Get Ready for 16 Days of Inclusive Exploration
Experience extraordinary places in your own backyard during Trails & Sails, a free event series brought to you by Essex National Heritage Area designed to welcome everyone. Be guided through accessible experiences on land and sea, explore historic properties with accommodating features, and take part in cultural activities that celebrate and empower people of all abilities.
Celebrating its 24th year, Trails & Sails welcomes all adventurers to Essex County’s accessible experiences – from hikes on trails and adaptive paddling opportunities to behind-the-scenes tours with mobility considerations, interactive exhibits featuring tactile elements, and sensory-friendly community celebrations. This National Heritage Area creates hundreds of inclusive opportunities each September for every type of explorer.
How Accessibility Comes First
Essex Heritage partners with local organizations committed to removing barriers and creating welcoming experiences for all abilities. Historical societies provide visual and auditory accessibility, conservation groups lead hikes and tours that are wheelchair accessible, arts collectives offer tactile experiences, and more! Essex Heritage ensures accessibility information is clearly communicated through comprehensive guides and screen reader-compatible websites.
From wheelchair-accessible tours to sensory gardens to experiences designed for visitors with hearing and visual impairments, check out some of the thoughtfully planned adventures that ensure Essex County’s rich heritage welcomes every explorer, regardless of ability.
Online Explorations: Virtual Cultural Journeys
Civil War & Abolition in Lynn Self-Guided Biking and Driving Tour (Lynn, Available Daily)
The events of the Civil War and the abolitionist movement in the 1860’s brought tremendous transformations to the US. Lynn was home to many Union soldiers and abolitionists. This self-guided tour passes many sites tied to these histories of Lynn. Over 150 years later, some of these places resemble how they appeared in the 19th century, while others are unrecognizable. The tour is roughly 7 miles and available as an online tour.
The Paranormal News Hour Presents Haunted Essex County (Lawrence, Sept 15, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM)
Virtual event exploring supernatural sightings across Essex County, including UFOs, Bigfoot encounters, and ghostly apparitions.
John Glover’s Marblehead Schooner, Hannah (1765-1775) (Marblehead, Sept 18, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
An illustrated presentation about John Glover’s schooner Hannah based on extensive new research, challenging the conventional wisdom around the life of the schooner, what she looked like, and how notions of both came to be incorrectly formed and persistently held. Virtual event
Mobility-Friendly Cultural Experiences
Blacksmithing Saturday in the Essex Company Shop, with Richard Wright (Lawrence, Sept 13, 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM)
Richard Wright will be demonstrating the craft of traditional blacksmithing methods, forging both iron and mild steel to create items for practical use in our historic courtyard. The forge was first in use in the early 1880’s when the Essex Company complex at 6 Essex Street in Lawrence was constructed.
Essex Kite Day at Cogswell’s Grant (Essex, Sept 13, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM)
Come fly a kite at Cogswell’s Grant! Bring your own kite or build one of your own and watch professional kite flyers from Kites Over New England. Kite-building workshops will be available for purchase with all materials included. Brief tours of the historic house museum will also be offered for free.
Lady of Salem Maritime Public Art Exhibition (Salem, Available Daily, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM)
Look up and around downtown! Explore Salem’s “Age of Sail” while viewing over 30 whimsically decorated figureheads. Each “Lady of Salem” is artistically unique and has her own special story to tell. Pick up a scavenger hunt at Destination Salem. Will you be able to find all the items the figureheads reveal?
Sampling of Local Autumn Beers (Peabody, Sept 13, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
Celebrate autumn at Granite Coast Brewing with a flight of local beers! Brewer Jeff shares how each was crafted, plus tasting notes and the story behind our name. 21+ to sample, but kids and pups are welcome. Non-alcoholic options available.
Accessible Auditory Adventures
Introduction to Modern Square Dancing (Middleton, Sept 18, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM)
We will organize into groups of 8 dancers per square. Each square will have 2-4 Club members to help new dancers. The square dance caller will teach several square dance calls. Current square dancers can demonstrate. By the end of your class, you will be able to dance through the newly taught square dance.
Paddle Around Historic Rockport Harbor (Rockport, Available Daily, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM)
Come join us for some fun on the water! No experience necessary. Depart from our private beach in one of our kayaks or paddle boards and paddle around the historic Rockport Harbor for 30 mins. See the sights! This is your only chance to kayak/SUP for free!!
Guided Tour of Hamilton Hall (Salem, Sept 22 & 24, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM & 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Sept 23, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM)
Enjoy the elegance and history of 1805 federal-style Hamilton Hall through a guided tour. Learn about the remarkable Remond family and their stewardship of the Hall. View a Samuel McIntire wood carving, and our collection of period clothing. Capture a beautiful picture of the ballroom from the third-floor balcony, and more!
Visual Accessibility Voyages
Paddle Around Historic Rockport Harbor (Rockport, Available Daily, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM)
Come join us for some fun on the water! No experience necessary. Depart from our private beach in one of our kayaks or paddle boards and paddle around the historic Rockport Harbor for 30 mins. See the sights! This is your only chance to kayak/SUP for free!!
Touch Tank Time! (Newburyport, Sept 19, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM & Sept 20, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
The Tide Pool Touch Tank at Joppa Flats is open! Come hold a horseshoe crab, identify a minnow, cradle a Jonah Crab and marvel at a moon snail during this walk-in program for families. Enjoy our Kid Zone with science, take-home crafts and puzzles.
Access for All: Cedar Pond Wildlife Sanctuary (Wenham, Sept 20, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM)
Learn how Mass Audubon is creating access to nature on the North Shore via an 0.8 mile ADA-compliant All Persons Trail that provides persons with low/no and/or limited mobility to enjoy pine woodland and meadow habitats. The trail features a rope guide fence, numerous tactile interpretive stops, and access to an audio tour.
🌈♿ WELCOME! Trails & Sails Access Guide 🤝🌍
Everyone belongs on Essex County’s trails – let’s explore together:
📋 Check trailsandsails.org for accessibility details and accommodations
🌤️ Review weather conditions—we want everyone to be comfortable and safe
👥 Bring your support network (friends, family, caregivers welcome!)
💪 Thank your hosts—they’re committed to keeping these FREE events inclusive
📞 Questions about accessibility? Please get in touch with hosts or info@essexheritage.org
Your adventure awaits… Essex County is for all explorers! 🗺️🌟
The Power of Trails & Sails
Essex County’s heritage isn’t just historic—it’s accessible to everyone, with stories and experiences designed to welcome visitors of all abilities. Through Trails & Sails, people from every community can explore thousands of inclusive heritage sites where adaptive pathways, sensory-friendly programs, and universal design create meaningful connections for all. Essex Heritage knows that when visitors experience these thoughtfully accessible encounters with our county’s treasured locations, they become empowered advocates for inclusive heritage preservation.
From wheelchair-accessible tours to tactile exhibits to audio-described maritime tours and sign language-interpreted programs, Trails & Sails ensures that every person, regardless of ability, can discover—and help preserve—the full richness of Essex County’s cultural legacy.
Visit the Trails & Sails website https://trailsandsails.org/events/ to find more accessible tours, inclusive exhibits, and barrier-free experiences near you, as well as discover over 200 free events from September 13-28, featuring accessible tours, adaptive maritime adventures, inclusive outdoor excursions, and welcoming community celebrations throughout Essex County’s federally designated National Heritage Area, showcasing the region’s commitment to universal access alongside its rich shipbuilding heritage, colonial history, and scenic coastal landscapes.
Essex National Heritage Area is a proud member of Creative Collective. For more information about Essex National Heritage Area, please visit: https://creativecollectivema.com/meet-the-member-essex-heritage/.
Essex National Heritage Area | Heritage Tourism
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Essex National Heritage Area Essex National Heritage Commission (Essex Heritage) is a non-profit organization managing the Essex National Heritage Area, a federally designated region encompassing 34 cities and towns in Essex County, Massachusetts. Established by Congress in 1996, Essex Heritage is dedicated to preserving and enhancing the area’s rich historical, cultural, and natural resources. Key Features: Manages 34 cities and
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