Outdoor Activity

Trails & Sails

Explore the North Shore with over 150 Free Events in Essex National Heritage Area's Trails & Sails celebration in Massachusetts.

Essex National Heritage Area sites will offer over 150 free family fun events from September 14-29, 2024 for the annual celebration of TRAILS & SAILS. Discover special places in your backyard and be guided through unique landscapes on land and sea, explore historic properties, and take in cultural experiences of all kinds. Find what makes Essex County like nowhere else during Trails & Sails! It’s all FREE and it’s all located within the 34 cities and towns of Essex County.

When: 
Daily, September 14-29, 2024

Powow Scenic Vista Hike

Take a Trails & Sails hike to the top of Powow Hill in Amesbury Massachusetts!

Come join the Lake Gardener Improvement Association for a guided up Powow Hill. We will hike to the top of Powow Hill, the highest point on the Essex County seacoast! Hike through hundreds of acres of unspoiled greenspace to reach the summit vista, from which you can see three states and the Atlantic! The approximately hour-long hike will bring you from the beach at Lake Gardner to the summit. And the summit is within easy walking distance of the restaurants, brewpubs, and shops of downtown Amesbury!

When: 
Saturday, September 22, 2024 2-3:30pm
Location: 

GNOCA 5K Run/Walk

GNOCA's 5K Run/Walk in Honor of Jackie Poor & Paula Holm is a 5k Run or Family Friendly Stroll through Scenic Newburyport starting & ending at Michael's Harborside. Tee Shirts will be given to the First 100 Registrants. All participating runners will be assigned numbers and timed. Great Prizes for Age Category Winners!

When: 
Sunday, September 22, 2024 8AM-1PM

Useful Plants of Pioneer Village – Food, Medicine & More

Learn about colonial medicine at Pioneer Village in Salem Massachusetts

An amazing number of the plants at Pioneer Village are nutritious food, or good medicine, and/or useful in other ways. Some are native and were already here when the settlers came, others were introduced. In this fun and informative walk you will learn about these wonderful plants and some of their uses, whether they are wild and weedy or cultivated and tame. Appreciating the useful plants around us helps us to treat plants and the environment with care and respect, so they are here for future generations. You will leave with new-found awe for our plant neighbors and the many gifts they offer us!

When: 
Sunday, September 29, 2024 2-3pm
Location: 

Stories of the Past at Maudslay

Kids will learn about the history of Maudslay State Park on thes guided tour in Newburyport Massachusetts

Join the Maudslay State Park interpreter on a guided tour for a unique experience to view the mansion and daughter’s picturesque house sites, both have open vistas overlooking the Merrimack River! Additionally, archival photos of the estate will be shared during the walk. For ages 8 years & up.

When: 
Saturday, September 21, 2024 1-2pm

Fishing Festival at Harold Parker State Forest

Come to Harold Parker State Forest's Sudden Pond in North Reading Massachusetts for a full day of fishing fun!

Come to Sudden Pond for a day of fishing for all ages! This event is perfect for anglers of any experience level. Cast a line, learn about the fish in our waters, safety, and equipment. MassWildlife Angler Education Volunteer Instructors will be on hand to assist. Equipment is provided. No license required. The Friends of Harold Parker State Forest will be providing a barbecue for the hungry fisher people.

When: 
Saturday, September 14, 2024 10am-2pm

Outdoor Sculpture at Maudslay | Thread

Artists will install their sculptures at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts for public viewing!

Enjoy a self-guided walking tour of the 25th Annual Outdoor Sculpture at Maudslay Exhibit September 8-29 featuring 50 site specific sculptures by local artists addressing this year’s theme, ‘Thread' within the magnificence of Maudslay State Park in Newburyport. Look for the large green trail head signs featuring sculpture locations and instructions for downloading our simple phone app which will include the sculpture locations, photos, and artist statements.

When: 
September 8-29, 2024 during Park Hours

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Camp Whirlygig for kids ages 4-10 at the Wenham Museum in 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!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

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

Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk

 Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Swampscott Farmer's Market

The Swampscott Farmers Market happens every Sunday through October.
Rain or shine, the Swampscott Farmers’ Market features a wide variety of produce, meats, fish, breads, flowers and crafts from farmers, food producers, and artisans from around Massachusetts and nearby New England states. Anchoring the market, Swampscott will have Clark Farm providing a large...
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Sing & Dance with the Music Man

Sing & Dance with the Music Man Brian Doser in Hamilton visit Massachusetts
Come join the fun at Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham Monday, Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10am for 30 - 45 minutes of great music with Brian Doser! Sing and dance with the Music Man during a family concert, featuring familiar and original tunes, performed by local dad and musician,...
10:00 am to 10:45 am

CraneExplorer: Family Full Moon Hike in the Dunes

Walk through the Crane Wildlife Refuge in Ipswich Massachusetts with the Trustees under the full moon.
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...
7:30 pm to 9:30 pm

Sunday, June 15

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

Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk

 Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...
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

Spring Birding Walk—Symphony of Bird Song!

You and your child can learn the basics of birding at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport Massachusetts
Stroll our seaside treasure with birding basics.  Hear the symphony of spring bird song!  Watch for them at the field’s, woodland’s, and ocean’s edge.  Learn about their sounds, habits, and flight patterns.  Enjoy extraordinary views. 
8:00 am to 10:00 am

Newburyport Farmers' Market

Newburyport Farmers find organic locally grown produce, meat, dairy Newburyport
The Newburyport Farmers Summer Market celebrates local fresh produce every Sunday morning rain or shine!  Start your Sunday browsing fresh North Shore local produce, meats, cheeses, and seafood in an open air market atmosphere! Food and beverage vendors offer fresh hot coffee, breakfast treats and...
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Crane Outdoors: Kayak Adventure on the Castle Neck River

Take a guided kayak paddle adventure on the Castle Neck River with the Trustees of Reservations!
One of the best was to enjoy the natural beauty of the Massachusetts North Shore is kayaking the placid waters of the Great Marsh—the largest continuous stretch of salt marsh in New England, extending from Cape Ann to New Hampshire. The Castle Neck peninsula on the Crane Estate is a vast barrier...
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

North Andover Farmers' Market

North Andover Farmers Market every Sunday Through October 2, 2022
The North Andover Farmers Market is the perfect destination for anyone living in the Merrimack Valley or the North Shore to shop and enjoy locally-sourced products. The market will take place in the center of town at the intersection of First Street and Main Street. The market has become known for...
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Long Hill Garden Tours

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. Visit Long Hill’s breathtaking gardens and stately historic house for a guided tour. Enjoy the rich history of this grand country estate...
11:00 am to 12:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Free Ranger guided tours of the Saugus Iron Works House in Massachusetts
Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.
11:00 am
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