City Natives Workshop – All About Pawpaws

Have you ever tried North America’s largest native fruit? Pawpaws aren’t commercially popular, but their custardy texture and tropical taste make them coveted among foragers. Join us at City Natives to meet our pawpaw trees, taste pawpaw ice cream, and have a chance to buy a pawpaw seedling from our… Read More

moon and trees

deCordova by Moonlight – Harvest Moon

Bring your family and friends to see deCordova’s Sculpture Park transformed by the moonlight on this special after-hours tour. September’s Harvest Moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the autumnal equinox (the start of fall). As it illuminates the landscape, casting dramatic shadows and highlighting new details, you… Read More

morning room

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

Homeschool Adventures: Session 1

Young explorers are invited to join us in September & October for a 4-part homeschool series that will get them active & moving with nature adventures, exercise, and outdoor skill building. While exploring Appleton Farms & the Crane Estate, participants complete active adventures & design challenges that will exercise both… Read More

Castle Hill

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike

Come explore the lesser-visited corners of Castle Hill and its surroundings with us. 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… A stroll along the spine of Castle Hill, starting at the… Read More

Kayak with Dragonfly

CraneOutdoors: Kayak Adventure on the Castle Neck River

One of the best ways 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

The Barn on Long 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