Living in the Berkshires for the past 2 and a half years has brought me so many adventures, sunsets, and screen-saver worthy photographs of the incredible views. It's what made me want to go to school out here; the mountains always surrounding you, the nature hikes, the passion for art, and the unlimited amount of beauty you get to see every single day. If you live in the Berkshires, are visiting, or simply driving through, here's a couple things to try out when enjoying the area:
1. Mass MoCa
This amazing museum of modern art is based right in North Adams! It's a great way to spend a rainy day, afternoon with your family, or even to enjoy some quiet time by yourself. It's easy to spend an entire day strolling through the building, rebuilt from old print buildings and look at the wide range of photography, sculptures, and paintings. As of right now, they have several new exhibitions including Until by Nick Cave, Free Roses by Alex Da Corte, and Explode Every Day featuring dozens of artists. Not only do they have beautiful works of art, but they also host several workshops, lectures, and music festivals including the annual Fresh Grass festival. All this information can be found on their site, here. You can also check out other museums (there's plenty to choose from) like the Normal Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge or the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown.
2. Mount Greylock
Located in Adams, this is the tallest point in all of Massachusetts. It was the state's first wildness state park with dozens of trails that range from easy to hard (some you can do in 30 minutes, others take up to 4 hours), as well as backpacking shelters and overnight areas for camping. The views at the top of every trail are worth every drop of sweat it takes to get there. Seeing all the mountains, wildlife, and changing leaves is one of the greatest parts about adventuring through the Berkshires.
3. Beartown State Forest
The best part of the Berkshires is getting to be outdoors and enjoy the stunning scenery! A great place to do this is Beartown State Forest, which is open all year for you to enjoy the changing settings. The forest is full of trails and paths for hiking and biking with fairly moderate terrain. It's part of the Appalachian Trail, with over 12,000 acres of land. It also offers a 35 acre pond for boating, fishing, canoeing or kayaking with plenty of wildlife to see. It's praised to be one of the most picturesque places to visit in the Berkshires.
4. Jiminy Peak
This is a great place for people of all ages: there's plenty of options for a day full of fun! There's skiing, a mountain roller coaster, alpine slides, snowshoeing, and a haunted house. Try skiing or snowboarding with your family or friends one of the dozens of trails ranging from beginner slopes to double diamond trails. It's only another great attraction to enjoy the breathtaking views of the Berkshires!
Make sure "visiting the Berkshires" is on your personal bucket list, then try out some of these and enjoy the fresh air, beautiful art, and stunning surroundings; I know for a fact you couldn't be disappointed.
