School's Out for Summer (Camp)! | | |
The sounds of summer are returning to Hale, and as programs begin, some areas of Hale are bustling on weekdays. This month's newsletter includes helpful information about when and where to hike and bike during our busiest season.
It also highlights ways to support Hale by voting for our programs in the annual Boston Parents' Family Favorites competition, and by joining the Summits in Solidarity community to support Intrepid Academy at Hale.
Events coming up at Hale include:
Campers will soon be splashing in ponds, exploring trails, building friendships, and making memories as Hale Day Camp, Hale Adventure Camp, and Hale MTB Camp welcome participants for another season of outdoor adventure. There’s still some time to register, so if you're curious about camp, schedule a tour to find the perfect fit for your young explorer.
At South Beach, Hale’s Family & Community Program's pre-season is underway. Dive in on weekends until June 22, then join us every day for swimming, boating, ice pops, and special events. Don't have your pass yet? Sign up for a tour, cool off at our annual Summer Solstice Swim & S'mores celebration, or break a sweat at Burn Boot Camp's pop-up beach workout. We're also excited to announce that Firewatch Sauna will return this summer for Sauna Saturdays at South Beach — stay tuned for details.
We look forward to seeing you at Hale this summer. Carby Street is currently open for public access from 8 AM to 8 PM daily. Summer hours go into effect on June 22; starting then, it will be open from 4:30 to 8 PM on weekdays and 8 AM to 8 PM on weekends.
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Summer Hiking and Biking at Hale
Know Before You Go: June 22 through Aug. 21
Nature really shows off in the summer, which explains why Hale gets so busy! For when and where to walk, hike, and bike, try one of these easy ways to get outside during the peak of summer programs. Remember that parking is now free, dogs are not allowed on beaches or in ponds, and South Beach has its own entrance, passes, and hours for swimming and boating.
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For Early Risers and Night Owls
Carby Street is closed to visitors during weekday camp hours, but you're welcome to visit us before 8 AM and after 4:30 PM. You can also visit anytime between 8 AM and 8 PM on weekends!
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For Casual Walkers Without Canines
Switch up your daily routine at Sen Ki. Located at 1255 High Street, this beautiful 30-acre parcel between Rte. 109 and Hartford Street in Westwood has its own parking lot and peaceful trails. Remember: Dogs and bikes are not allowed at Sen Ki.
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For Active Hikers and Bikers
Looking for longer trails and more difficult terrain? On the south side of Powisset Street, just past the Dover Transfer Station, you'll see brown trail markers for Hale's Oak Hill area. It's like a slice of New Hampshire's hills, right in your own back yard.
| | What We Really Miss About 90s Summers | | |
Before every moment became something to document, optimize, schedule, or share, summer felt simpler. Long afternoons stretched on without much of a plan. Kids disappeared outside after breakfast and came home when the streetlights flickered on. Parents packed coolers, tossed towels in trunks, and headed somewhere with water. Nobody worried about making the day “productive.”
Lately, more and more people seem to be craving that feeling again.
Before you start teasing your bangs and swap your iPhone for a Lisa Frank folder, there might be an easier way to capture that easy 90s feeling. Maybe what people miss about “90s summers” isn’t nostalgia…maybe it’s the freedom to spend a day outside without turning it into a performance...
| | We're thrilled that our programs have once again been named as finalists in multiple Family Favorite categories. Cast votes for Hale in every category below by June 22, and thank you for your support! | | |
Summits in Solidarity: Join the Challenge
On June 6, the Summits in Solidarity community gathered in Crawford Notch, New Hampshire, for its final group hiking challenge. Together, participants aimed to log 606 trail miles in a single day while raising $10,000 to support racial justice and greater access to the outdoors.
Funds raised will benefit Intrepid Academy at Hale and Khmer Maine, helping create opportunities for belonging, leadership, connection, and adventure in the outdoors.
Couldn't make it to Crawford Notch? You can still be part of the challenge. Sign up for free and log your own miles from wherever you are to help the community reach its goal before the Summer Solstice!
Registration is free, and hikers are welcome to join the effort at any time or location that fits their schedule. We hope to see you on the trail!
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Coming Soon
Sauna at South Beach
| | Want to know a secret? That little hut you might’ve seen perched on the hill at South Beach isn’t a tiny house — it’s a sauna! You may have already enjoyed Firewatch Sauna this winter, and we’re thrilled to let you know they’ll be back this summer in partnership with our Family & Community Program. Sauna Saturdays at South Beach are tentatively scheduled to begin July 11, and our Season Pass holders will be among the first folks invited to book a very limited number of hour-long sessions that will include after-hours campfires, vinyl tunes, and pond plunges. | | |
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How to Use AI Without Turning Your Brain to Mush from BBC. While AI can boost productivity, overreliance on it can lead to “cognitive offloading,” where people stop actively engaging in their own critical thinking, memory, and creativity. It argues the key to avoiding this “mental atrophy” is to use AI as a supportive tool, actively questioning its outputs, doing some thinking first, and treating it as a collaborator rather than a replacement for your own reasoning.
The Anti-Hustle Summer: Why Slow Living Is Defining Summer 2026 from Orange Headline. People are intentionally rejecting burnout-driven productivity in favor of rest, balance, and more meaningful use of time. It highlights how wellness culture is reshaping summer expectations — encouraging unplugged routines, simpler pleasures, and a focus on mental health rather than constant activity or achievement.
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Summer Camp Tours
By Appointment
| Trying to figure out whether Hale Day Camp, Hale MTB Camp, or Hale Adventure Camp is best for your child? Explore our award-winning programs for ages 4–15 and find your camper’s home away from home in Hale Summer Camps. Join one of our program directors for a tour and see the forests, ponds, and pavilions your camper can explore with new friends. Free. Reach out to schedule your tour. | | | |
Hale's Family & Community Program Tours
Sun. June 14 and 21
| Take a tour of Hale’s Family & Community Program at South Beach and enjoy a beach day on us! Join one of our program directors to see the beach, pond, playground, forest, and pavilions. Afterward, go for a swim, borrow a boat, or take a hike. If tour dates and times don’t work for you, we’ll do our best to find one that’s convenient for your schedule. Please reach out to us at enroll@hale.education. Free. Learn more. | | | |
Summer Solstice Swim & S'mores
Thurs. June 18
| Our annual event unofficially kicks off summer at South Beach, and it’s a great way to see why so many people spend the season there! Open swim with lifeguards will take place from 5–7:15 PM, followed by a campfire and s’mores on the beach. We'll offer a tour of Hale's Family & Community Program site at 6 PM. 5–8 PM. Free. Register today. | | | |
Burn Boot Camp Pop-Up Workout at South Beach
Sat. June 20
| Join us for a free outdoor workout and a swim at South Beach. Led by Burn Boot Camp trainer (and Hale’s own Senior Development Manager) Jocelyn Bergeron, all fitness levels are welcome, and childcare is available for toilet-trained children. As a thank you for joining us, participants are invited to stay and enjoy access to South Beach after the workout. Workout and childcare: 9–10 AM; Beachtime: 10 AM–12 PM. Free. Register today. | | | |
Mushroom Walk at Hale
Sun. June 28 Waitlist Only
| Join members of the Boston Mycological Club’s ID committee on a 2-hour walk around Hale to explore fungi. This year, we excited to welcome special guest Nick Rajtar, visiting mycologist from the University of Minnesota lab. 10:30 AM–12:30 PM. Free. Register today. | | | |
Movie Nights at South Beach
Wed. July 8 and Aug. 5
| Grab your camp chairs and blankets, because we’re hoisting our charmingly rustic movie screen between sailboats and building a beach fire on the shore of Noanet Pond. July: Madagascar; Aug: Surfs Up; $5 per car or free for season pass holders. 7:30–10 PM. Free. Register today. | | | |
Westwood Community Trails
Sat. July 11
| On July 11, meet hikers at The Trustees parking lot at 92 Powisset Street in Dover for a 3-4-mile hike over mostly flat terrain at Noanet Woodlands. No registration is required; just show up! Free. Learn more. | | Hale believes nature, education, and recreation inspire us to learn, empower us to lead, and challenge us all to create a world in which people, place, and purpose are united. | | | | |
