Northampton/Amherst Area Travel Ideas

[Hey Adrien!]

Boneyard brethren:

Our last hoorah of the summer before the school year starts is a central MA trip where we're staying at a nicer hotel and then hanging with friends tonight and tomorrow in Amherst.

However, the homeowners in Amherst just got sick (they'll be fine) and now we have a hotel reservation and nothing else planned. We won't get up to MA until 7ish, so looking for any recs for Monday morning/afternoon.

I've been to Northampton many times and haven't been to Amherst for any reason aside to visit campus, so I'm open to checking it out. In the spirit of variety, we'd like to try something different than visiting Northampton again, although I like the town.

Coffee/breakfast, walking, places of interest recs recommended. Probably driving back to CT after lunch on Monday.

Thanks!

 

[TRest]

Boneyard brethren:

Our last hoorah of the summer before the school year starts is a central MA trip where we're staying at a nicer hotel and then hanging with friends tonight and tomorrow in Amherst.

However, the homeowners in Amherst just got sick (they'll be fine) and now we have a hotel reservation and nothing else planned. We won't get up to MA until 7ish, so looking for any recs for Monday morning/afternoon.

I've been to Northampton many times and haven't been to Amherst for any reason aside to visit campus, so I'm open to checking it out. In the spirit of variety, we'd like to try something different than visiting Northampton again, although I like the town.

Coffee/breakfast, walking, places of interest recs recommended. Probably driving back to CT after lunch on Monday.

Thanks!

If you’re into colonial architecture Deerfield is nice to walk around. My kids loved the butterfly place down the road near Yankee Candle.

 

[Fishy]

There’s nothing to do there.

 

[husky429]

My wife got an offer to teach at Amherst college literally two days agl for a big pay raise and tenure-track so we spent a couple days there. Restaurants and used book stores was about all we could find to do. It's a cool area to LIVE but idk if it's really a tourist spot

 

[Dove]

Well, there'sTreehouse Brewing. Get wasted.

 

[karstenkibbe]

I went to grad school at UMass. The only time I stop in Amherst is when we are heading back from VT and the kids want a quick bite… Antonio’s for a reliable slice, Bueno y Sano for a burrito or Black Sheep Cafe for a bagel and smoked whitefish. If you actually want something to do, I suggest driving a few miles north for a nice post-breakfast, easy hike at Mount Sugarloaf Reservation (Sunderland-South Deerfield border) and then head to the Deerfield location of Treehouse Brewing for some craft beer and pizza.

Maybe a quick peek into Curry Cage to see where Dr. J played his college ball.

 

[CL82]

Suggest you go to Southampton instead.

 

[CCSUblue]

Beneski Museum of Natural History on Amherst campus and Mass MoCA in Adams. Have heard good things about both but haven't made it there myself.

 

[Kitaman]

Just left Amherst today after 3 days, was in Northampton as well. There is so little to do, unless you like fishing (which I do). School is out so the Town is dead. With school out all stores/restaurants are understaffed, so expect either a wait or slow service.

Not to be a downer, but Vermont border is a little over an hour away, and so is the Berkshires for day trips.

If my father didn't live there, there would be no reason for me to go there.

 

[HooperScooper]

Beneski Museum of Natural History on Amherst campus and Mass MoCA in Adams. Have heard good things about both but haven't made it there myself.

Isn’t Adams pretty far from Amherst?

 

[storrsroars]

Ye Olde Watering Hole Beer Can Museum

 

[HooperScooper]

Ye Olde Watering Hole Beer Can Museum

Funny, I drove by there 3 years ago and wanted to stop in and check it out since I collected beer cans when I was a kid. My wife was not into it so I figured I’ll do it another time. Definitely want to check it out.

 

[CCSUblue]

Isn’t Adams pretty far from Amherst?

It's all relative.

 

[husky8273]

i thought Northampton had a number of live music venues

 

[storrsroars]

Funny, I drove by there 3 years ago and wanted to stop in and check it out since I collected beer cans when I was a kid. My wife was not into it so I figured I’ll do it another time. Definitely want to check it out.

Back when we used to do annual hiking trips up in the Whites, we'd often stop there on the way to or from. After a few visits I really wanted to get a can on the wall. In 1984 I'd attended a convention in New Orleans and kept a can from a sixer of Jax beer in a commemorative blue can celebrating the city's World's Fair that year.

I proudly brought it with me on our October trip to NH. Took it into the bar, gave it to the barkeep. They already had one.

 

[mauconnfan]

Nice restaurants in Northampton downtown and always interesting in that town. East Side Grille is a good start but just one of many.

 

[alphasigko]

Emily Dickenson home/museum....

Www.emilydickensonmuseum.org

 

[Fishy]

There’s nothing.

The only thing you can do there is go somewhere else.

Stop making suggestions….you are lying to this man.

 

[Dove]

Emily Dickenson home/museum....

Www.emilydickensonmuseum.org

Post/Avatar

 

[tcf15]

Tandem Bagel in Hadley is a good breakfast spot.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Beneski Museum of Natural History on Amherst campus and Mass MoCA in Adams. Have heard good things about both but haven't made it there myself.

Mass MoCA is amazing and probably my favorite art museum, but that’ll be for another day.

i thought Northampton had a number of live music venues

They do. When I was at UConn, Northampton was my go-to live music destination. Five good music venues all in the town plus an outdoor stage at their park. Pretty amazing.

We’ll stick to having a lazy morning at the hotel and then a coffee/brunch at Northampton.

If you ever need a hotel in this area, I highly recommend the Old Mill Inn in Hatfield. For about the same price of local chain hotels, it’s a historic inn that overlooks Mill River. Lots of care put into the renovation and the personal touches. Also, it was great to have a wall of windows facing east open at night and morning right by the water.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Beer is the only reason to be there. Treehouse in Deerfield. Easthampton has a cool spot with two breweries by a pond adjacent to a bike trail (Manhan Rail Trail). So you could walk or bike along the trail from Northhampton to Easthampton and then stop in at the breweries having earned a couple. New City Brewery and Abandoned Building (very good) are both in the same old mill near the river.

 

[Vancat]

If you are (were) into the Shaboo vibe back in the day, check out The Iron Horse (NoHo). I'm not even sure it's open now but I have seen some great shows there.

 

[Waquoit]

I keep my eye on Northampton. The music scene there doesn't seem to be back to what it was pre-COVID. And without the music, it's slim pickings.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

I keep my eye on Northampton. The music scene there doesn't seem to be back to what it was pre-COVID. And without the music, it's slim pickings.

This doesn't help either

Iron Horse owner Eric Suher may make settlement deal with state over labor violations

The Massachusetts Attorney General's office cited the music venue's owner $100,000 after employees accused him of labor law violations.

masslive.com