ATTRACTIONS & THINGS TO DO IN IPSWICH, MA
Ipswich Visitor Center located in the Hall-Haskell House at 36 South Main St. (SoCho District), is open on weekends during the month of May. Hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Sunday, noon to 5 pm. The center will open seven days a week after Memorial Day weekend. The center offers maps, brochures, a walking audio tour and information on the town's 375th anniversary celebration.For more info, call (978)356-3580.
Audio Walking Tour of Ipswich The Ipswich Visitors Center is offering a self guided audio walking tour of Ipswich. The tour recounts many of the historic events that occurred in Ipswich, as well as a host of other information such as famous Ipswich artists, agriculture, wildlife, and activities available throughout the town. Enjoy fascinating stories about some of the 50+ First Period houses— more than any other town in America—and discover for yourself why Ipswich is named the“Birthplace of American Independence!”
Crane Beach Sandblast Build a sand sculpture or just come to view the fabulous creations at this annual family event. Visitors may see giant vegetables, whimsical junk food, and more with this year’s theme of You Are What You Eat. Prizes will be awarded to the best creations. Competition categories include: Kid, Teen, Family, Adult, Corporate/Organization, and Master Builder. 
To add to the festivities, there will be fun family activities on the beach front from Noon to 4 pm, as well as live music, t-shirt sales, and the “Peoples Choice” Award that invites the public to vote for their favorite creation.
Occurs at: Crane Beach
Location: 290 Argilla Road, Ipswich, MA, 01938
Phone:978-356-4354
Date: Saturday, August 7, 2010
Hours: Hours Vary see below
Ages: Toddlers, Kids, Teens, Adults
In/Outdoor: Outdoor
Cost: $$ see below
The competition categories are: Master Builders, Family, Adult, Teens, Kids, and Corporate/ Business. Registration includes parking for one car.
Fees
Spectators welcome with regular beach admission.
Team Fees
Fee: $7/team + regular beach admission.
*Advance registration strongly recommended.
About Crane Beach:
Along with Castle Hill and the Crane Wildlife Refuge, Crane Beach was once part of the vast early 20th-century summer estate of Chicago industrialist Richard T. Crane, Jr. The white sands of Crane Beach stretch for miles along both sides of Castle Neck, forming one of the most picturesque swimming beaches in all of New England. Crane Beach also provides important habitat for myriad wildlife and is an important natural barrier that protects the Essex River Estuary and its inland communities.
More than 1,200 acres of beachfront, dunes, and maritime forest are managed for both recreation and conservation. Elevated boardwalks, vegetation management programs, and fencing protect the dunes.
Crane Beach Hours
Open year-round, daily, 8am to sunset. Allow a minimum of 2 hours, 6.5 hours if also visiting Castle Hill (including Great House or landscape tour) and the Crane Wildlife Refuge.
Hours
8:00am - 4:00pm
Rain date August 8.
Cost
Free for spectators with regular beach admission
A Visitor's Guide to the Crane Estate is a self-guided landscape tour booklet introducing visitors to Castle Hill, Crane Beach, and the Crane Wildlife Refuge. It is available from the Castle Hill gatehouse and may be mail ordered in advance of your visit.
Paine House Tours The historic Paine House at Greenwood Farm on Jeffrey's Neck Road in Ipswich is open for tours the first Sat. & Sun. of each month through Oct. One hour tours run 1-3 pm. the Last tour starts at 3 pm.
Tours are free to all on Saturdays. On Sundays, Trustees of Reservations members enter free, non-members pay $8 for adults and $5 for children. Recommended for children 8 and older. For info, call 978-356-4351 or visit www.thetrustees.org
Tour Castle Hill The Trustees of Reservations will open Castle Hill, 290 Argilla Road, Ipswich, a country place era estate and a National Historic Landmark, weekly for tours through October.
Hour-long tours of the Great House, a grand 59-room English-style country house designed in the 1920s by Chicago architect David Adler, are offered Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Last tour at 3 p.m. And Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Last tour at 1 p.m.
Admission: $10; Trustees members and children 12 and under free.
Ipswich Museum A new textile exhibit just opened featuring samplers, Ipswich bobbin lace, and several dresses created in the 1860s, such as a house dress with its own train, an “everyday” silk dress, and an exquisite brown dress in pristine condition fashioned from and trimmed in silk.
Price: $7 for one house, $10 for both; free to members. Open Wednesdays and Thursdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fridays noon to p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tours begin on the half hour.
For more information visit www.ipswichmuseum.org.
More Things To Do...
Tours, Activities & Adventures in Ipswich and Surrounding Areas
For more information about attractions and things to do in Ipswich and on Boston's North Shore, visit the web sites below:
