Fun ways to #optoutside this Black Friday! Not into the mad dash for deals on Black Friday? REI wasn’t either. They started a movement to encourage people to skip the shopping and instead #optoutside on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Here are three events to get you and your family outside this Black Friday!
#1 Green Hike at Chestnut Hill
Stretch your legs after a day of Thanksgiving feasting! Join us the day after Thanksgiving (also known as Green Friday, a more eco-conscious take on Black Friday) for a hike led by Tim Puopolo, a Trustees ranger and naturalist, and recipient of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation’s “Outstanding Park Interpreter” award. During our guided hike, Tim will teach us how different types of plants and animals cope with the universal changes the land undergoes as the seasons evolve. Consider packing a picnic lunch of Thanksgiving leftovers to enjoy on the farm afterward!
The hike will be about 70 minutes long and will follow some of Chestnut Hill Farm’s most beautiful trails.
Be sure to wear boots or shoes that are appropriate for hiking in potentially wet and muddy spots. Space is limited for this event and pre-registration is required.
Please note DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED at Chestnut Hill Farm.
Please note that space in this program is limited and pre-registration is required. Cost is $20/$10 for members. Non-members: $25/$15. Under age 4 are free.
Green Hike at Chestnut Hill
Chestnut Hill
Southboro, MA
November 25, 10:00am – 11:30am.
#2 Opt Outside at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill
Start an #optoutside tradition on Black Friday. NEBG offers woodland trails, hilltop views, and curious discoveries around every corner. And throughout November, you can find hidden garden gnomes throughout the property! Advance admission tickets required.
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill
11 French Drive
Boylston, MA 01505
#3 Discovery Woods at Discovery Museum
Enter a rustic treehouse with quirky windows and fun features and activities nestled in a cluster of black birch trees. Touch the gnarly trunks of locust tree corner beams, look down 15 feet through windows set in the crooks of tree branches to get a birds-eye and squirrels-eye view of the trees, woods, and rain garden below. Make observations inside, above, and below with binoculars and other science tools. The treehouse is accessible from an on-grade elevated walkway that accommodates strollers and wheelchairs. Advance tickets required.
Discovery Museum in Acton
177 Main St
Acton, MA 01720
#4 Firepit Friday at Fruitlands Museum
Your firepit booking includes private firepit and seating for up to 6 guests, s’mores fixings and roasting sticks for your group, hot chocolate and hot spiced apple cider. Additional drinks and snacks will be available for purchase.
Guests are welcome to bring their own food for their fire pit gathering. Outside alcohol is not permitted, but wine and beer will be available for purchase. Rental: $75.
Check out these additional ideas:
Stroller/Bike Friendly Hikes in Central MA
