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Family and kids in a group pose.

Family and Community Program

Program Type

Family and Community

Age Group

All Age Groups

Season

Summer

Price

$200 – $800

ENROLL

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Welcome to the Neighborhood

If you’re nostalgic for summer vibes in the great outdoors, we hoist the sails on a program for everyone—kids, adults, parents, and grandparents—with activities for every age.

REGISTER FOR SWIMMING LESSONS

Program Overview

Summer is more fun with family, friends, and neighbors! With unparalleled access to Hale’s 1,200 acres of adventure that include 20+ miles of trails, our beautiful South Beach campus offers a secluded place to disconnect from devices and reconnect with each other.

Amenities

We offer a private beach and waterfront, rinse stations, and restrooms. Family-friendly activities are available at our archery range, obstacle course, playgrounds, pavilions, and picnic areas. Boats, paddles, and life jackets are all available for your convenience and safety.

Schedule

Weekend access begins in late May, and our 8-week program operates daily from late June through mid-August. See below for more information about session dates and rates. A season pass is the easiest way to join our small, relaxed community of outdoorsy folks.

Activities

As a top destination for family-friendly summer activities in the Boston and Dover-Westwood area, we offer a variety of pastimes you can enjoy at your own pace. From swimming to boating to reading, hiking, and biking, you’ll always have adventures to recount around the campfire!

Family-Friendly Summer Activities

A crowded lakeside beach with people swimming, sunbathing, and kayaking. A wooden dock extends into the water, surrounded by a forested shoreline under a blue sky with clouds.

Swimming

All beachgoers swim under the watchful eyes of our highly trained lifeguards throughout the day. Specific times and spaces are reserved for adults and seniors to enjoy outdoor lap swim. À la carte Swimming Lessons for ages three and up require registration.

Two young men assist two children with launching a sailboat.

Boating

South Beach offers access to Hale’s fleet of sailboats, canoes, kayaks, rowboats, and stand-up paddleboards. Season passes include boating lessons for all ages, and instructors teach budding mariners to safely use oars, hoist sails, tack, and navigate.

Young campers leaning about animal tracks.

Nature, Adventure, and Activities

Young explorers love hiking at Hale, venturing to caves and coves as they learn about nature. Creative kiddos can try their hand at arts and crafts, and challenge-by-choice is our motto for games and activities including archery, ninja warrior, and climbing on our challenge courses.

Group of swimmers.

Activities for Teens & Adults

Older kids can learn to informally lead activities, participate in Junior Lifeguarding, or even hone their skills as activity assistants through our volunteer program. Cross-program games help them build friendships with other teens in Hale Summer Camps, too.

Kids doing archery.

Two older adults swimming in the lake.

Kids doing arts and crafts.

Kids racing on the beach.

Family barbecuing.

People on a small boat

Family having fun on the beach.

Siblings on a paddle board in the lake.

Father with child in the lake.

Kids playing a field game.

Child wearing a helmet and harness climbs a rope net in a wooded area. Other children and an adult are in the background, some wearing similar gear.

Kid on a climbing wall.

Kids playing football on the beach.

Kids playing in the water together.

Lifeguard with a young child.

A child jumps off a dock and into a pond to go swimming with the help of her parent

Community Events

Everyday activities are great, but so are events that make summer extra special. Barbecues, athletic challenges, and theme days are just a few family-friendly traditions everyone loves!

We welcome summer with South Beach’s annual Swim & S’mores event. Then, when the Family & Community Program’s season begins, staff prepare a BBQ in the picnic area and we cheer on our young athletes as they compete in the Kids Fun TRYathlon. As our season wraps up, we fire up the grills for one last meal together.

Hamburgers grilling on the barbecue.

We celebrate Independence Day at South Beach with family-friendly games, a sandcastle contest, patriotic arts and crafts, and more.

Girl in blue shirt and denim shorts holding an American flag, standing outdoors with a group of seated and standing children in a wooded area.

Advanced swimmers can practice their favorite stroke all the way across Noanet Pond. Those who prefer more leisurely experiences can borrow boats or SUPs to paddle their way to North Beach!

Person swimming freestyle in a body of water, creating splashes around them, with a blurred background.

Weekly themed events are fun for everyone! S’mores-a-palooza invites families to build the best s’more in town. Music Bingo tells us who’s most in tune. Pirate Day invites kids to find treasure, and we all have special powers on Superhero Day.

Three children wearing pirate-themed costumes, including hats, an eye patch, and a hook hand, stand and pose enthusiastically outdoors.

Special Perks

Being a Family and Community Program passholder offers unique benefits! Here are just a few ways you can amplify your summer experience.

Support local agriculture, reduce trips to the grocery store, and eat healthier this summer! We partner with Powisset Farm to offer our passholders an opportunity to purchase Summer Vegetable CSA Shares—every Wednesday, you can pick up your fresh veggies right at South Beach. A limited number of these special shares, prorated for the Family and Community Program’s 8-week season, are only available for purchase by our community.

A person wearing a hat drives a red tractor through a green field with rows of crops, surrounded by trees and under a blue sky.

Learning to swim at Hale is different. Attentive lifeguards keep a watchful eye on the waterfront, and friendly instructors make learning fun as little kids wade into water and older ones dive from the dock. Family and Community Program passholders enjoy a 30% discount on group and private Swimming Lessons.

An instructor in a red swimsuit stands on a dock by the water, surrounded by several children swimming.

Season Passes

Every season pass at Hale offers beach access, open swimming, open boating, and community events at South Beach. Recreational activities for youth and classes for adults are available daily during the summer, and we even include an Annual Parking Pass so you and your family can enjoy Hale’s acres of adventure throughout the year! Please review our flexible refund policy before you register. If you need assistance, feel free to call our main office at 781-326-1770. We’re happy to help during regular business hours.

Family Pass

Our Family Pass is $800 per season and covers all caregivers and children living in the same household.

South Beach Access

Pre-Season: May 24–June 29, Weekends Only, 12–6 PM
Program Season: June 30–Aug. 24, Weekdays, 9 AM–7 PM, Weekends 10 AM–6 PM
Post-Season: Aug. 25–31, Daily, 12–6 PM

Activities

Open Swimming
Open Boating and Lessons
Community Events

Amenities

Seasonal parking in Hale’s South Entrance lots
1,200 acres of forests, ponds, meadows, and 20+ miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and more
Pavilions, picnic areas, playgrounds, rinse stations, and restrooms
An archery range, obstacle course, and climbing area
Boats, paddles, and life jackets for your convenience and safety

Swimming Lesson Discount

As an FCP passholder, enjoy a 30% discount on Swimming Lessons, which require separate registration.

Learn More About Swimming Lessons

Annual Parking

As an FCP passholder, you’ll receive Hale’s Annual Parking Pass so you can enjoy year-round parking in lots accessible via our 80 Carby Street entrance in accordance with dates and hours posted on our website.

Buy a Family Pass

Individual Pass

Our Individual Pass is $350 per season and covers one adult between the ages of 18 and 59.

South Beach Access

Pre-Season: May 24–June 29; Weekends Only, 12–6 PM
Program Season: June 30–Aug. 24; Weekdays, 9 AM–7 PM; Weekends 10 AM–6 PM
Post-Season: Aug. 25–31; Daily, 12–6 PM

Activities

Open Swimming
Open Boating and Lessons
Community Events

Amenities

Seasonal parking in Hale’s South Entrance lots
1,200 acres of forests, ponds, meadows, and 20+ miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and more
Pavilions, picnic areas, playgrounds, rinse stations, and restrooms
An archery range, obstacle course, and climbing area
Boats, paddles, and life jackets for your convenience and safety

Swimming Lesson Discount

As an FCP passholder, enjoy a 30% discount on Swimming Lessons, which require separate registration.

Learn More About Swimming Lessons

Annual Parking

As an FCP passholder, you’ll receive Hale’s Annual Parking Pass so you can enjoy year-round parking in lots accessible via our 80 Carby Street entrance in accordance with dates and hours posted on our website.

Buy an Individual Pass

Senior Pass

Our Senior Pass is $200 per season and offers excellent value for one adult over the age of 60.

South Beach Access

Pre-Season: May 24–June 29; Weekends Only, 12–6 PM
Program Season: June 30–Aug. 24; Weekdays, 9 AM–7 PM; Weekends 10 AM–6 PM
Post-Season: Aug. 25–31; Daily, 12–6 PM

Activities

Open Swimming
Open Boating and Lessons
Community Events

Amenities

Seasonal parking in Hale’s South Entrance lots
1,200 acres of forests, ponds, meadows, and 20+ miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and more
Pavilions, picnic areas, playgrounds, rinse stations, and restrooms
An archery range, obstacle course, and climbing area
Boats, paddles, and life jackets for your convenience and safety

Swimming Lesson Discount

As an FCP passholder, enjoy a 30% discount on Swimming Lessons, which require separate registration.

Learn More About Swimming Lessons

Annual Parking

As an FCP passholder, you’ll receive Hale’s Annual Parking Pass so you can enjoy year-round parking in lots accessible via our 80 Carby Street entrance in accordance with dates and hours posted on our website.

Buy a Senior Pass

Lily pads float on a pond's surface

Financial Aid

Hale strives to be a place where people from all backgrounds and circumstances have opportunities for education and recreation. If you require financial assistance, please consider applying for financial aid. In addition to Hale’s support, funds are available for military veterans and Westwood residents.

Apply For Financial Aid

Regionally Recognized

Hale’s Family & Community Program is routinely recognized as a Top 5 Family Summer Camp and Top 5 Swim Lessons provider in Boston Parents Paper’s Family Favorite competition.

Campers in a swim lesson in the lake.

Swimming Lessons

Our Red Cross-certified Water Safety Instructors offer six levels of à la carte lessons that build confidence, increase stamina, and refine strokes. Children as young as 3 can enroll. We offer daily classes in four 2-week sessions.

A woman with an umbrella and chair looks for a spot on the beach

Day Passes

During the summer, South Beach Day Passes offer open swimming and boating supervised by certified lifeguards. They don’t include lessons or other activities, but they’re a great way for season passholders to bring friends and guests to the beach.

Visit For a Day

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, registration is required to enjoy all of the access, activities, and amenities that our season passes provide.

Season passes do not include guest access, so we encourage visitors to purchase South Beach Day Passes if they’d like to join your party. If the cost of a day pass presents a financial challenge, please contact the program director to discuss your circumstances and explore financial aid options.

Our South Beach Day Pass offers limited access to Hale’s waterfront, and you can access other areas of the property for passive recreation (no swimming or boating) by paying a Daily Parking Fee.

Our home base is at South Beach. You’ll find its entrance, Bruné Way, opposite 576 Dover Road.

We operate according to the following schedule. These hours are subject to change due to severe weather and special events:

Pre-Season: May 24–June 22; Weekends Only, 12–6 PM
Program Season: June 30–Aug. 24; Weekdays, 9 AM–7 PM; Weekends 10 AM–6 PM
Post-Season: Aug. 25–31; Daily, 12–6 PM

Please note the water opens 15 minutes after the gate opens, and the water closes 15 minutes before the gate closes. Similarly, boating opens 30 minutes after the gate opens, and boating closes 30 minutes before the gate closes.

Valid from Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2025, Hale’s Annual Parking Pass makes it easy for your entire family to enjoy Hale year-round without having to pay our $10 daily parking fee. It’s included with Family and Community Program registration, and is valid in lots available via our 80 Carby Street entrance (not Hale’s South Entrance, which is only open seasonally, and is already covered by your Family and Community Program Season Pass). You’re welcome to pick up your Annual Parking Pass car decal during regular business hours at our main office or, if you need your decal mailed, please call 781-326-1770 or email info@hale.education.

Please email community@hale.education for more information.

A group of girls jumping off a dock into a lake.

Would you like a closer look?

Check out our Program Resource Site for an in-depth look at last summer. Note the information you’ll find there is subject to change as we plan for next year!

PROGRAM RESOURCE SITE

People on a small boat

Enroll Today

We always have room for new friends and neighbors, so make the most of summer with us!

Sign up to receive information about Hale’s Family & Community Program, including open houses, registration opportunities, discounts, and more. You’ll also receive our monthly eNews.

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Contact Information

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