Outdoor Activity

Fall Colors Paddle for Families

Come see fall foliage from a different perspective on the Fall Foliage Paddle.

Mid-October is an excellent time to take in the spectacular and stunning colors provided by the Ipswich River. The riverside silver maples will be showing off their yellow-gold, while the cattails and other marsh grasses will provide beautiful greens and browns, all set against the winding blues and blacks of the river. Have your family join us for a few hours as we explore this pristine habitat via a gentle paddle in canoes. With a little luck we might encounter a beaver, otter, or muskrat as well!

When: 
Saturday, October 12, 2019 1-3pm

TitO presents Poe in Salem

Theater in the Open presents the works of Edgar Allen Poe at Gedney and Cox Houses in Salem Massachusetts!

Join Theater in the Open for a special presentation of Poe! Using music, movement and macabre pageantry, Theater in the Open will explore the emotional tension and otherworldly atmosphere that underscore the work of Edgar Allan Poe. Your favorite fearful Poe poems and stories — including The Raven and The Fall of the House of Usher — come to life at this all-ages show. We'll perform by lantern light in the historic GEDNEY HOUSE at 21 High Street, Salem.

When: 
Friday, October 4, 2019 7-8:30pm or 9-10:30PM
Location: 

Monarch Migration Celebration

Kids will learn about monarch butterflies at the Stevens-Coolidge Estate in North Andover!

You spent the summer watching them flit about your gardens, now it’s time to wish them well on their trip down to Mexico – it’s the Monarch Migration Celebration at Stevens-Coolidge Place! This celebration will kick off with a children’s pollinator parade around the property (costumes encouraged!) bringing all visitors to an afternoon of demos, crafts & stories, seed bomb making and gardening tips to bring these orange friends to your yard in the spring.
Butterfly release at 2:30pm

When: 
Saturday, October 5, 2019 10am-3pm

Flower Crown Making

Come to the Stevens-Coolidge Estate to learn how to make flower crowns with flowers picked from the gardens!

Join the The Trustees of Reservations at the Stevens-Coolidge Estate, cut your own flowers at our Flower Fields Cutting Garden and then use them to create a beautiful flower crown. We will have all the supplies and instructions you need to learn how to make a beautiful floral crown of your own design. Participants of all ages and genders encouraged to attend! Leave feeling fabulous and with the skills to craft future headpieces from your own garden blooms.

When: 
Saturdays & Sundays, September 7-29, 2019 12-3pm

Invertebrates of the Field and Forest

Families will learn about invertabrates of the North Shore with North Shore Nature Programs

North Shore Nature Programs is happy to be participating in our first ever Trails and Sails event! Join experienced naturalists Andrew and Dan on a guided hike through Camp Denison’s fields and forests. Your family can expect to see katydids, dragonfly’s, centipedes, millipedes, and sow bugs! Each family will have the opportunity to touch and hold as many invertebrates as they please! You will also learn about the amazing adaptations these creatures require to live in the wild.

When: 
Sunday, September 29, 2019 2-4pm

Fall Foliage Celebration at Stevens-Coolidge Estate

Come celebrate Fall at and the changing of colors at the Stevens Coolidge Place in North Andover!

Fall in New England is a magical time! Get outside with The Trustees of Reservations this year and enjoy the season. This year’s Fall Foliage Celebration will take place at three Trustees properties in the Andover area – guided hikes to scenic vistas and unusual habitats at Ward Reservation and Weir Hill; pumpkin hunt, flower maze and historic home & garden tours at The Stevens-Coolidge Place. Your ticket to today’s festivities include all three properties! Food and drink vendors at Stevens-Coolidge.

When: 
Saturday, October 19, 2019 10am-3pm

Trails, Sails & Stars! Explore the Night Sky

Explore the stars with Trails & Sails and the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club

Always wanted to know how to read the night sky? Come Star Gazing with the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club to enjoy outdoor night sky observation. See open clusters, planetary nebulae, and galaxies millions of light years away. Telescopes provided on site.

When: 
Friday, September 20, 2019 7-9PM
Saturday, September 21, 2019 7-9PM

TitO presents Poe

Theater in the Open presents the works of Edgar Allen Poe at Oak Hill Cemetary in Newburyport Massachusetts

Join Theater in the Open for a special encore presentation of Poe in The Ellen T. Brown Memorial Chapel at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Newburyport. Using music, macabre pageantry and shadow puppetry, Theater in the Open’s ensemble will explore the emotional tension and otherworldly atmosphere that underscore Poe’s works.

When: 
Friday-Sunday, September 20-29, 2019 6-7:30pm

Children's Fall Fair

Marblehead Susatainability Children's Fall Fair at the Hamond Nature Center in Marblehead

Get outside, learn and play this fall! Join us for a few hours of fun and discovery at the Children's Fall Fair -- Sunday, October 6th 10am -1pm at Hamond Nature Center located at the end of Everett Paine Boulevard in Marblehead.  Hosted by Sustainable Marblehead in partnership with Marblehead Recreation and Parks Department, the Fair will include hands-on, family-friendly activities, displays and presentations connected to sustainability and environmental protection, designed for ages 10 and under.

When: 
Sunday, October 6, 2019 10am - 1pm

The Goonies at Plum Island 'Drive-In'

Plum Island Drive-In Fundaraiser for Newburyport Youth Services featuring 'The Goonies'!

Enjoy a beautiful night on at the ocean's edge at the Plum Island Beach parking lot converted into a 'Drive-in'. Grab your friends or family, jump in the car and head over to Plum Island for a weekend of drive-in movies to kick off this summer! All proceeds to benefit the Newburyport Youth Services scholarship funds. This showing will be The Goonies!  Join in as the gang searches for lost treasure while having outlaws hot on their tail!

When: 
Friday, September 13, 2019 6pm

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Appleton Farms offers great farm-based Vacation Week Programs for kids ages 5-11

Boston Bruins Annual Pajama Drive

Drop off new pajama donations at libraries across the North Shore of Massachusetts as part of the Boston Bruins PJ Drive.
The Boston Bruins will be hosting their 19th annual PJ Drive with the goal of collecting 10,000 pairs of pajamas from February 1st - March 15th, 2026. The drive will benefit Cradles to Crayons and Wonderfund MA, two non-profits that ensure positive living conditions for children. Local businesses...
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

Maple Sugaring at Breakheart Reservation

Come to Breakheart Reservation Saugus Massachusetts to learn about maple sugaring - the process of making syrup..
Come to Breakheart Reservation for this FUN annual event! Experience the process of maple sugarin’ from tapping a tree to sampling real maple syrup.
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts
Come explore the lesser-visited corners of Castle Hill and its surroundings with us this season. This hike is a CraneOutdoors guide favorite because it’s got a little bit of all the things that make the Crane Estate such a special place…
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

2nd Saturday at Lynn Museum

Lynn Museum in Massachusetts offers free admission on the second Saturday of each month.
Come to the Lynn Museum and Historical Society for FREE family fun. Join us on the second and fourth Saturday of each month for FREE admission to the Museum from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.! You can view our latest exhibitions, purchase Lynn-themed goods in our shop, check out books in our free library, and...
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Discover Saturdays at Cape Ann Museum

Discover Saturdays for Families at Cape Ann Museum in Gloucester Massachusetts
Enjoy a FREE guided activity (ages 4+) in the gallery. Learn about Cape Ann’s Granite Industry, try a fun art making activity, and join in gallery tour designed for kids and their caregivers, led by a CAM Educator. Afterwards grab a scavenger hunt to explore the property and enjoy the lawn.
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Maple Sugaring Saturday at IRWS

Sugaring Off tours are a fun and tasty way to learn about maple sugaring at IRWS
Experience the age-old tradition of maple sugaring at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary! The warm days of late winter awaken the flow of sap in the maples resulting in sweet-smelling, billowing clouds of steam rising from the sugarhouse. On a naturalist-guided walk, learn how to identify a sugar...
10:30 am to 3:30 pm
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