- Our list of the best things to do in Essex, Massachusetts, features the top 496 nearby activities — including 221 great attractions with user approval ratings of 90% or more!
- Essex, MA has a variety of great sights and experiences nearby. Top categories include: Outdoor Places, Museums & Galleries, Entertainment & Shows, and Sights & Landmarks.
- The results below include the top 3 things to do within the city of Essex, MA , followed by 493 popular activities in nearby cities, including Boston, Salem, Gloucester, Cambridge, Beverly, Somerville, Hampton, Newburyport, Lynn, Marblehead, Rockport, Danvers, Medford, North Andover, Haverhill, Ipswich, Arlington, Amesbury, Malden, Saugus, Woburn, Methuen, Lawrence, Revere, Andover, Hull, Peabody, Burlington, Chelsea, Everett, Seabrook, Tewksbury, Melrose, Billerica, Exeter, Salem, Rye, North Hampton and Lexington
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0.3 Miles
Essex River Cruises & Charters is a local tour company which offers a variety of guided river excursions on the salt marshes around the Essex River where visitors can catch glimpses of local wildlife.
0.6 Miles
Cogswell's Grant is a small rustic former home of renowned collectors Nina and Bertram Little. The home contains many folk-art pieces and serves as a landscape for the art itself.
0.2 Miles
At Essex Shipbuilding Museum, visitors can view a number of maritime historical artifacts which depict the boat-building techniques from late 17th century to the present.
2.5 Miles
Located in Ipswich, Massachusetts, Russell Orchards is a huge produce farm best known for its berries, apples and stone fruit. It is open seasonally and offers pick-your-own produce, fresh baked goods and pre-picked fruit.
2.9 Miles
92%
12 votes
Argilla Road, Ipswich, MA 01938
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Kayakers and boaters love visiting Crane Wildlife Refuge on the Crane Estate. Three-and-a-half miles of gravel roads and foot trails lead to the Crane burial site atop Choate Island. Wildlife seen in the area include gulls, sanderlings and sandpipers.
3.7 Miles
Castle Hill lies within the Crane Estate which overlooks the sea and features rolling landscaped gardens that connect to the shoreline. The area comprises of numerous hiking trails and is home to diverse local wildlife.
3.7 Miles
Crane Beach comprises of mutiple sand dunes and salt marshes coupled with a number of walking trails and boardwalks which offer panoramic views of the Ipswich Bay.
4.1 Miles
The Ipswich Historical Society founded the Ipswich Museum in 1890. The current collection reflects more than 100 years of acquisition and is displayed in both the 1677 Whipple House and the 1800 Heard House.
4.1 Miles
Part of the Ipswich Museum, the Whipple House was built in 1677 and is a National Historic Landmark. The house is a good example of first period American architecture. Visitors can tour the house -- which contains many original furnishings.
4.1 Miles
Built in 1795, the Heard House Museum is a furnished museum/home with décor and furniture that reflects both Asian and Western styles due to the prominence of trade with China during the period of the home.