The 10 Most Memorable Things To Do on the Massachusetts North Shore

Gloucester is America's oldest seaport, and at the Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center, diverse displays, including many interactive exhibits, allow visitors of all ages to explore the waterfront and its marine life and history. Watch old boats being restored, take a boatbuilding class, observe the bustle of activity at the State Fish Pier, learn about the riches that lie offshore and peer at tiny sea creatures on computer monitors connected to digital microscopes.

My preschooler could hardly wait to get to the touch tanks, where she was able to hold a sea star (starfish) in her hands for the first time. She said it felt... "bumpy."