What to Do

Mass Audubon’s Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

This sanctuary offers 12 miles of trails over forests, meadows, and wetlands. There are plenty of chances to admire diverse species of wildlife, from graceful egrets to busy beavers. And if you bring a little birdseed and hold very still, you might coax some chickadees to eat out of your hand!

Location: 87 Perkins Row, Topsfield, MA

Hours: Trails open Tuesday – Sunday, dawn to dusk. Advanced parking reservations required.

Admission: Free to Mass Audubon members. Nonmember Adults $6; Seniors (65+) $4; Children (12 & under) $4.

Parking reservations: $10 per car for nonmembers, free for Mass Audubon members, EBT cardholders, ConnectorCare Card to Culture cardholders, active duty U.S. military families, and Indigenous, Native American, or American Indian families.

Website

Wolf Hollow

Wolf Hollow is a non-profit sanctuary and learning experience, run by volunteers and funded by donations. With the goal of preserving the wolf in the wild and educating the public about these misunderstood animals, Wolf Hollow offers visitors the rare opportunity to meet and observe its resident gray wolves. You’ll also hear a one-hour educational presentation on wolves’ role in the wild, their behaviors, and the particular wolf pack in residence. Photography is permitted; audio and video recordings are not.

Location: 114 Essex Road, Ipswich, MA

Hours: Open Saturdays & Sundays. 1-hour public tour at 12PM, max 20 guests. 90-minute presentation (and Q&A) at 1:30 PM, max 50 guests. Advanced reservations required. Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.

Admission: Adults $15; Children, Seniors, and Military Personnel $12

Website

Witch Trials Memorial

Wondering why our venue is “at Witch Hill?” Parts of Peirce Farm’s foundations date back to the original 1600s farmhouse where Isaac Esty and his family lived. In 1692, at the height of Salem Village’s witchcraft hysteria, his mother, Mary Esty, was accused of witchcraft. She sought refuge at her son’s house, but authorities found her hiding place in the cellar and dragged her away in the middle of the night. She was jailed, convicted, and hanged in the fall of that year. Little else remains of Mary’s story, or the Esty farm, which was later converted into a stylish Victorian retreat.

Modern-day Salem, Massachusetts gets most of the attention (and tourist dollars) for the Salem witch trials, but the accusations of witchcraft began in Salem Village (now Danvers), not Salem Town (now Salem). The witch hunt did later spread to other towns, including Salem Town, Ipswich, and Andover.

That forgotten history why we want to highlight Danvers’s small outdoor memorial to the innocent women, men, and children who fell victim to witchcraft hysteria. It’s a real piece of history, and their stories are worth remembering.

Location: 176 Hobart St, Danvers, MA 01923-1808

Crane Beach

Considered one of the best beaches in New England, Crane Beach offers miles of shoreline, conservation, and recreation. It’s home to one of the world’s most important nesting sites for piping plovers, and has been nationally recognized for its shorebird protection program. If you go, be careful to avoid the fenced nesting sites and any washed-up organic debris to protect these birds’ habitat.

Crane Beach is open in the off-season, but with fewer amenities. Restrooms are available. Masks are required for indoor spaces.

Location: Argilla Road, Ipswich, MA 01938

Hours: 8 am – Sunset. Advanced passes are strongly encouraged. Passes are released Thursdays at noon for the coming Friday through Thursday.

Parking: In the off-season, $5 for members; $10 for nonmembers; cars admitted until 20 minutes before sunset

Website

1634 Meadery

Enjoy the drink of Vikings and poets at this local meadery, which sources raw honey and local fruits to make its libations. Stop by, take an educational tour of the production room, then enjoy a tasting of all their different varieties.

Location: 3 Short St, Ipswich, MA 

Hours: Thursday 1 – 5 pm, Friday 1 – 6 pm, Saturday 12 – 6 pm, and Sunday 12 – 5  pm,
or by appointment

Website

Peabody Essex Museum

This Salem (Town) museum offers over 1.8 million works of art, including Yin Yu Tang, the only complete Qing dynasty house outside of China. The collection encompasses a wide range of items from the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. PEM is also home to the country’s most comprehensive collection of maritime art and artifacts.

Due to health safety protocols, capacity is limited in The Salem Witch Trials gallery. Visitors may experience long lines and wait times, especially on the weekends.

Location: East India Square, 161 Essex Street, Salem, MA

Hours: Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays 10 am – 5 pm, Fridays 10 am – 8 pm. Closed Mondays.

Admission: Adults $20; Seniors (65+) $18; Students $12 (with ID); Children/Teens (16 & under) free. Free to Salem residents or people who work in Salem, with proof of address and/or business card or employee ID.

Website