Interesting things to do fill your trip to the Berkshires, Pioneer & Mohawk valleys

On and off the sprawling 223-acre estate, there are plenty of fun activities when you stay at The Ponds at Foxhollow. In addition to indoor and outdoor pools, a hot tub and sauna, the resort with one- and two-bedrooms condos also features a fitness center, library, tennis and basketball courts, a putting green, shuffleboard and bocce courts and a playground. Take advantage of the resort’s rowboats, canoes and bicycles. There’s lots of room for walking, hiking, biking and cross-country skiing. Explore the Berkshire region’s beautiful parks, waterfalls, lakes and ponds as well as world-class theater, art museums and, at Tanglewood, exceptional concerts. Visit the Norman Rockwell Museum, Edith Wharton’s magnificent mansion, The Mount – and the Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum, all just a short drive away.

Whether you love art, or nature, zooming through the trees on a zip line or paddling across a pristine pond – the Berkshires are waiting for you this spring and summer. Visit a world-class museum, go whitewater rafting, catch a concert at Tanglewood or stroll through Edith Wharton’s gorgeous property at The Mount. Be dazzled by live theater, mountain views on amazing trails – or by the 3,000 inhabitants of a butterfly garden! Visit a Gilded Age mansion or a scenic-railway museum. Dine by candle light in an elegant resort or pick up the fixings for a picnic lunch to take on your bike trip. From wildlife sanctuaries and farmers markets to relaxing spas and opera festivals, there’s an activity for everyone in the Berkshires. To learn more click our listing link or search “Visit the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts” on Facebook.

Campo De Fiori, meaning “field of flowers,” is a perfectly delightful garden shop at 1815 North Main Street in Sheffield. The phrase garden shop only begins to touch on the charms of this space, filled (but not crammed) with plants, succulents, and garden-related pots and accents like terracotta planters, carved stone, forged iron, cast bronze, distinctive lighting and zinc. Campo de’ Fiori designs and manufactures all of the items, made by the hands of skilled artisans. The shop’s name comes from a piazza in Rome where the owner’s mother used to buy fresh flowers and vegetables, and the atmosphere is distinctly Mediterranean. Perfect place to shop for gifts for any garden-loving person. Open daily.

We love the cheeky slogan of Montague Bookmill: “Books you don’t need in a place you can’t find.” Housed in an Industrial Revolution-era gristmill aside the Sawmill River at 440 Greenfield Road in Montague, The Montague Bookmill is a cozy melding of old-fashioned bookstore and the most comfortable living room you've ever known. The collection includes thousands of books on every imaginable subject, many with deeply slashed prices. Open daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Number of visitors at one time and duration of visits is limited during the pandemic.

Tucked away in a shaded area of Eastern States Exposition, Storrowton Village Museum, at 1305 Memorial Avenue in West Springfield is a permanent reminder of New England life in bygone days. The Village is an authentic, recreated village of nine 18th- and 19th-century buildings from Massachusetts and New Hampshire, assembled around a traditional town green. A tour of Storrowton offers an intimate look at Early American living with all the ingredients for a meaningful historic experience. Storytelling and activity programs run throughout the year.

Pittsfield is a lively town centrally located between other stars of the Berkshires, like Stockbridge, Lenox, Williamstown and North Adams. The downtown is a fun place for dining, browsing and shopping. If you need a gift, the options here are delightful: Circa, is a place to fine mid-century antiques, and a selection of vintage clothing and jewelry. Paul Rich and Sons Home Furnishings has made a name for itself selling high-quality furniture. Museum Facsimiles Outlet Store is a fun and unique place to find fine picture frames, framed mirrors, hand printed letterpress and silkscreen greeting cards, all at wholesale pricing.Everything is made here, not imported! Custom framing.

Downtown Great Barrington is known for its many boutiques, art galleries, coffee shops, and gourmet restaurants. A shopping or dining stroll in the downtown should include a visit to the adjacent Housatonic Riverwalk. The paved path that ambles alongside this busy Berkshires waterway is an all-volunteer restoration project of the Great Barrington Land Conservancy. After your riverside stroll, take in some evening entertainment in Great Barrington at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, the Triplex movie theater, or the town bandstand, site of free concerts.