cupola upright

Castle Hill Tour: Cupola with a View

This is our most Instagram-able tour experience and a particular treat for those interested in the architecture of the Great House and its surrounding property. You’ll gain insight into the architectural choices made by David Adler as he designed and built the Great House, the second home the Cranes built… Read More

Kayak with Dragonfly

CraneOutdoors: Kayak Adventure on the Castle Neck River

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… Read More

Kayaking Toward Choate Island at Sunset

CraneOutdoors: Sunset Kayak in the Crane Wildlife Refuge

There are few places on the North Shore that more reliably enjoy spectacular sunsets than the back side of Crane Beach, overlooking Essex Bay. On this outing into the heart of the Crane Wildlife Refuge, we will be paddling in the protected waters of one of the most scenic… Read More

Long Hill

Long Hill House & Garden Tour

Visit Long Hill’s breathtaking gardens and stately historic house for a guided tour. Enjoy the rich history of this grand country estate, home of the Sedgwick family, as you learn about the elegant lifestyle of wealthy Bostonians on the North Shore, and the artisans who created it. The tour takes… Read More

cupola upright

Castle Hill Tour: Cupola with a View

This is our most Instagram-able tour experience and a particular treat for those interested in the architecture of the Great House and its surrounding property. You’ll gain insight into the architectural choices made by David Adler as he designed and built the Great House, the second home the Cranes built… Read More

Alternator

Castle Hill Tour: Behind the Scenes in the Great House

Do you love checking out basements, kitchens, and other out of the way rooms? Our behind-the-scenes tour takes you past the beautiful facade and explores how the house ran when the Cranes were in residence. You’ll learn how a plumbing magnate incorporated the latest technology of the era into his… Read More

guided

A Walk in the Park: Guided Tour of deCordova Sculpture Park

Join a deCordova Guide for a tour through the park.  Each tour is a lively conversation about artists, art-making processes, materials, and deCordova’s rich history. Ask about your favorite sculpture, new acquisition, or the history of campus – from the glaciers cutting the landscape to how Julien and Lizzie de Cordova’s home became a… Read More

ashley house

Cancelled – The Revolutions of The Ashley House: A Guided Tour

Discover how the ideals of liberty and justice played out in complex ways within this 18th-century homestead on a thought-provoking guided tour. This wasn’t just the home of prominent patriot John Ashley and his family, but also of the people they enslaved here. One of them, Elizabeth ‘Mum Bett’… Read More

schg interior

Passport to the Past: Stevens-Coolidge Guided House Tour

Discover the stories behind the walls of one of North Andover’s historic gems. Join us for a guided tour of Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens, a Colonial Revival treasure that reflects early 20th-century elegance and global influence. Once the summer home of Helen Stevens Coolidge and John Gardner Coolidge—a diplomat and… Read More

Kayaking to Choate Island

CraneOutdoors: Choate Island Kayak and Hiking Adventure

Kayaking the pristine, sheltered waters of the Essex River Basin offers one of the top on-the-water experiences to be had in Northeast. Add to that a hike on the area’s largest island and you have the makings of an epic adventure. This combined outdoor trip in the Crane Wildlife Refuge—home… Read More