Women of Agriculture Hike at Appleton Farms

Farms for centuries: from Indigenous women who were the primary farmers and preservers of food, to Joan Appleton and her ancestors, to our current Trustees staff farmers. Learn about these women and the grit it takes to thrive as a woman in the male-dominated farm world. Get outside and moving on a winter day, exploring the dormant crop fields, forest trails, and sweeping pastures of Appleton. Accessibility: This hike has a moderate level of difficulty on gently hilly terrain, expect it to last approximately 2.5 hours. Be sure to wear weather appropriate clothing and boots or shoes that are appropriate for hiking in potentially wet and muddy spots or over uneven terrain, or in light precipitation. We recommend you bring your own water bottle. Single use plastics are not permitted on site.

Appleton Farms

Resilient Coasts: Using Local Phenomena to Understand Climate Solutions

&nbsp;3-Day Summer Professional Development Institute for Grades 6-12 Educators Join us for a place-based professional learning experience that integrates coastal science and conservation at Crane Beach. This multi-day summer program invites you and peer educators to explore active restoration and conservation projects through hands-on field experiences and direct collaboration with scientists. Participating educators will engage with real datasets, discuss ongoing research, and examine how ecosystems respond to human impact over time. From the beach to the salt marsh, educators will experience how authentic fieldwork and community science can deepen student understanding of environmental change. Designed with the Science and Engineering Practices in mind, this program equips teachers with meaningful examples, data, and pedagogical approach to connect local science to broader standards-aligned concepts and inquiry

Crane Beach on the Crane Estate

Family Explorer: Winter Tracking in the Dunes at Crane Beach

An outdoor adventure for the whole family! We’ll take a dune walk, investigating the trail for footprints, scat, burrows, and other signs left behind by travelers that passed through before us, and piece together the evidence that will help us see who lives in this habitat. Bring your sharp senses and your skills of observation! The Family Explorer hiking series will get you and your young explorers outside and moving at Trustees properties across the Northeast Region. These family-friendly hikes cover less ground to accommodate smaller strides and have more frequent stops to look, listen, and learn from our Outdoor Guides. Some hikes will start with a story, hands-on demonstration, or explorers’ challenge to spark curiosity before hitting the trail.

Family Explorer: Winter on the Lake at Moraine Farm

Hike along the shores of beautiful Wenham Lake on a glacial moraine and learn how this ridge formed thousands of years ago, as glaciers melted, scattering about rocks and sand to form the landscape we see today. Learn also about the importance of Wenham Lake as a water source, both today, and in years past when ice from the lake was shipped to England for Queen Victoria! This hike will start with an interactive timeline game, and then head out on the trails to observe how human and natural activities have shaped the landscape over time. The&nbsp;Family Explorer&nbsp;hiking series will get you and your young explorers outside and moving at Trustees properties across the Northeast Region. These family-friendly hikes cover less ground to accommodate smaller strides and have more frequent stops to look, listen, and learn from our Outdoor Guides. Some hikes will start with a story, hands-on demonstration, or explorers’ challenge to spark curiosity before hitting the trail.

Moraine Farm

Family Explorer: Winter Birds and Wildlife at Appleton Farms

What birds and other wildlife frequent the Appleton Farms fields, woodlands, and wetlands in the winter? This hike will start with some interactive games and demonstrations to get learners familiar with our resident winter birds and wildlife, and to introduce techniques for bird observation and animal tracking. We will then head out on the trails to practice these skills! The&nbsp;Family Explorer&nbsp;hiking series will get you and your young explorers outside and moving at Trustees properties across the Northeast Region. These family-friendly hikes cover less ground to accommodate smaller strides and have more frequent stops to look, listen, and learn from our Outdoor Guides. Some hikes will start with a story, hands-on demonstration, or explorers’ challenge to spark curiosity before hitting the trail.

Family Explorer: Winter Wildlife Walk at Crane Beach

A CraneExplorer Family Winter Wildlife Walk will take you on a stroll through the Crane Beach dunes while learning about some of the plants and animals that call this special place home. 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 dune habitat. This includes numerous lookouts offering stunning views of Choate Island and the varied ecosystems of Castle Neck, including Pitch Pine forests and naturally occurring cranberry bogs. The Family Explorer hiking series will get you and your young explorers outside and moving at Trustees properties across the Northeast Region. These family-friendly hikes cover less ground to accommodate smaller strides and have more frequent stops to look, listen, and learn from our Outdoor Guides. Some hikes will start with a story, hands-on demonstration, or explorers’ challenge to spark curiosity before hitting the trail.

Explore! North Shore: Winter Hike at Moraine Farm

The&nbsp;Explore! North Shore&nbsp;hiking series will get you outside and moving at some lesser explored Trustees properties across the Northeast Region, at the right time of year to see these special places shine. These beginner hikes will not be too strenuous, and will offer frequent stops for learning and taking in the beauty of our special places. Join a guided hike at Moraine Farm to take in the winter wonders of this beautiful lakeside landscape, and learn the rich natural and human history of this special place. This easy/moderate hike will last ~2 hours and cover ~2 miles, over gravel &amp; grass trails with minimal elevation change. While strolling through the woods on the shore of Wenham Lake, you will be transported back in time to when this landscape was formed by glaciers thousands of years ago. Emerge from the woods and stroll the carriage loop of the Phillips family estate, designed by Fredrick Law Olmstead. Learn how the partnership of several families and organizations has allowed for the preservation and public enjoyment of Moraine Farm as a unique cultural, natural, and agricultural resource.

A Colorful Christmas at Castle Hill

Visiting Castle Hill at Christmas is a time-honored tradition. This year’s A Colorful Christmas is a feast for the eyes. Each room in the 1920s mansion, summer home to the Chicago industrialist Richard Teller Crane, Jr. and his family, has been decorated in a different color or color scheme. Guests can enjoy complimentary refreshments and the Castle Hill Gift Shop. Timed entry limits the number of guests per hour. Sensory-friendly hours with limited capacity and noise reductions have been scheduled for Saturday and Sunday mornings, December 7 – 22, 10 a.m. -11:30 a.m.

Castle Hill on the Crane Estate

Visiting Castle Hill at Christmas is a time-honored tradition. This year’s A Colorful Christmas is a feast for the eyes. Each room in the 1920s mansion, summer home to the Chicago industrialist Richard Teller Crane, Jr. and his family, has been decorated in a different color or color scheme. Guests can enjoy complimentary refreshments and the Castle Hill Gift Shop. Timed entry limits the number of guests per hour. Sensory-friendly hours with limited capacity and noise reductions have been scheduled for Saturday and Sunday mornings, December 7 – 22, 10 a.m. -11:30 a.m.

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

Free things to do in Boston

Free things to do

S19: interest based

Kid-friendly events in Boston

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.

Where

castlehill290

Experiences

Women of Agriculture Hike at Appleton Farms

Resilient Coasts: Using Local Phenomena to Understand Climate Solutions

Family Explorer: Winter Tracking in the Dunes at Crane Beach

Family Explorer: Winter on the Lake at Moraine Farm

Family Explorer: Winter Birds and Wildlife at Appleton Farms

Family Explorer: Winter Wildlife Walk at Crane Beach

Explore! North Shore: Winter Hike at Moraine Farm

A Colorful Christmas at Castle Hill

A Colorful Christmas at Castle Hill

A Colorful Christmas at Castle Hill

A Colorful Christmas at Castle Hill

A Colorful Christmas at Castle Hill

A Colorful Christmas at Castle Hill

A Colorful Christmas at Castle Hill

A Colorful Christmas at Castle Hill