 Come Play in Berkshire County, Massachusetts
As autumn lazily creeps into the magnificent Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, you
should take the opportunity to explore while the region is less crowded than it is in Summer and Winter. Fall is
the time to enjoy nature's explosion of autumn colors, to explore the out-of-the-way, unspoiled small towns, drink
fresh-pressed apple cider, and watch ponies parade down the streets of Lenox, pulling flower-decked carts. The
air is crisp at night, while the sun still warms your shoulders during the day, and altogether this is one of the
best times of the year for a visit to the Berkshires.
Western Massachusetts’ Berkshire County is nestled between two small mountain ranges formed from glacial deposits—
the Hoosac Range to the east and the Taconic Range to the West— which create a natural boundary separating the
area from Vermont, New York and Connecticut. For thousands of years, the rolling hills and lush landscape of the
Berkshires have beckoned visitors, from ancient native American tribes to, in the 17th and later centuries, farming
and industrial settlers from England, Ireland, Holland and Germany.
Home to both peaceful valleys and the Commonwealth’s highest peak, Mount Greylock, the Berkshire’s rural lifestyle
and contrasting natural features have attracted creative personalities— writers, including Hawthorne, Melville,
Bryant and Thoreau; artists, such as Norman Rockwell and Daniel Chester French; and hundreds of other performers
and craftspeople— for generations.
In the Gilded Age of the late 1800s and early 1900s Southern Berkshire County became the summer playground of the
wealthy, who built grand mansions they dubbed "cottages." As the era’s great wealth faded, so did the
fortunes of the cottages. Many of these homes have now been restored and revived as lodging facilities, spas, restaurants
and museums.
Known today as "America’s Premier Cultural Resort," the region is a cultural mecca of museums, historic
sites, art, dance and music venues such as Tanglewood, the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s summer home; MASS MoCA,
the country’s largest contemporary art center; the Norman Rockwell Museum, featuring the artist’s original studio;
and the renowned Williamstown Theatre Festival, to name a few.
In addition to arts and cultural venues, the Berkshires offer Summer visitors outstanding opportunities for golfing,
hiking, backpacking, biking, fishing, whitewater rafting, canoeing and kayaking.
Wintertime sports include alpine and cross country skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing.
Visitors can also discover an incredible range of retail establishments year round, from antiques dealers to
outlets to myriad specialty shops. For information on great daytrips throughout the Berkshires, go to http://www.berkshires.org/What_to_Do/index.php?cat=Day_Trips
and for a brief description of the charming towns, go to http://www.berkshires.com/about/
Visitors frequently say that lodging is one of their favorite parts about being of the Berkshires. The area
boasts inns and B&Bs in rustic, antique-filled Colonial homes, as well as turn-of-the-century mansions with
majestic fireplaces and canopy beds. Or, if you prefer, the area offers a variety of modern hotels and motels.
Timeshare is also well represented in the Berkshires and developer interest in the region is beginning to grow.
Timeshare resorts available within the area include:
- Country Village at Jiminy Peak
- Oak 'n Spruce Resort
- Fairfield Berkshires at Bentley Brook
- Vacation Village in the Berkshires
- The Ponds at Foxhollow
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