Camp Out

Crane Estate Father’s Day Weekend Family Camp Out

The Trustees of Reservations hosts an adventure-filled weekend camping at the Crane Estate! Our special site in the Pine Grove is an ideal location for both experienced campers and first-timers. This overnight includes a choice of optional programs and activities on Saturday afternoon, which may include a Great Marsh Creek Walk, a Dune Hike through the Crane Wildlife Refuge, a Guided Kayak Paddle in Essex Bay, or a Scavenger Hunt for the little ones. Of course you are also free to simply lounge on the beach, or explore the property on your own. Bring a bag lunch for Saturday. REI will teach us how to make a delicious, nutritious camp out supper – and we’ll follow that with s’mores around the campfire on Saturday night. A light breakfast will be provided on Sunday morning. After you pack up on Sunday morning, you are welcome to spend Sunday afternoon at the beach (parking in the lot by the Barn only).

When:

Saturday, June 18 - Sunday, June 19, 2016 11AM

Location:

Castle Hill on the Crane Estate

Trustees of Reservations

Hike

Kayaking

Scavenger Hunt

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Family Campout at Pomps Pond

Pomps Pond Family Campout hosted by Andover Recreation!

Discouraged by the long drive up North to camp? Worry no more! Join us for a night of camping right here in Andover, on the sandy shore of Pomps Pond! Bring a tent, sleeping bag, and some food to BBQ. Enjoy canoeing on the Pond, S'mores by the fire, arts and crafts, and an outdoor movie! A light continental breakfast will be available for you in the morning before you depart. Fun for all ages!

When:

Saturday, June 13, 2020 4pm to Sunday, June 14, 2020 9:30am

Location:

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Family Campout: Sanctuary Discoveries

Camp along the Ipswich River with Mass Auduobon at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

Join us for a night of camping under the stars with your family. Have an early dinner at home, and then come with your family and your tent. We will explore nature through games and hands-on activities, set up our tents near the Barn before sundown, and tell stories after the sun sets. All campouts include an evening and a morning activity or hike and a light breakfast.

When:

Saturday, July 20 6pm - Sunday, July 21, 2019 9am

Location:

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

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A Friday for Fireflies

Hunt for fireflies with the Trustees at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts!

An evening adventure for the whole family! Join us for a hike down the Cedar Point trail to the Pine Grove. We’ll look for the flash of fireflies in the fields that stretch to the marsh, along the fringes of the woods that line the trail to the Pine Grove, and in the dark of the Pine Grove itself. Did you know that different species of fireflies have different flash patterns? We’ll try to differentiate between our bioluminescent buddies and count how many different species of fireflies live around the Crane Estate. We’ll finish our evening observations with s’mores around a campfire in the Pine Grove!

When:

Friday, July 13, 2018 8-10pm

Location:

Castle Hill on the Crane Estate

Trustees of Reservations

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Trails & Sails & Great Marsh Creek Walk

Explore the Marshes at the Crane Estate in Ipswich at low tide!

Join The Trustees of Reservations for a journey unlike any other in honor of Trails & Sails! Explore the bed of a salt marsh creek at low tide on this guided walk out of Castle Hill on the Crane Estate. One of the few sand-bottom creeks in Essex County, this broad and meandering waterway cuts a perfect footpath through the Great Marsh on its way to Ipswich Bay.

When:

Sunday, September 29, 2013 1:30-3:30

Location:

Castle Hill on the Crane Estate

Crane Beach on the Crane Estate

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

Today's Events
Upcoming Events

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!

Where: Halibut Point State Park

7:00 am to 6:00 pm

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Friday, January 30

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!

Where: Halibut Point State Park

7:00 am to 6:00 pm

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Kidleidoscope at Breakheart Reservation

Come join our park interpreter for a story time and nature walk! Complete a small craft and explore the woods! Walks are gently paced and approximately 1 mile, though not accessible for strollers. Appropriate for families with children 3-5 years old. Meet at the Visitor Center.

Where: Breakheart Reservation

10:30 am to 11:30 am

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Unraveling Winters Wild Tales - Animal Tracking for Families

Welcome to the wild world of animal tracking! Participants will learn how to identify animal tracks by focusing on key details such as number of toes, toenail impressions, and overall size of the print.

Where: Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

3:00 pm to 4:30 pm

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Saturday, January 31

Superbowl of Birding 2026

The Superbowl of Birding is a unique competition conducted in Rockingham County, NH, and Essex County, MA. During a 12-hour period, teams of birders of all ages and abilities seek to amass the greatest number of avian species, to earn the most points based on the rarity of the birds recorded. Teams...

Where: Joppa Flats Education Center

5:00 am to 5:00 pm

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Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!

Where: Halibut Point State Park

7:00 am to 6:00 pm

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Nice n' Easy Hike at Breakheart Reservation

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.

Where: Breakheart Reservation

9:30 am to 11:30 am

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CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike

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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Animal Tracks | Family Nature Series

This event with North Shore Nature Programs is geared toward families of all ages who would like to learn about the signs and tracks that animals leave behind! We will explore outdoors and look at tracks, chewed sticks, scat, nests, beaver constructions and more! Waterproof and warm...

10:00 am to 11:30 am

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CraneExplorer: Family Full Moon Hike in the Dunes

There is almost nothing more peaceful than a evening walk at the Crane Estate, and we would like to invite your family to join us for a unique hiking experience. With the full moon rising over the Atlantic, we’ll start with a sunset stroll along Crane Beach admiring this spectacle before heading...

Where: Castle Hill on the Crane Estate

4:30 pm to 6:30 pm

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