Mars has been very bright all month. The way to know it's Mars is it is red/orange. Planets in general don't "twinkle" like stars, their light is more steady (although they can appear to twinkle because of atmospheric conditions). Mars is large right now, I have heard some people describe it a looking like an airplane coming in to land.

Other planets are visible to the naked eye at times, too, depending on where it is in the sky. I have been able to spot Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, and Venus without a telescope or binoculars. Mercury is trickier since it is so close to the Sun, but it is possible.

You don't necessarily need a telescope, a good pair of binoculars is probably easier for a beginner.