Summer Guide

Summer officially begins on June 21, but unofficially, it started on Memorial Day Weekend. Summer events and activities are already underway and there are a lot more in store. So make the most of the fleeting summer months — and don’t forget the sunscreen!

  

Things to Do

• The 10 Most Memorable Things To Do on the Massachusetts North Shore — All worth doing more than once!
  
• North of Boston : a Story in Every Mile — A great source for things to do in Essex County. This site from the North of Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau provides a searchable database of events, museums, restaurants, beaches, parks, and more along with a calendar of upcoming events
• New England summer guide — Your guide to all things summer from Boston.com
• Festivals Online : Massachusetts — A listing of upcoming festivals, fairs and other events across Massachusetts
• North Shore Beaches — A guide to the best beaches North of Boston from the Massachusetts Travel Journal

 

Summer Fun for Kids

• North Shore Kid Stories, Events, Activities, Camps and Recipes — A slew of interesting, fun things to do along the North Shore this summer from the North Shore Kid Web site
• Fun in the Sun Summer Party Ideas for Kids — Lots of great theme party ideas from the Amazing Moms Web site
• Summer Activities — Games, crafts, recipes, movies and more that will make this a fun and active summer for your kids; from Kaboose.com
• Beach Crafts — Fun crafts for kids to enjoy at or after the beach from Disney’s Family Fun site

 

Summer Eating

• The Best Ice Cream North of Boston — The best of the best as selected by the folks at North Shore Kid’s Web site. The only way to know for sure is to try them all!
• New England clam and lobster shacks — According to this listing from Boston.com the very best seafood shacks are divided between Cape Cod and the North Shore. Which is your favorite?
• U-Pick Farms and Orchards, sorted by county — Extensive listing, by county, of farms and orchards where you can pick your own fruit and buy local produce

 

Grilling Guide

• Vegetarian Grilling — “Let veggies steal the spotlight at your next cookout” — grilling suggestions from Allrecipes.com
• Our Greatest Grilling Recipes : Vegetarian — Selected grilled vegetarian dishes from Gourmet Magazine
• Healthy Vegetarian Grilling Tips and Recipes — Easy grilling ideas for entertaining or weeknight relaxation from Eating Well.com
• Grilling Central — Recipes, menus, tips and more from the Food Network

 

Summer Reading

• Summer Books 2011 : The Complete List — Summer Book recommendations from National Public Radio
• New York Times Summer Reading Special — Read reviews of new titles from various genres including travel, gardening, and cookbooks
• Summer Reading 2011 : 12 Books to Watch for — A short list of recommended books from CNN.com
• O’s 2011 Summer Reading List — Suggested reading from Oprah’s Winfrey’s O Magazine.

 

Sun Safety

• Be Safe in the Sun — A guide from the American Cancer Society includes a sun safety quiz, information on the link between sun exposure and skin cancer, and activities to prevent skin cancer
• EWG’s Skin Deep — Sun screen guide, sun safety tips, information about skin cancer and more from the Environmental Working Group
• How to be Safe when You’re in the Sun — Tips for avoiding sunburn, dehydration and other sun-related problems

 

Water Safety

• Swim Healthy, Swim Safely — How to be safe and healthy in and around the water from the Centers for Disease Control
• Water Safety — A variety of safety tips from MedlinePlus
• Water Safety — Important basic water-safety tips from the TeensHealth Web site