Massachusetts, since 1996 · 62 listings

Western Mass.

Visit Massachusetts has chosen the best things to do and places to stay in Western Massachusetts - including the beautiful Berkshires. Check out Visit Massachusetts to plan the best vacation for your family.

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Things to do in Western Mass. this fall

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Places to stay in Western Mass.

Inns, resorts and small hotels, listed by the people who run them.

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  • Shelburne Falls, MA

    Shelburne Springs

    Elegantly restored mansion close to Berkshires’ best winter attractions

    Shelburne Springs is an ideal base for a winter getaway in the Berkshires. This elegantly restored inn offers seven designer suites, cozy common spaces, and a grand stone fireplace lounge — everything you need to unwind after a full day of winter adventure. The surrounding region delivers some of New England's best cold-weather activities, from skiing and snowboarding at Berkshire East to snowshoeing, ice skating, and scenic winter hiking. When the day is done, return to the warmth of the inn, gather around the outdoor fire pits, and take in the peaceful beauty of the snow-covered grounds. A perfect winter retreat.

    904 Mohawk Trail, 413-512-1454
  • The Berkshires Region, MA

    Visit the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts

    Whether winter means recreation or relaxation, the Berkshires has a getaway just for you

    Are you the kind of person who can’t wait for winter so you can explore the frosty outdoors? Or is winter something that makes you want to curl up by a cozy fire? Whichever type of winter person you are, you’ll find the perfect getaway in the Berkshires. During cold weather the region boasts alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, skating, and ice fishing. It also serves up some lovely fireplaces — in your room at a charming country inn, or in a romantic restaurant with mountain views. Book a massage in one of the area’s many spas and wellness centers, visit an art museum or lovely historic home, take an art class, catch a play or concert, or explore the offerings in a winery or brewery. The Berkshires cannot wait to welcome you!

    413-499-1600
  • Deerfield, MA

    Deerfield Inn

    Experience the history, hospitality and charm of New England at this special inn

    The Deerfield Inn is pure New England: proud of its history, welcoming to all and full of charm. The boutique inn’s 24 unique rooms feature antiques and period reproduction furniture; some rooms come with fireplaces, writing desks or comfy reading chairs. The on-site restaurant and tavern offers three warm, inviting meals per day and a cheerful fireplace for sipping cocktails and chatting with guests and locals. The front porch, with its original robin’s egg blue ceiling (the main inn dates back to 1884) is a great place to sit in an Adirondack chair and admire Main Street’s lovely 18th and 19th century homes. Nearby attractions include art, history and aviation museums; hiking, biking and skiing trails; breweries and wineries; Sturbridge Village and Hancock Shaker Village.

    81 Old Main Street 413-774-5587

Eat and drink in Western Mass.

Diners, breweries, farm stands and dinner out, listed by the people who run them.

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  • Amherst, MA

    Amherst Summer Farmers Market

    Rain or shine, the Amherst Farmer's Market has served the community for over three decades, and it only gets better with time as chefs and artisans perfect their recipes and crafts to share with you at this community event. Over three dozen vendors including baked goods, fresh produce, eggs, meat.

    Dates and hours: April-November; Saturdays, 7:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

    On the South Common in Amherst Center 413-786-2335
  • Hadley, MA

    Massachusetts -- Winter Farmers Market at Hampshire Mall

    Fresh vegetables, pasta and fish, local meat, bread, cheese, apples, mushrooms preserves and ferments, soap and herbal products, plants and crafts. Also featuring live music, kids' activities, hot coffee and prepared food to eat there or take away.

    Dates and hours: December through March except Martin Luther King weekend; Saturdays; 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

    367 Russell Street
  • Greenfield, MA

    Greenfield Year Round Farmers Market

    This market features fresh, locally grown food with local craft vendors such as herbal ointments and salves, hand-thrown pottery, handmade portable chicken coops, cutting boards and custom-made furniture pieces, hand-crafted jewelry and more.

    Summer Location, Dates and Hours: Court Square; Saturdays from late April thru late October, 8am - 12:30pm.

    Winter Location, Dates and Hours: Second Congregational Church at Court Square; Nov. 19, Dec. 17, Jan. 21 and Feb. 18, 10am - 1pm.

    Two Locations by Season

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About Western Mass.

Welcome to Western Massachusetts - The Berkshires & Pioneer Valley

Sophisticated towns; music, theater, outdoor fun

The western part of Massachusetts is known at the Berkshires region, for its north-south Berkshire Mountains range, and also by its historic identities as the Pioneer Valley and the Mohawk Trail. It is a place of sophisticated small towns and college towns, great performance art and fine museums, outdoor sports in the mountains and state parks, and a vigorous antique-trading community.

Cultural life of the Berkshires is rich. Tanglewood, in Lenox, is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. It welcomes world-class musicians and performers. The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington is a year-round cultural center. The Jacobs Pillow dance festival is held yearly in Becket. Stockbridge is home to the popular Norman Rockwell Museum, with original Norman Rockwell art and seasonal events. In North Adams, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) charms visitors with visual and performing arts.

--> Great Things to Do in the Berkshires and Pioneer Valley

With its natural beauty and lots of cultural happenings, the Berkshires region is a natural for couples ready to enjoy a romantic getaway. Among the many delightful lodgings are new boutique hotels like the award-winning Hotel on North in Pittsfield. At the same time, family friendly lodgings like Berkshire Fairfield Inn & Suites and Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, which make is easy for families to get their fill of outdoor sports like hiking and skiing, along with the region’s many festivals and wonderful dining and shopping. Area resorts, like Ponds at Foxhollow, place you in the lap of luxury, with golf, spas, and white-glove service.

The city of Springfield has plenty of activity for families. The Springfield Museum complex includes art, history, and science museums along with the Dr. Seuss sculpture garden, honoring this native son’s beloved characters. Sports fans enjoy the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Zoo in Forest Park in Springfield has lot of ways to meet exotic animals. A bit north, in the town of Amherst, is the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. Kids and families enjoy visiting the towns of Historic Deerfield in Deerfield and Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield.

Several ski areas, including Berkshire East, Jiminy Peak, and Butternut, are family-friendly and a bit less overwhelming that the big ski resorts farther north. There is white water rafting on the Deerfield River near Charlemont, with guides and rentals that welcome beginner to hard-body rafters. Several places offer zip line and canopy tours. The region has a wide assortment of state parks that welcome all kinds of outdoor activities, summer and winter.

The corner of the Berkshires region around the towns of Williamstown, Great Barrington, Sheffield, and Lenox is considered a national-caliber hot spot for fine antique shopping, driven by the collective expertise of the Berkshire County Antiques & Art Dealer Association. The Berkshires generally is a place where well-heeled visitors, creative people, and college communities come together; college towns include Williamstown, North Adams, Amherst, and Northampton. With such a dense cluster of sophisticated locals and visitors, you can be sure that interesting shopping and good dining can be found in nearly every town.

Great Things to Do in the Berkshires and Pioneer Valley

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