Beach

North Shore Trails

Enjoy a hike on one of the many trails on the North Shore of Boston Massachusetts!

The North Shore has many miles of trails over all kinds of terrain.  Hike in the forest, through moraine boulder feilds, over dunes, and through varied habitats that offer many different kinds of flora and fauna. It's not just about hiking either - many trails are accessible to cross country skiers, showshoe enthusiast and mountain bikers too. Check out our complete list of places hike, run and walk on the North Shore, and discover the unique beauty of this wonderful part of Massachusetts!

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Dane Street Beach

  • Limited on street parking.
  • Dogs on leashes allowed from 6-7:30 AM and 7:30-10 PM between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
  • Bathhouse is open when a lifeguard is on duty beginning in late June from 10 AM to 5 PM.
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Nahant Beach Reservation

Lynn Shore & Nahant Beach Reservation is a protected coastal reservation covering 67 acres of beach and recreational areas in the town of Nahant, Massachusetts, managed by the Mass DCR. The reservation is open year-round, but summer is the time to visit and escape the heat. Enjoy swimming in the ocean, launch your boat, or sunbathe on the beach. Be aware of daily parking fees before you visit.

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Public Waterfront Access

Salisbury Beach State Reservation

Salisbury Beach is one of the state's most popular ocean beaches, stretching 3.8 miles along the Atlantic Ocean. This 521-acre park offers swimming, boating, fishing, and camping, and is very popular with trailer campers. Facilities include a 484-site campground with renovated bathhouses, an extensive day-use parking lot, three new comfort stations for the beach- going public with boardwalks over the dunes, and a new playground and pavilion area.

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North Shore Museums

Dragons on display at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem Massachusetts

There a many great musuems on the North Shore due to the area's history, cultural diversity, maritime heritage and roots in colonial America. There are plenty to visit, and if you include museums in the greater Boston area, there are almost too many to visit. Check out our list of museums.  You'll find that the North Shore and surrounding areas cover a wide variety of interest through their museums - everything from art to colonial settlements to textiles to science and robotics!

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Summerquest Camp for kids aed 5-14 at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts

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 →

Annual ECTA Equine Expo & Tack Sale
Essex County Trail Association is hosting the annual Equine EXPO at Topsfield Fairgrounds
Don't miss the 31st annual Equine EXPO & Tack Sale, Saturday, April 25, 2025 from 9-3 in the Arena Building at the Topsfield Fairgrounds on Route 1, Topsfield, MA. Individuals, groups & businesses will make up our booths offering new and used items as well as services for the horse and...
Where: Topsfield Fairgrounds
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
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Family Day at the Bird Banding Station
Kids will learn about local and migrating birds at Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport Massachusetts
There's nothing like a visit to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge for wonderful family nature experiences, and seeing the bird banding station in operation is at the top of the list. See Mass Audubon scientists evaluate, examine, and release migrating songbirds while you learn about migration...
Where: Joppa Flats Education Center
9:00 am to 11:30 am
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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…
Where: Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
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4th 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...
Where: Lynn Museum and Historical Society
10:00 am to 2:00 pm
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The Legacies of Long Hill: House & Garden Tour
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. Step inside the beauty and layered history of Long Hill with a guided tour of its breathtaking gardens and historic house. Once the...
Where: Long Hill and Sedgwick Gardens
10:30 am to 12:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Friday, May 1

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 →

Saturday, May 2

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 →

Teen Naturalist Club at IRWS: Spring/Summer Series
Join Mass Audubon for their Teen Naturalist Club at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield Massachusetts!
Explore a variety of local ecosystems such as a salt marsh, a freshwater river, or a tide pool on the beach. Take part in wildlife data collection in tide pools and vernal pools and engage in conservation projects such as a macroinvertebrate study or a horseshoe crab count in this exciting science...
Where: Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
8:00 am to 5:00 pm
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Salamander Meander
What kind of Salamanders will we find at Mass Audubon's Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary? Photo: Mass Audubon
Explore the sanctuary's vernal pools, ponds, and woodlands to search for amphibians active during this season. If we're fortunate, we might discover Wood Frog and Spotted Salamander eggs, and we may even catch a few adults to observe closely before releasing them.
Where: Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
10:00 am to 2:30 pm
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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…
Where: Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Music and Movement at North Shore Children's Museum
North Shore, North Shore Childrens Museum in Peabody MA
Music and Movement with Marybeth Maes is an engaging music and movement class for young children at the North Shore Children's Museum. Marybeth brings her guitar and instruments for the children to use while they sing, dance, and play.
Where: North Shore Children's Museum
10:00 am to 11:00 am
♦ Read More →

The Legacies of Long Hill: House & Garden Tour
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. Step inside the beauty and layered history of Long Hill with a guided tour of its breathtaking gardens and historic house. Once the...
Where: Long Hill and Sedgwick Gardens
10:30 am to 12:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Sunday, May 3

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 →

The Legacies of Long Hill: House & Garden Tour
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. Step inside the beauty and layered history of Long Hill with a guided tour of its breathtaking gardens and historic house. Once the...
Where: Long Hill and Sedgwick Gardens
10:30 am to 12:00 pm
♦ Read More →

CraneOutdoors: Castle Neck Hike in the Dunes
Hiking the Dunes at the Crane Wildlife refuge with the Trustees of Reservations.
You may be familiar with Crane Beach, but have you ever visited the dune trails? The dunes of Castle Neck are a much less explored world unto themselves. They offer one of the most accessible dune landscapes in New England and trails that provide a firsthand look into the delicate and ever-changing...
Where: Crane Wildlife Refuge on the Crane Estate
1:00 pm to 3:30 pm
♦ Read More →
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