Salem Witch Museum
Explore the infamous 1692 Salem Witch Trials through immersive exhibits and presentations. This museum offers a compelling look at one of America’s most notorious historical events and its lasting impact on society.
Phone: (978) 744-1692
Peabody Essex Museum
One of the oldest continuously operating museums in America, featuring world-class collections of Asian art, maritime artifacts, and contemporary works. The museum’s historic houses and innovative exhibitions make it a cultural cornerstone of Essex County.
Phone: (978) 745-9500
Gloucester Harbor and Rocky Neck
America’s oldest working art colony offers stunning harbor views, galleries, and seafood restaurants. This picturesque fishing village has inspired artists for over a century and remains one of New England’s most photographed destinations.
Phone: (978) 283-1601
House of Seven Gables
Tour the 1668 mansion that inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne’s famous novel and explore the author’s birthplace. This National Historic Landmark offers guided tours through period rooms and beautiful seaside gardens.
Phone: (978) 744-0991
Singing Beach, Manchester-by-the-Sea
Experience one of New England’s most unique beaches where the sand literally “sings” when you walk on it due to its quartz composition. This pristine beach offers excellent swimming, sunbathing, and stunning coastal views.
Phone: (978) 526-2000
Newburyport Historic District
Stroll through one of New England’s best-preserved Federal-era seaports featuring elegant 18th and 19th-century architecture. The cobblestone streets, antique shops, and waterfront restaurants create an enchanting historical experience.
Phone: (978) 462-6680
Crane Beach
Discover four miles of pristine white sand dunes and beach at this Trustees of Reservations property in Ipswich. The beach offers excellent bird watching, swimming, and hiking through the largest dune system in New England.
Phone: (978) 356-4354
Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
Tour this magnificent 1928 Stuart-style mansion with 59 rooms and breathtaking views of Ipswich Bay and the Essex River estuary. The Grand Allée offers one of the most spectacular landscape designs on the East Coast.
Phone: (978) 356-4351
Essex Shipbuilding Museum
Learn about Essex’s 350-year shipbuilding heritage in this waterfront museum featuring historic vessels, traditional boat-building demonstrations, and maritime artifacts. Witness craftsmen using time-honored techniques to build wooden boats.
Phone: (978) 768-7541
Good Harbor Beach
Enjoy one of Massachusetts’ most beautiful beaches with soft sand, clear water, and excellent facilities for families. The beach offers stunning views, great surfing conditions, and a snack bar during summer months.
Phone: (978) 283-0001
Fisherman’s Memorial
Pay tribute to Gloucester’s maritime heritage at this iconic bronze statue of a fisherman at the wheel, commemorating the thousands of local fishermen lost at sea. The memorial overlooks the harbor and offers panoramic ocean views.
Phone: (978) 283-1601
Halibut Point State Park
Explore dramatic granite quarries and enjoy spectacular ocean views from this rugged coastal park in Rockport. The park features hiking trails, tide pools, and remnants of Babson Farm Quarry, offering both natural beauty and industrial history.
Phone: (978) 546-2997
Bearskin Neck, Rockport
Wander through this charming peninsula filled with art galleries, craft shops, and seafood restaurants housed in historic fishing shacks. The iconic red fishing shack “Motif No. 1” is one of the most painted buildings in America.
Phone: (978) 546-6575
Rebecca Nurse Homestead
Visit the 1678 home of Rebecca Nurse, one of the most tragic victims of the Salem Witch Trials, set on 27 acres of historic farmland. The house museum tells the powerful story of an innocent woman caught in the hysteria of 1692.
Phone: (978) 774-8799
Plum Island Beach
Discover this pristine barrier island featuring six miles of sandy beach, dunes, and salt marshes within the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. The island offers excellent bird watching, fishing, and beach activities.
Phone: (978) 465-5753
Willowdale State Forest
Explore over 2,400 acres of forest trails perfect for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking through diverse ecosystems. The forest features pine and oak woodlands, wetlands, and scenic vistas throughout its well-maintained trail system.
Phone: (978) 887-5931
Glen Magna Farms
Tour this historic estate in Danvers featuring a Federal-style mansion, beautiful gardens, and the oldest summer house in America. The property offers guided tours showcasing period architecture and landscaping from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Phone: (978) 774-9165
Custom House Maritime Museum
Step into Newburyport’s maritime past at this 1835 Greek Revival building that once served as a federal customs house. The museum showcases the city’s shipbuilding heritage, maritime trade, and the U.S. Coast Guard’s history.
Phone: (978) 462-8681
Chebacco Lake
Enjoy peaceful recreation at this pristine 209-acre lake in Hamilton offering swimming, fishing, kayaking, and beautiful walking trails. The lake’s clear waters and surrounding conservation land provide a perfect escape into nature.
Phone: (978) 468-5577
Stevens-Coolidge Place
Explore this elegant Colonial Revival country estate in North Andover featuring a 1729 farmhouse, formal gardens, and walking trails through meadows and woodlands. The property showcases three centuries of New England rural life and landscape design.
Phone: (978) 682-3580
Addison Gallery of American Art
Discover one of the finest collections of American art at this gallery located at Phillips Academy in Andover. The collection spans from colonial times to contemporary works, featuring paintings, sculptures, and photography by renowned American artists.
Phone: (978) 749-4015
Woodman’s of Essex
Visit the birthplace of the fried clam at this legendary seafood restaurant that’s been serving fresh clams since 1914. Experience authentic New England dining in this historic establishment that claims to have invented the fried clam.
Phone: (978) 768-6451
Bradley Palmer State Park
Enjoy horseback riding, hiking, and cross-country skiing through 721 acres of former estate grounds in Topsfield. The park features carriage roads, bridle paths, and the Willowdale Mill offering scenic views and diverse recreational opportunities.
Phone: (978) 887-5931
Gallows Hill Museum/Park
Explore the actual execution site of the Salem Witch Trials at this recently identified historic location. The small park and museum provide a solemn memorial to the 19 victims who were hanged here in 1692.
Phone: (978) 744-3663
Witch House (Jonathan Corwin House)
Tour the only structure in Salem with direct ties to the 1692 witchcraft trials, home to Judge Jonathan Corwin who presided over the preliminary hearings. This 1642 house offers authentic period rooms and insights into 17th-century daily life.
Phone: (978) 744-8815
Salem Maritime National Historic Site
Walk through America’s first National Historic Site showcasing Salem’s prominence in early American maritime trade. Tour historic wharves, the Custom House, and tall ships while learning about the city’s role in global commerce.
Phone: (978) 740-1650
Maudslay State Park
Stroll through this former estate’s magnificent rhododendron gardens and mountain laurel groves along the Merrimack River in Newburyport. The 450-acre park features carriage roads, hiking trails, and some of New England’s most spectacular spring blooms.
Phone: (978) 465-7223
Amesbury Carriage Museum
Discover the rich history of America’s carriage-making capital at this unique museum featuring antique carriages, sleighs, and the tools of 19th-century craftsmen. Learn about Amesbury’s role in producing carriages for customers worldwide.
Phone: (978) 388-6600
Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
Explore America’s first integrated iron works dating from 1646, featuring reconstructed furnace, forge, and mill along the Saugus River. This National Historic Site demonstrates the beginning of America’s industrial revolution through working exhibits and guided tours.
Phone: (781) 233-0050
Strawbery Banke Museum
Step into four centuries of American history at this outdoor museum in Portsmouth featuring 32 historic buildings spanning 1695 to 1954. Experience living history demonstrations, period gardens, and authentic architecture showcasing evolving neighborhood life.
Phone: (603) 433-1100
Salisbury Beach State Reservation
Relax at this popular beach destination featuring three miles of sandy shoreline along the Atlantic Ocean with camping facilities, boardwalk, and amusement area. The beach offers excellent swimming, surfing, and family-friendly entertainment during summer months.
Phone: (978) 462-4481
Winnekenni Castle
Explore this unique 1875 Victorian mansion built to resemble a Norman castle, overlooking Kenoza Lake in Haverhill. The castle features period furnishings, beautiful lake views, and serves as a museum showcasing local history and architecture.
Phone: (978) 374-9237
Indian Ridge Country Club
Play golf at this scenic 18-hole championship course in Andover designed by Geoffrey Cornish, featuring rolling fairways, water hazards, and beautiful New England countryside views. The course offers challenging play for golfers of all skill levels.
Phone: (978) 475-4200
Old Burial Hill Cemetery
Discover one of America’s oldest cemeteries dating to 1637, offering stunning harbor views and graves of Mayflower passengers and Revolutionary War veterans. The hilltop cemetery provides both historical significance and panoramic vistas of Marblehead Harbor.
Phone: (781) 631-0000
Forest River Park
Enjoy Salem’s largest park featuring walking trails, playgrounds, swimming pool, and beautiful forest setting along the North River. The 175-acre park offers year-round recreation including hiking, fishing, and seasonal outdoor swimming.
Phone: (978) 744-0180
Ward Reservation
Hike through 700 acres of mixed forests and meadows in Andover and North Andover, featuring the highest point in Essex County at Holt Hill. The reservation offers excellent hiking trails, bird watching opportunities, and spectacular views from the summit.
Phone: (978) 682-3580
Captain Elias Davis House
Tour this beautifully preserved 1804 Federal-style sea captain’s mansion in Gloucester featuring period furnishings, maritime artifacts, and insights into the prosperity of the early American merchant class. The house exemplifies Federal architecture and coastal New England elegance.
Phone: (978) 283-2669
Lawrence Heritage State Park
Learn about America’s immigrant experience and industrial heritage at this urban park featuring visitor center exhibits, canal walks, and historic textile mill buildings. The park tells the story of Lawrence’s role in the Industrial Revolution and labor movement.
Phone: (978) 794-1655
Lynn Shore and Nahant Beach Reservation
Enjoy over three miles of sandy beach along Massachusetts Bay with spectacular ocean views, swimming, and beachcombing opportunities. The reservation includes historic Nahant connected by a scenic causeway offering dramatic coastal scenery and walking trails.
Phone: (781) 485-2803
