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

Massachusetts > Western Mass. > Things to Do and See > 90 Great Things to Do in Massachusetts

This historic region offers a wealth of memorable events and activities framed by breathtaking natural beauty. The Berkshires feature year-round culture, recreation, and adventure in quaint towns like Stockbridge, Lenox, and Williamstown, while North Adams has the fabulous Museum of Contemporary Art. There is no shortage of places to stay , shop, and dine. Great ziplines and canopy tours are here; for all-day fun, visit Look Park with a zoo, lake, water spray park, 18 holes of miniature golf and six tennis courts. In winter, family-friendly skiing and other snow sports are just a short walk uphill.

Berkshire East Mountain Resort

66 Thunder Mountain Road Charlemont, MA, 01339 Phone: 413-339-6617

Featured by USA Today as one of the Top Ten Zip Lines of the United States!

Berkshire East is New England's largest zip destination with three tours to choose from. The Base Tour is our introductory course… give zipping a try! Then move on to fabulous views of the valley on the Mountain Top Tour. Mountain Top zipping is a great family experience and summer memory.

Ready for tour number three? The Valley Jump is fun to the extreme. You will love it. Two 1/2 long mile zips, approaching 200' off the ground. This tour has been featured in the Washington Post.

Come, fly above the tree tops!

Red Lion Inn

30 Main Street Stockbridge, MA, 01262 Phone: 413-298-5545

Make the Red Lion Inn your headquarters for Berkshire memories

There is everything to like about a visit to Stockbridge, MA. There’s two plus centuries of America’s history. Here’s the adopted home of Norman Rockwell not far from his celebrated museum. The studios and creations of famed artists, musicians, and authors are within easy reach. The outdoors offers hiking, biking, skiing, water sports and more. In short, there is something for everyone. The Red Lion Inn has it too. Rooms with complimentary WIFI, air conditioning, cable television, and cozy plush bathrobes. There’s great food rooted in the region’s traditions. Enjoy the fitness room, the partners spa, a heated outdoor pool and hot tub, a porch with rocking chairs, a gift shop, nightly entertainment at the Lion’s Den, and a very curious lobby cat.

Ponds at Foxhollow

Route 7 Lenox, MA, 01240 Phone: 413-637-1469

Great things to do inside and outside this convenient, elegant resort

A list of great things to do at Ponds at Foxhollow, a secluded resort in the heart of the Berkshires, begins with the resort itself: There are indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, shuffleboard, bocce, plenty of room on the 223-acre estate to hike, bike and cross-country ski, an exercise room, putting green, basketball courts and canoes to take out on the resort’s very pretty pond. After you have relaxed in your spacious one- or two-bedroom condo overlooking that pond, you might head out to the Normal Rockwell Museum, Tanglewood, a botanical garden, a beach, an historic home. Or just head into Lenox, Lee or Stockbridge to stroll the quintessentially New England streets and sample the excellent restaurants.

The Berkshires of Western MA

Come Create Your Own Winter Adventure

In the Berkshires, winter is a way of life. Located less than three hours from New York City and Boston in the beautiful mountains of Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires offer myriad in and outdoor attractions, from skiing and snowshoeing to breweries and boutiques. Enjoy leisurely strolls through first-class museums followed by gourmet cuisine and craft cocktails, then take in a play or live music, or cozy up to a fire at one of our many charming New England B&Bs. Whether a romantic getaway for two or winter respite for the entire family, a snowy Berkshire adventure is guaranteed to delight. Learn more at Berkshires.org or follow “Visit the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts” on Facebook.

Zoar Outdoor

Route 2 (Mohawk Trail) Charlemont, MA, 01339 Phone: 800-532-7483

So many amazing activities at this adventure center for all skill levels

If you have ever wanted to try zip lining, or whitewater rafting or stand-up paddle-boarding, the place to launch your adventure is Zoar Outdoor in the Berkshires. It’s also the place for experienced folks, with whitewater rapids up to level IV and a three-hour zip lining canopy tour that reaches heights of 50 feet. Zoar also offers stand-up paddle-boarding, kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, easy river floats and, at its center in Wilmington, Vt., snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and mountain biking. Experienced instructors and guides are ready to assist or teach people at every skill level, and the equipment they use is first-rate. Kayaks and paddleboards, for example, are stable enough for first-time users. Lodging options include Hawk Mountain Lodge, 11 cabin tents, five tent sites – and a yurt.

Porches Inn at MASS MoCA

231 River Street North Adams, MA, 01247 Phone: 413-664-0400

MassMoCA and more in quaint and quirky North Adams

Visit the world renowned Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art and stay across the street at this lodging in restored Victorian row houses. You’ll enjoy the relaxed, cozy atmosphere and quirky and colorful spirit within. Architectural framings and angles vary. Individual decors give a distinct personality to every space. No two rooms are alike and the comforts are everywhere from lofts and/or spiral staircases, separate living rooms, working fireplaces, to private slate floored baths with Jacuzzi, claw foot tubs, and separate shower stalls. There’s complimentary continental breakfast, a heated outdoor pool, fitness center and lobby bar. The museum highlights the northern Berkshire’s arts and crafts scene while quaint, walkable North Adams offers great shopping, restaurants, galleries and more.

Clear a Path for the Young Ones

Billing itself as a “true family mountain,” Butternut, on State Road / Route 23 in Great Barrington, puts a heavy emphasis of bringing the beginners of all ages and particularly the youngest learners into the sport. From the SKIwee (for age 4 to 12) and miniRIDERS (age 7 to 12) programs through racing workshops, Butternut declares that its group and private lessons are guaranteed to improve children's confidence and skill at skiing and snowboarding. The message is that “first times” are welcome. Phone: 413-528-2000.

Beastly Fun at Tubing Park

Berkshire East’s Beastly tubing park at 66 South River Road in Charlemont is open and ready to live up to its name. The park will be open on the weekends this season. Berkshire East has three 450-foot tubing lanes and a minimum height requirement of 42 inches. The Beastly Tubing Park is open weekends from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tickets are sold for two-hour blocks. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m. in the West Lodge. 413-339-6617

Butternut Is Tubing Paradise

Tubing is a fun way to finish off the weekend and provides an optional activity to skiing and snowboarding. The seven-lane tubing park at Butternut Ski Area at 380 State Road (Route 23) in Great Barrington makes sliding downhill fun for everyone! The tubing center has its own ticketing building and offers 200 tubes, up to 7 chutes, a dedicated lift that makes getting back to the top easy and fun, and total snowmaking coverage. Tubing park open Fridays through Sundays and every day during holidays. New in 2016: tubing open Friday nights, 5-8 p.m. Phone: 413-528-2000.

Canterbury Hosts Skiing, Skating, Snowshoeing in Gorgeous Countryside

Do your cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and ice skating in a beautiful country location. Canterbury Farm on Fred Snow Road in Becket has 14 miles of double tracked and corduroyed trails, skating lanes, a complete ski, snowshoe and skate rental shop, and lessons. If you want to explore, the property is surrounded by 2000 acres of private and state lands, October State Forest, and three mountain lakes. Experts are available at the Ski Barn to help and guide you. Lessons and rentals also are available. 413-623-0100.

Riverwalk Is an Urban Treat

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. 413-528-3391.

Broadside Bookshop: Best in the Valley

Broadside Bookshopon Main Street in Northampton was voted Best Independent Bookstore in the Valley by a poll of local readers, so you know from ythe get-go that your love of books will be satisfied here. Located in a college town, the Bookshop says customers shall received personal service by a book-knowledgeable staff. You will find lots of fiction and literary non-fiction, and even hard-to-find journals. Come dive into a place cherished by savvy bookworms. 413-586-4235

Books, Soft Chairs, and a River View

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. 413-367-9206

Pittsfield Hops with Shopping and Browsing Fun

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.

animagic museum of special effects lee ma

Dive Into the Complex World of Animation

Animagic – the Museum of Special Effects in the Berkshires at 135 Main Street in Lee showcases the work of animators who played a large role in major movie animation of the last 30 years. Even better, the museum welcomes people of all ages to take a guided tour; see original models used in famous movies and a genuine Academy Award won by Eugene Mamut, a co-owner of Animagic. After the tour, visitors may take a two-hour workshop in which you create a model; make an animated movie; add sound, music, and title; and see your movie uploaded to YouTube. Tours are free; workshop is $20 per person. The museum is open daily, year-round, but only by appointment. 413-841-6679.

dinosaur museums in western Massachusetts

Fossils Fuel Curiosity at Dino Museums

Dinosaur history and folklore are alive and roaring in the Pioneer Valley region. A day or more of exploration awaits dino fans of all persuasions. The Nash Dinosaur Track Site and Rock Shop in South Hadley displays the largest number of dinosaur tracks in the region. Nearby, the Beneski Museum of Natural History at Amherst College in Amherst has impressive exhibits that include vertebrate and invertebrate paleontology, minerals, and other geologic specimens. Visitors to Dinosaur Hall in the the Springfield Science Museum in Springfield are riveted by the life-size replica of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Interactive exhibits at Dinosaur Hall include actual fossils of dinosaur tracks which can be touched and a cast of a huge sauropod footprint for children to climb into. Information: 413-755-1346.

paintings of James Champney at the Deerfield Inn Deerfield MA

See Deerfield Through 19th Century Artist’s Eyes

In a place with such natural beauty as Massachusetts’s Pioneer Valley region, it is reasonable that painters have worked there to re-create the countryside on canvas. A painter from the 19th century named James Well Champney worked in Deerfield and much of his work now graces the walls of the Deerfield Inn and its bright, airy Champney’s Restaurant & Tavern. Deerfield Inn is among the several New England lodgings lucky to show original art, often by local artists. A visit to his historic town and inn, or a meal of fresh-cooked New England dishes at Champney’s puts you in the middle of a 19th-century vision of this unique place.

State

Cape Cod & The Islands

Central Mass.

Boston

North of Boston

South of Boston