'Green Friday' A Free Alternative to Black Friday

BOSTON, MA — Skip the Black Friday shopping crunch and work off some of that heavy turkey dinner with a trip to the great outdoors... free!

The Trustees, a Massachusetts conservation and preservation nonprofit, is offering free admission to many of its most popular sites this Nov. 25, part of REI's national #OptOutside initiative.

Paid entry and parking fees will be waived at locations including Castle Hill on the Crane Estate and Crane Beach Ipswich, The Old Manse in Concord, Rocky Woods in Medfield, World’s End in Hingham, Barthlomew’s Cobble in Sheffield, and Monument Mountain in Great Barrington among many others.

The Trustees calls their #OptOutside initiative "Green Friday." As part of that push, many of their recreational and culture sites feature special programs, such as:

• Opt Outside at Rocky Woods in Medfield
• Storybook Walk at Bartholomew’s Cobble, a National Natural Landmark in Sheffield
• Turkeys on the Trail at Farandnear in Shirley
• Hike & Sketch Along the Rivulet Trail at the William Cullen Bryant Homestead in Cummington
• For the Love of Dogs! Green Friday Dog Party at Appleton Farms in Ipswich

“We at The Trustees welcome visitors to enjoy the outdoors every day of the year but this day has special meaning as we encourage families to enjoy experiential gifts rather than material ones this Thanksgiving season,” said Barbara Erickson, Trustees President & CEO, in a press release. “REI has been a Trustees partner for many years; we share a mission of inspiring people to unplug from their frantic, digitized lives and embrace a healthy, active lifestyle. It is a natural fit for us to make our sites even more accessible during a time when we are celebrating gratitude as a nation.”

Plan your visit and learn more here.

Trustees' Note: There will be no on-site parking at World’s End on Green Friday; instead, free shuttles and free parking will be provided from the Nantasket Junction MBTA station parking lot. Since dogs are not allowed on the shuttles, please consider taking your dog to World’s End another day!

Image credit: The Trustees