The Berkshires: A great region to visit
August 14, 2021
Photo Credit: Azndc via Getty Images
by John Rudy
The Berkshires is a beautiful region of Western Massachusetts that Judy Mir and I recently visited. The area offers a variety of attractions: museums, entertainment venues, historic sites, and picturesque mountains including Mount Greylock, the highest summit in Massachusetts. The Berkshires borders the states of New York and Vermont and includes the towns of Great Barrington, Lenox, Lee, Stockbridge, Adams, and Pittsfield.
Most people have heard of Tanglewood, the beautiful area where the Boston Symphony spends the summer. There are also many other interesting things to do in the Berkshires and it is very easy to spend more than a week. It is mostly a straight run west from Boston on the Mass Pike. We went there for a week two years ago.
Last summer, for obvious reasons, we canceled our trip. This summer, as things are reopening, we returned for four days. But things are different. Many of the venues are limiting attendance. That sometimes means a shorter season or fewer attendees for a given site, or closure for an entire week. Many places with rolling admission moved to scheduled appointments so that they could limit crowds.
We expect that as the summer progresses the rules will continue to change and so it is prudent to do your internet searching prior to deciding to go. Here are some of our favorite things to do:
Tanglewood, in the towns of Lenox and Stockbridge, has been the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937 and hosts other groups. In 2019 we attended three concerts at Tanglewood’s two venues — “The Shed,” which holds about 5,000 and can accommodate about 10,000 or so on the grounds, and Ozawa Hall, which holds about 1,200 and accommodates up to another 5,000 on the grass. This year we sat on the lawn at the rear of Ozawa Hall. Since we arrived early, we were only about 20 feet from the open doors and were able to see and hear quite well. In 2019 it was necessary to purchase indoor tickets well in advance for the more popular performances, but lawn tickets could be purchased at the last moment. In 2021 things were different. When ticket sales started capacity was limited to 25%, though by June it was expanded to 50%. Lawn tickets were also limited and sold only in advance. We heard a wonderful Beethoven concert in The Shed on a Saturday night with soloist Emmanuel Ax performing the Emperor Concerto. A huge monitor hanging from the ceiling about two-thirds of the way from the stage provided excellent views.
Hyde Park, NY, is the site of Springwood, the childhood home of Franklin Roosevelt, and his Presidential Library and Museum. It is about 80 minutes from Lenox by car and is a fascinating place with experienced guides. There are other interesting houses nearby, but we didn’t have the time for them. The Roosevelt venues really require a full day.
Daniel Chester French sculpted the Lincoln Statue at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. (he actually had a group of six Italian brothers, expert stone carvers, do the final carving). Three plaster models of the statue are on display at French’s Chesterwood Studio, a National Historical Trust site in Stockbridge. They have a wonderful tour for which you’ll need two to three hours.
The Mount was Edith Wharton’s home in Lenox (another National Historical Trust site). There are both a fascinating inside tour and a garden tour. Currently there is a fine exhibit of unusual sculptural objects on the grounds, for which admission is free. They have small coaches for those uncomfortable walking about one-half mile to the lower area.
Naumkeag was a former country estate, now a museum to 1890 wealth, but what makes it truly special are its grounds.
Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One unusual feature is that as it is being rebuilt it is being filled with purchased or donated period belongings as the originals were sold many years ago.
The Berkshire Museum is in Pittsfield, about half-an-hour north of Lenox. When we went in 2019, they had a temporary exhibit of machines built from Leonardo DaVinci’s drawings. But even without this, it is a beautiful museum.
The Clark Art Institute (a museum) is in Williamstown MA, a bit over an hour north and close to the Vermont border. It is a beautiful site with excellent exhibits. We saw a special Renoir exhibit in 2019. One can easily spend three hours there
The Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge is both beautiful and fascinating. We are of an age to remember many of his paintings when they appeared on the covers of magazines, including half a dozen per year for the Saturday Evening Post. They also have good tours.
There are dozens of good places to eat, and some wonderful ice cream and gelato stores. Try The Scoop in Lenox and Peace Love & Chocolate in Stockbridge.
Lastly, a visit to Shaker Mill Books in West Stockbridge is a must. There is quite a collection including used and rare items and all the prices are marked down.
Other sites that we did not get a chance to visit on this occasion (perhaps next time) include:
- Jacob’s Pillow, which has dance performances.
- Mass MoCA in North Adams is the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.
- Greylock is a small mountain with many trails and a nice view from the summit.
For a comprehensive list of what the region has to offer, visit berkshires.org.