# Going to Greenfield, MA



## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

We're going to a cousins reunion in Greenfield, MA and North Hampton, MA, any of you forum members who live near or have been in that area is there any must see's. We're flying in to Hartford others are going through Boston. Any thoughts will be helpful. Thanks


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

The Laughing Magpie said:


> We're going to a cousins reunion in Greenfield, MA and North Hampton, MA, any of you forum members who live near or have been in that area is there any must see's. We're flying in to Hartford others are going through Boston. Any thoughts will be helpful. Thanks


Well, if you're coming soon, you'll hit fall foliage close to peak. There's hardly any place you can go that won't be beautiful! There are LOTS of historic places, but most are in the eastern part of the state.


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## iluvhavs (Jul 21, 2008)

You'll be in the Berkshire Mountains. Great foliage, as Karen says. Take a ride to Lenox and go shopping. I don't know if tanglewood is still having concerts, but it's worth a check. Or just park downtown Northampton and walk the main drag to see strange characters (lots of gothic style kids) shops and restaurants. Smith College is located there. A drive through Amherst will be pretty. Amherst College is in a quiant downtown area with neat restaurants.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

iluvhavs said:


> You'll be in the Berkshire Mountains. Great foliage, as Karen says. Take a ride to Lenox and go shopping. I don't know if tanglewood is still having concerts, but it's worth a check. Or just park downtown Northampton and walk the main drag to see strange characters (lots of gothic style kids) shops and restaurants. Smith College is located there. A drive through Amherst will be pretty. Amherst College is in a quiant downtown area with neat restaurants.


No, the BSO is back in Boston this time of year. Tanglewood is summer only. (my Grandfather was 1st Violin for many years) Greenfield is actually a bit east of the Berkshires, though it's probably no more than an hour away. It's right near the Conncticut River, which, if you go just a bit north, divides NH and VT.

And I agree, both Northampton and Amherst are lovely towns. (Amherst is also home to U Mass, my son's school) If you like used book stores, you'll find several to keep you happy in both towns.

If you have kids along (and your nerves can take it... mine can't!!!) Six Flags is just outside of Springfield, again, within easy driving distance.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

We are going on Thursday. We were a little worried the trips that were on our cousins sheet were...White water rafting and hiking. Thats fine but not on a short trip. We want to do not such sporty things. No kids they're all grown (well in my mind at 35 and 30 I like to think they are...I have hope). I hope the foilage is turning that will be nice and a historic place might be fun and downtown Northampton. We do a cousins reunion in a different cousins place every year. The blood family members vote on Sat night. it's cool but sometimes there so out of the way hotels are hard the host has to do all the leg work. We have done Maine, Port Jefferson (Belle Terre). Jackson, NJ. We are planning on Hawaii in two years (that takes more planning). Thanks for the ideas, I was at a loss.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Sounds fun!! I don't know anyone there, but have a great time!

Hawaii..I want to go there, too. If you take the dogs, you have to start clearing them months in advance because it is rabies free, so lots of hoops to jump through, I want to rent a house there and take the kids and Gucci one day

Kara


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## Lilly'sMom (Jan 28, 2010)

Stockbridge is very nice. The Norman Rockwell museum is there. Even if you're not a big fan of his, it's amazing to see the paintings in person. If you go there, you have to go to the Red Lion Inn to eat. It's kind of pricey, but worth it! It's almost a museum itself.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

The Laughing Magpie said:


> We are going on Thursday. We were a little worried the trips that were on our cousins sheet were...White water rafting and hiking. Thats fine but not on a short trip. We want to do not such sporty things. No kids they're all grown (well in my mind at 35 and 30 I like to think they are...I have hope). I hope the foilage is turning that will be nice and a historic place might be fun and downtown Northampton. We do a cousins reunion in a different cousins place every year. The blood family members vote on Sat night. it's cool but sometimes there so out of the way hotels are hard the host has to do all the leg work. We have done Maine, Port Jefferson (Belle Terre). Jackson, NJ. We are planning on Hawaii in two years (that takes more planning). Thanks for the ideas, I was at a loss.


The foliage isn't quite peak yet, but it's beautiful already... you won't be disappointed. As far as historical sites are concerned, Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, MA is nice, and probably about an hour SE of where you are going to be. (maybe a tad more) In the other direction (NW) is Bennington Battlefield in VT, probably about the same distance, and in a BEAUTIFUL area.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Thanks everyone we were so worried about the hiking, white water rafting and such. This will work. An hour or two drive is not a stretch for us.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

The Laughing Magpie said:


> Thanks everyone we were so worried about the hiking, white water rafting and such. This will work. An hour or two drive is not a stretch for us.


ound: Massachusetts, even WESTERN MA, is just not THAT wild. You'd actually have to look pretty hard to find a river (unless they do controlled dam releases) that has enough water in it for white water at this time of year. Mostly, it would be a gentle canoe or raft ride, letting the current carry you along. As far as hiking is concerned, while you certainly CAN do "real" hiking in N.E., there are many, MANY places you can go for short, 1-3 mile "walk in the woods" type hikes on fairly level ground. The Berkshire "Mountains" would be called hills in most parts of the world. They are VERY old, glacier-eroded mountains. There's not a 4000 footer among them.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Karen, Thanks so much for the tips. The rivers were Deerfield, Concord and Millers, the !problem with this is some of the cousins are of an age where getting into a bathtub is an adventure! We will do a short hike of Mt. Sugerloaf. One of the cousins is an administrator at Smith and I think she was thinking of sporty things. For some of the cousins even a short hike will result in a long nap and sometimes missing dinner. The whole idea is to visit and spend time because we don't really know who will be here tommorow.


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## iluvhavs (Jul 21, 2008)

Since you'll be in Greenfield, also, jump on Rte. 2, aka the Mohawk Trail and head west. You'll drive through whatever foliage is there. North Adams, Shelbourne Falls and Williamstown are pretty towns. Stop along the way for lunch and have a leisurely sightseeing day. I used to live in Greenfield, 35 years ago.


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