. Menus may include slow roasted pork with rhubarb jam, seasonal fresh salads and homemade strawberry short cakes. Watch the season change with each meal and bring the whole family to enjoy the weekly harvests. A casual dinner set overlooking the Great Pasture will remind you to slow down and breathe in the summer's air. Enjoy a cold beverage from our friends at Ipswich Ale while you play old-fashioned lawn games and listen to live music.

When: 
Fridays through September 6, 2019 5:30-8:30pm
Friday, September 20, 2019 5:30-8:30pm
Location: 

Crane Estate Picnic Concert - Help!

HELP! brings Beatles music to the Crane Estate in this Thursday evening concert

Part of the Thursday Night Picnic Concerts at Castle Hill at the Crane Estate in Ipswich, this is a great way to get together and have fun with the whole family in an exclusive setting. You can pack a picnic dinner, bring the kids, and get ready to dance the night away under the stars on the Grand Allée. Explore the landscaped grounds and the family "Eye Spy."

When: 
Thursday, August 22, 2019 7-9pm

Surfcasting 101

Plum Island Beach in Newvburyport is an excellent spot to try fishing in the surf.

Ever wanted to try your hand at surfcasting from the Plum Island beach? Come join two local experts as they discuss the basics you’ll need to get started (or improve!). Topics will include what gear you will need, what to use for bait and lures, how to find a spot that may hold fish, and the best tides and times to go.

When: 
Wednesday, September 18, 2019 7-8:30pm

Spirit of Place Outdoor Exhibit

Red Owl sculpture by Andreas von Huene part of the Spirit in Place Exhibit at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts

The Trustees and New England Sculptors Association are partnering to present a 6-month outdoor sculpture exhibition at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate located at 290 Argilla Road in Ipswich. The “Spirit of Place" exhibition includes 32 pieces created by New England's finest sculptors and placed in gardens, along woodland paths and alongside historic landscape features. This curated show opens May 18 and closes on November 11, 2019.

When: 
Daily, May 18 - November 11, 2019 11-11:45am

Corn Festival at Marini Farm - Ipswich MA

Come to Marini Farm’s Corn Festival. Enjoy a day at the farm and celebrate our signature crop – CORN!!! This great family fun event includes Inflatables, Rope Maze, Giant Slide, Jumping Pillow, Cow Train, Hayrides, Duck Races, Raffles & Games. Hours of fun for the whole family. Visit the farm’s animal pen and the Marini Farmstand and Bakery while you are here.

When: 
July 27 and 28 from 4-8pm
Location: 

Cat's Meow Sundays

Kids will have a blast exploring the Trustees of Reservations Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts!

Mrs. Crane’s cat has gone missing and there’s a party tonight! Only you can help the household staff find the cat AND get ready for the party at the same time! This interactive tour program takes families through the house looking for where the cat might be hiding, while also learning about the house and family. Recommended for children ages 4-8. Unlike our in-season Cat's Meow tour, it is recommended that you pre-register for our vacation week dates.

When: 
Sundays through August 2019 10:30-11:15pm

Pages

Shore School in Beverly Massachusetts offers a host of Summer programs for kids aged 5-12

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

Bruins Pajama Drive

Drop off new pajama donations at libraries across the North Shore as part of the Boston Bruins PJ Drive.
From February 1 through March 15, Cradles to Crayons®, the Boston Bruins, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and Wonderfund are coming together with organizations in your community to collect new pajamas for local children living in low-income and homeless situations. Together, we are...
7:00 am to 9:00 pm

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...
9:00 am to 10:00 pm

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...
9:15 am to 11:15 am

Nice n' Easy Hike at Breakheart Reservation

Nice and Easy winter hike at Breakheart Reservation in Saugus Massachusetts
Join the Park Interpreter for this weekly guided hike! Each trip will highlight natural and historic features unique to Breakheart. Hikes are moderately paced and range from 2-3 miles over sometimes uneven and rocky terrain. Best for ages 8 years and up. Meet at the Visitor Center.
9:30 am to 11:30 am

All Family Field Trips - Coastal Winter Wildlife

Joppa Flats Education Center host an outing at the Salisbury Beach State Reservation in search of coastal wildlife.
Come explore what nature has in store at some of our most amazing wild places on the north shore. Our engaging and experienced staff will introduce families to local beaches, forests, and wetlands to make observations in nature, identify wildlife, and enjoy hands on science activities outdoors....
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

First Aid, CPR & AED Training at ESM

Get First Aid, CPR or AED Certified in this workshop at Essex Shipbuilding Museum in Massachusetts
Take a CPR, First Aid, and AED Certification Course hosted by the Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum at the charming Museum School House. Gain essential life-saving skills and the confidence to handle emergencies with ease.
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

CraneExplorer: Valentine's Coastal Craft

Make Valentines crafts from materials that we find along the shore at the Trustees of Reservations Crane Estate in Ipswich, Massachusetts
The Trustees of Reservations invites ages 12 and up to a valentine craft making workshop! This Valentine’s Day, give a gift from the sea! From seaweed pressings to shell collages, beach treasures make beautiful greetings and keepsakes. Join this workshop to learn fun craft ideas and make marine art...
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Children's Maple in the Barnyard at Appleton Farms

Visit Appleton Farms' sugaring operation and learn about making maple sugar syrup!
Maple Season is here! This special program for ages 3-11 & their families will focus on the magic of maple from start to finish. We will discover this tradition by observing trees, tasting sap, learning the tools involved, and finally, tasting the sweet product. We will make sure to have time...
10:45 am to 3:00 pm

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.
11:00 am to 12:30 pm

Family Owl Prowl

Join a Family Owl Prowl Campout at the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary. Photo: Scott Santino
People of all ages love owls, and many species of owls can be found right here in Massachusetts year-round. Experience the excitement of an owl prowl as we take a night hike to look and listen for Barred Owls, Great Horned Owls, and Eastern Screech-owls. Before we head out on our nocturnal...
5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Sunday, February 23

Hike & Seek: Magic in the Winter Forest

Kids will learn about the winter survival skills of animals at the Stevens Coolidge Place in North Andover Massachusetts!
Have you ever wondered what happens in nature during the winter months? Do you have questions like, “where do certain animals go” or “why does it snow”? Join us this February school vacation for this self-guided winter themed family-friendly bundle for use along the Stevens-to-Stevens trail in...
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

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...
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Watching the Coastal Edge at Halibut Point

Tour the WWII era observation tower at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport Massachusetts.
Meet at the Halibut Point State Park visitors center to learn about the role Halibut Point has played in America’s military history. One day after the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, U.S.
11:00 am to 12:00 pm

Monday, February 24

Bruins Pajama Drive

Drop off new pajama donations at libraries across the North Shore as part of the Boston Bruins PJ Drive.
From February 1 through March 15, Cradles to Crayons®, the Boston Bruins, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and Wonderfund are coming together with organizations in your community to collect new pajamas for local children living in low-income and homeless situations. Together, we are...
7:00 am to 9:00 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

Hike & Seek: Magic in the Winter Forest

Kids will learn about the winter survival skills of animals at the Stevens Coolidge Place in North Andover Massachusetts!
Have you ever wondered what happens in nature during the winter months? Do you have questions like, “where do certain animals go” or “why does it snow”? Join us this February school vacation for this self-guided winter themed family-friendly bundle for use along the Stevens-to-Stevens trail in...
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Tuesday, February 25

Bruins Pajama Drive

Drop off new pajama donations at libraries across the North Shore as part of the Boston Bruins PJ Drive.
From February 1 through March 15, Cradles to Crayons®, the Boston Bruins, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and Wonderfund are coming together with organizations in your community to collect new pajamas for local children living in low-income and homeless situations. Together, we are...
7:00 am to 9:00 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

Hike & Seek: Magic in the Winter Forest

Kids will learn about the winter survival skills of animals at the Stevens Coolidge Place in North Andover Massachusetts!
Have you ever wondered what happens in nature during the winter months? Do you have questions like, “where do certain animals go” or “why does it snow”? Join us this February school vacation for this self-guided winter themed family-friendly bundle for use along the Stevens-to-Stevens trail in...
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Music Together - Tuesday in Marblehead

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® of Salem classes make it easy for parents/primary caregivers to play a crucial role in activating their child's music development. Classes are 45...
10:00 am to 10:45 am
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