The beach is always a summer staple, frequented by many who want to be outside and enjoy the weather throughout the season. Although fun and entertaining in the beginning, after the first few visits, the beach can grow boring and repetitive fast. With lack of other options and a desire to be outside during the nice weather, most continue to visit the beach despite the repetitiveness. However,this does work for some, for those who are looking to enjoy their summer without spending countless hours on the beach, here are a few outdoor activities to liven up your summer.  

For those looking to stretch their legs and explore, World’s End is a wonderful place for hiking. World’s End is a reservation located in Hingham with hills formed by glaciers, extending into Hingham Harbor with views of the Boston skyline and Weir River, with 4.5 miles of footpaths. World’s End is open from 8 AM until sunset, with an $8 admission fee for non-member adults on weekends, and a $6 admission fee for non member adults on weekdays.

If you are looking for hiking trails with a few other features, you might prefer Borderland State Park. Located in Sharon, Borderland State Park offers a historic mansion open for tours, as well as trails for hiking and biking, a pond for fishing and boating as well as locations for tennis and disc golf. Borderland State Park is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. offering over twenty miles of hiking trails of varying difficulty, as well as six different ponds. With a $5 fee for MA residents, $20 fee for non-MA residents. Both World’s End and Borderland State Park provide opportunities for exploration and beautiful views to fill the long days of summer. 

Summer always brings a beautiful array of flowers and foliage; the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University and Castle Hill provide opportunity for visitors to admire the beautiful nature partnered with the warm weather. The Arboretum offers spring guided tours, where experts take visitors on a ninety minute tour observing seasonal plants. Or, if a tour guide is not what you are interested in, the Arboretum offers self-guided tours as well through their mobile app, detailing information about fruits, flowers, fragrance, along with the beautiful landscape. It is open from 7a.m. to 7 p.m. and free to visitors.

Another option is Castle Hill on the Crane Estate located in Ipswich, known for their striking public gardens. Castle Hill also offers a variety of hiking paths weaving through the gardens displaying some of their beautiful fountains and trails.  Some of their most favored gardens are the Italian Garden and Rose Garden, attracting visitors from all around. 

Finally, the Bradley Estate in Canton offers lovely flower gardens, with over 500 tulips and 500 lilies. The estate has three miles of trails tracing the gardens. These four locations all provide stunning floral gardens and sights to see. 

While the beach may be considered “essential” to summer, these alternative locations provide several other activities for this summer, forcing you to get outside and enjoy the beauty of nature without all the sand.