Christmas at Castle Hill | A Nod to Nature

Christmas at Castle Hill | A Nod to Nature is a weekend of festivities hosted by the Trustees of Reservations at Castle Hill in Ipswich Massachusetts

Visiting Castle Hill at Christmas is a time-honored tradition. Don’t miss this year’s event celebrating the beauty of the natural world. You’ll see birds, flowers, snowflakes, and more as you view 18 spaces decorated for the holidays. Go at your own pace and learn from interpreters stationed in rooms.

Enjoy freshly baked cookies and hot chocolate, try the Crane holiday eye spy, and shop in the Castle Hill Gift Shop during your visit.

Timed entry will limit the number of guests for the comfort of guests and staff. Advance reservations are strongly recommended. Ipswich residents: apply discount code “IPSWICH” for resident rate and show resident beach sticker or other identification at gate. Children ages 4 and under are admitted free; ages 5-14 receive the discounted child rate.

Christmas at Castle Hill runs:

  • Fridays, December 5, 12, 19, and 26, 4-7PM
  • Saturdays, December 6, 13, 20, and 27, 10AM-4PM (sensory-friendly hours 10AM-11:30AM)
  • Sundays, December 7, 14, 21, and 28, 10AM-4PM.

Sensory-friendly Hours: 10AM-11:30AM on Saturdays, Dec 6, 13, 20, and 27. Reduced capacity and no flickering lights.

Accessibility: The Grand Stair has 30 steps. We’re sorry, but there is no elevator. There will be a digital picture display of second floor museum rooms for guests unable to climb the stairs.

Refund and exchange requests must be made at least 7 days in advance of the event date.

When: 
Fridays, December 5-26, 2025 2024 4-8pm
Saturdays through December 6-27, 2025 10am-4pm
Sundays, December 7-28, 2025 10am-4pm
Prices: 
TTOR Members: Adult: $15; Child: $9
Nonmembers: Adult $25; Child: $15
Ipswich residents: Adult: $15; Child: $9
Phone: 
978.356.4351
Summerquest Camp for kids aed 5-14 at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts

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Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Saturday, May 2

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Teen Naturalist Club at IRWS: Spring/Summer Series

Join Mass Audubon for their Teen Naturalist Club at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield Massachusetts!
Explore a variety of local ecosystems such as a salt marsh, a freshwater river, or a tide pool on the beach. Take part in wildlife data collection in tide pools and vernal pools and engage in conservation projects such as a macroinvertebrate study or a horseshoe crab count in this exciting science...
8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Salamander Meander

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Explore the sanctuary's vernal pools, ponds, and woodlands to search for amphibians active during this season. If we're fortunate, we might discover Wood Frog and Spotted Salamander eggs, and we may even catch a few adults to observe closely before releasing them.
10:00 am to 2:30 pm

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike

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Music and Movement at North Shore Children's Museum

North Shore, North Shore Childrens Museum in Peabody MA
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10:00 am to 11:00 am

The Legacies of Long Hill: House & Garden Tour

Tour the Gardens at the Trustees of Reservations Long Hill Gardens in Beverly, Massachusetts!
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10:30 am to 12:00 pm

Sunday, May 3

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

The Legacies of Long Hill: House & Garden Tour

Tour the Gardens at the Trustees of Reservations Long Hill Gardens in Beverly, Massachusetts!
The Trustees of Reservations invite you to join our expert guides for a tour around Long Hill’s stunning Sedgwick Gardens and learn more about the special plants. Step inside the beauty and layered history of Long Hill with a guided tour of its breathtaking gardens and historic house. Once the...
10:30 am to 12:00 pm

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