Summer is in full swing and parents everywhere are on the lookout for engaging activities to keep their kids entertained and create lasting memories. Luckily, I’ve got you covered!
I asked a bunch of you what you love and you came through! Grab your favorite beverage, find a comfy spot and take a look at this treasure trove of ideas from other real parents and caregivers just like you!
Coming right up — and in my own town:
Art Grows Here: “Art Grows Here is a FREE, map-guided tour of outdoor art made by people in Hamilton and Wenham. It’s a wonderful way to get to know your community and your neighbors while being inspired by some amazing and creative public art.” Opens 7/28, and runs through 8/7. For more info: https://www.wenhammuseum.org
Ice Cream Sandos - A collaboration between Treat Bakery and Down River Ice Cream. Available at the Crane Beach Snack Shack. Photo: Tracey Westgate Photography.
Ice cream came in STRONG with you all… and I love it! Here are your favorite shops:
Down River Ice Cream, Essex: www.downrivericecream.com
Captain Dusty’s, Manchester and Beverly: www.facebook.com/captaindustys
Holy Cow Ice Cream Cafe, Peabody, Gloucester, Salem Willows, Dennis Port: www.holycowicecreamcafe.com
Cherry Farm, Beverly: www.cherryfarmcreamery.com
Benson’s, West Boxford: https://bensonsicecream.com/
Putnam Pantry, Danvers: https://www.putnampantry.com
Cafe Sarina, Georgetown. Ice cream, mini golf and goats! https://cafesarina.com
Paradise Golf, Middleton: www.paradisefamilygolf.com
Russell Orchards, Ipswich: https://www.russellorchards.com
Strawberry Hill, Ipwsich. Photo: Tracey Westgate Photography.
Parks/Nature: The North Shore is just bursting with beauty and has such a variety of ways to explore it. Here are a few ideas!
Endicott Park, Danvers. Includes some stroller friendly paths, an animal barn, playground, pond and bathrooms. www.danversma.gov/277/Endicott-Park
Cox Reservation, Essex. Light walking to explore the Essex River. Easy walking trail out to an outcropping of rocks to watch the boats! Off-leash dog areas. ecga.org/Property/Allyn-Cox-Reservation
Trustees Properties. Far too many to list, but your favorite seems to be Appleton Farms in Ipswich. Come see the animals, take a walk, have a picnic, browse the farm store, or enjoy one of their many events. https://thetrustees.org/place/appleton-farms
Another favorite Trustees Property: Long Hill, Beverly. Easy trails, chickens, beautiful gardens and vernal pools. https://thetrustees.org/place/long-hill/
And one more Trustees Property: Crane Estate, Ipswich. Roll down the hills, see the gardens, get a tour, or attend a Thursday night concert. https://thetrustees.org/place/castle-hill-on-the-crane-estate/
Bradley Palmer State Park, Topsfield. Great place for walking and hiking. They also have a splash pad area for the littles. https://www.mass.gov/locations/bradley-palmer-state-park
Halibut Point State Park, Rockport. Enjoy sweeping views along an old quarry and then walk down to the water with beautiful climbing rocks and ocean views. https://www.mass.gov/locations/halibut-point-state-park
Gull Pond/trails behind Gordon College, Wenham. Park behind Frost Hall to walk out to Gull Pond and to the small beach. https://www.ectaonline.org/trails/gordon-college/
Paddling on the Ipswich River, Ipswich. Rentals are available from Foote Brothers, Ipswich. https://www.footebrotherscanoes.com/
Topsfield Bike Trail, from Boxford to Peabody. https://www.ectaonline.org/trails/topsfield-linear-commonrail-trail/
Lynch Park, Beverly. Two small beaches as well as a splash pad, playground, snack shack and Rose Garden. https://www.bevrec.com/the-park
Stage Fort Park, Gloucester. Playground, Half Moon Beach, dog park. https://gloucester-ma.gov/450/Parks-and-Recreational-Facilities
Mass Audubon Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, Topsfield. Many walking trails. Highlights include birds that eat right out of your hand and the Rockery. https://www.massaudubon.org/places-to-explore/wildlife-sanctuaries/ipswich-river
Marblehead Bike Trail from Tower School to Spitfire Tacos. https://www.traillink.com/trail/marblehead-rail-trail/
Weir Hill, North Andover. Good hike with elevation gain. https://www.fonat.org/weirhill
Ward Reservation, Andover. Short bog trail and is ADA accessible and stroller friendly (also has some more challenging trails). https://www.fonat.org/ward
Forest River Park, Salem. https://www.salem.org/listing/forest-river-park/
Bike to the Sea Northern Strand Trail to the playground in Saugus then head on to Medford. https://www.traillink.com/trail/northern-strand-community-trail/?fbclid=IwAR2wMmfEuvVhN7znGkWpdxcN9Jk_1pHfOS_6gWPHMCgijGtnwe7Q6Nwc-B0
Geocaching, Anywhere! Like a treasure hunt in nature! Download the app, pick a trail and find the geocache! https://www.geocaching.com/play
Lynn Woods, Lynn. Walking/hiking trails and underground tunnel “Dungeon Rock.” https://www.lynnma.gov/departments/lynnwoods.shtml
Fort Sewall, Marblehead. Stroll around and explore the history! https://www.marblehead.org/fort-sewall-oversight-committee
Clamming at Conomo Point, Essex.
Strawberry Hill, Ipswich. A fun place to walk, leads out to a marshy area. https://ipswichma.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Strawberry-Hill-19
Maudslay State Park, Newburyport. Lots of trails to explore. Dogs are allowed. https://www.mass.gov/locations/maudslay-state-park
“Mass Audubon Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield. Some short easy trails, river walk, birds will eat right out your hands. There’s picnic benches and a cute little playground. With a membership you also have access to canoes, paddles, and life vests which you can take out on the river.”
Pools:
Ipswich Family YMCA pool/splash pad - included in membership, or you can pay a guest pass fee: https://www.ymca.org/locations/ipswich-family-ymca
Forest River Park - pool is open for Salem residents: https://www.salem.org/listing/forest-river-park/
Hamilton-Wenham Town Pool - Memberships available for Hamilton-Wenham residents: https://www.hamiltonma.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Pool-Information-Guide-2023.pdf
Libraries:
Check out your local library for reading programs, incentives and fun kid activities!
Appleton Farms, Ipswich. Photo: Tracey Westgate Photography.
Farms:
Russell Orchard, Ipswich. Farm animals, farm store, ice cream and fruit picking. https://www.russellorchards.com/
Smolak Farms, North Andover. Pick your own, hayrides and more. https://www.smolakfarms.com/
Farm Friends in Newbury. Program for preschoolers at Spencer-Pierce-Little Farm in Newbury. https://www.historicnewengland.org/school_afterschool/farm-friends/
Marini Farms, Ipswich. Farm store and outdoor play structures. https://www.marinifarm.com/
Brooksby Farms, Peabody. Farm animals, pick your own, farm store and more. https://brooksbyfarm.org/
Cider Hill Farms, Amesbury. Farm animals, kids activities, pick your own and more. https://www.ciderhill.com/
Wingaersheek Beach, Gloucester. Photo: Tracey Westgate Photography.
Beaches:
Pavilion Beach, Ipswich. A major bonus is the adjacent “pirate playground.”
Gull Pond/trails behind Gordon College, Wenham. Park behind Frost Hall to walk out to Gull Pond and the small beach.
Dane Street Beach, Beverly. A bonus, it has an adjacent playground.
Lynch Park, Beverly. Two beaches as well as a splash pad, playground, snack shack and Rose Garden. One reader suggested crab hunting there!
Long Beach, Rockport
Front Beach, Rockport - A small beach with rocks to climb. My kids loved this beach when they were little because the waves were almost non-existent!
Stage Fort Park, Gloucester. Playground and Half Moon Beach
Constitution Beach, East Boston. Playground is across from the runway at Logan, so you can watch the planes. No waves, so easy to watch littles.
Good Harbor Beach, Gloucester. Great for a short walk out to the island at low tide.
Wingaersheek Beach, Gloucester. Great for climbing on rocks and finding tide pools.
Singing Beach, Manchester.
*Unfortunately some beaches have been closed to swimming this year due to bacteria, so be sure to do a quick google search before heading out! Many beaches require advanced reservations now (Crane, Gloucester Beaches, and possibly more).
Splash Pads:
Bradley Palmer State Park, Topsfield. https://www.mass.gov/locations/bradley-palmer-spray-deck
Lynch Park, Beverly. Two small beaches as well as a splash pad, playground, snack shack and Rose Garden. https://www.bevrec.com/the-park
Playgrounds: So many great playgrounds, but here on the ones you mentioned!
Dane Street Playground, Beverly.
Patton Park, Hamilton. Also has Sunday Night concerts in the summer.
Sony Myers Playground, Revere. Big and fully enclosed.
Another great resource for playground news: Park Hoppah Facebook Group - caregivers report on various playgrounds and parks. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1842131829442563
Mini Golf:
Golf Country, Middleton. https://www.golfcountry.org
Cafe Sarina, Georgetown. Ice cream, mini golf, and goats! https://cafesarina.com/garden-golf/
Paradise Golf, Middleton. Great designed holes, ice cream, slush, koi pond and shade. https://www.paradisefamilygolf.com/
Indoor activities: For when that heat gets too much, or that rain is too hard, here are some fun indoor activities:
Wenham Museum, Wenham. Child friendly museum with interactive spaces and model trains. https://www.wenhammuseum.org/
North Shore Children’s Museum, Peabody. A new space for kids ages 2-8, encouraging play and exploration. https://www.nschildrensmuseum.org/
Children’s Piazza, Peabody. A play cafe! Several rooms of interactive activities for kids. Also has a cafe with treats for adults and kids alike. https://www.thechildrenspiazza.com/
Room to Bloom, Beverly. Indoor play space offering several areas for kids to explore. https://www.roomtobloombeverly.com/
The Castle Board Game Cafe, Beverly. Huge selection of board games, special events and a full menu. https://www.thecastlebeverly.com/
Peabody Essex Museum, Salem. A beautiful art museum, with many varied exhibits. Chinese House is a great add on. Many libraries offer discounted passes. https://www.pem.org/
Jolie Tea, Salem. Offering various teas, treats and high tea times. https://www.istheteainyou.com/
The Cheese Shop of Salem: https://www.thecheeseshopofsalem.com/
Gloucester Maritime Museum. A museum that includes a “Seapocket Aquarium” and touch tank. https://www.maritimegloucester.org/
Clay Dreaming, Beverly. Paint your own pottery, classes, events and more. https://claydreaming.com/
Hammond Castle, Gloucester. Bubbles and Books story time every Wednesday Morning in July and August, Movies on the seaside lawn every Thursday night in July, tours of museum daily. Kids ages 4 and under are free. Gloucester residents are free on Tuesdays. www.hammondcastle.org
Bit Bar, Salem. Restaurant/bar with retro 80s video games. https://bit.bar/
Candy! Fun fact: I worked in a candy store for 5 years and absolutely loved it! Here’s your picks for candy on the North Shore:
Winfreys’ Fudge and Chocolates, Multiple locations, flashship shop in Rowley: https://www.winfreys.com/
Curly Girl Candy Shop, Salem: https://curlygirlcandy.com/
Ye Olde Pepper Candy Companie, Salem and North Andover: https://www.oldepeppercandy.com/
Putnam Pantry, Danvers: https://www.putnampantry.com/
Other Goodies:
Seven Seas Whale Watch, Gloucester. https://www.7seaswhalewatch.com/
Wakefield Farmers Market. https://www.wakefieldfarmersmarket.org/
Hamilton-Wenham Farmers Market. https://communityhouse.org/farmersmarket/
Rocky Neck, Rockpoort. Walk the galleries! https://rockyneckartcolony.org/
Myopia Polo, Hamilton. Sunday afternoons at 3:00 p.m., $20/adult, kids under 12 are free. https://www.myopiapolo.org/
Bearskin Neck, Rockport. Stroll around, get a hot dog and some penny candy. http://bearskinneck.net/
Salem Willows. Old school arcade, ice cream, pizza, popcorn, waterfront park and a small beach area. https://willowsarcade.com/
Wolf Hollow, Ipswich. A wolf sanctuary that offers public tours and education. https://www.wolfhollowipswich.org/
2 Donkeys Toy Store, Hamilton. https://www.facebook.com/people/2donkeystoyshop/100063491774803/
Day trips:
Anchorage Inn, York Beach, Maine. Anchorage Inn is across from the beach which has an outdoor pool and 2 indoor pools. https://www.anchorageinn.com/
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay, Maine. Find the giant trolls of Guardians of the Seeds! https://www.mainegardens.org/events-exhibits/giant-trolls/
Winter Island Park, Salem. Camping: https://www.salemma.gov/winter-island-park
“Coastal Maine Botanical Garden to see Guardians of the Seeds. They have these huge wooden trolls through out the gardens to find. They are amazing! They also have a cute splash pad for the kids to cool off and an entire area that’s for kids. It’s a drive but totally worth it. We stop in this cute little restaurant not far from the botanical garden to have dinner. We go at least twice a summer and the kids love it. ”
Other places to find what you need:
North Shore Kid. Comprehensive listings of things to do, sorted by date! They also have information on camps, schools and more. https://northshorekid.com/
North Shore Macaroni Kid. A centralized hub for all things kid including things to do on the North Shore and parent resources. https://northshorema.macaronikid.com/
Hamilton-Wenham Mothers Club. A local mother’s club providing fun events for parents as well as useful information. https://hwmothersclub.com/things-to-do-on-the-north-shore/
Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE) Network. There are over 90 CFCE programs across the state. The CFCE network helps to promote and support families in various ways and runs engaging programs for young children. To find one near you, visit: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/coordinated-family-and-community-engagement-cfce-network
Hanging with Grandpa! Photo: Tracey Westgate Photography.
And… winning the internet, Erin F. says “Their grandparents’ house!”
I hope you learned something new today that helps you create some family memories!
As Thomas Jefferson says in the Broadway Musical Hamilton….
About the Author
Tracey Westgate is a family photographer on the North Shore of Boston. Serving families of the North Shore: Amesbury, Beverly, Danvers, Essex, Gloucester, Hamilton, Ipswich, Lynn, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Marblehead, Nahant, Newbury, Newburyport, Peabody, Revere, Rockport, Rowley, Salem, Salisbury, Saugus, and Swampscott, Wenham and beyond. Tracey loves telling your authentic story, just as you are.