I haven't been to the museum in years, but I did remember checking it out one day…read more The exhibits were amazing! The many artifacts were priceless!

Before my grandma sold her house in the Berkshires my family and I would visit here every year. I…read morehad been coming to visit since I was around five or six. I loved visiting the fish down in the aquarium and I remember when they had a touch tank before the pandemic hit. The snakes were also really cute too which might be an unpopular opinion. I also loved seeing the Christmas trees in the winter, there is a science center for kids and there are some beautiful paintings on display as well. I have always had the best memories here and before my grandpa passed away he would always love taking me here with my parents and my sister. My family members weren't huge fans of the aquarium like I was but I dragged them down there. I have so much to thank this museum for including, how much I learned, the memories I made, and how it was something fun that my grandpa and I could do together.

Really lovely and understated estate/museum to visit in an area rich in those, Chesterwood is…read moredefinitely worth a visit. Daniel Chester French was the sculptor of the Lincoln Memorial, and there's a smaller version of the famous sculpture here in his studio. The house he resided in is well-maintained and is quite lovely. The tour guide was informative and friendly. The house tour is worth the admission but the views of the valley puts it over. The garden where the studio is has a nice fountain. I had to leave just before the end of the tour. With the tour, try to have at least a couple of hours so you can get the full feel of the estate.

I was up in the Berkshires the other week and found out about Chesterwood whilst searching online…read morefor music and poetry events. Turns out they had an hour long poetry reading event curated by Voices of Poetry, an amazing poetry group run by Neil Silberblatt. I drive in, parked in the free lot, bought a ticket in the main building and explored for a bit before the event began. The poetry reading featured Chard di Niord (poet laureate of Vermont), Patrick Donnelly (director of the Poetry Center at the Frost Place), Shanta Lee (recipient of the Arthur Williams Award for Meritorious Service to the Arts), Hilde Weisert, winner, 2017 Gretchen Warren Award (New England Poetry Club) & 2016 Tiferet Journal Poetry Award. Every single poet was super talented and covered a large range of topics. Now I've been to my fair share of poetry readings however the talent and environment here really set this one apart. The backdrop and setting of the grounds is absolutely gorgeous. There is a short trail that you can hike and also plenty of beautiful walking paths, with plenty of sculptures, artwork, fountains and incredible trees/flowers for your viewing pleasure.

Basically just a big field to stargaze far from streetlights. When the members are their some cool…read moretelescopes come out.

Berkshire South is a wonderful community resource. The facility is served by a helpful and always…read morefriendly staff; the program offerings are plentiful and thoughtfully designed; the special events bring locals together around shared interests. The kids of course have a ball here! We are fortunate indeed to have this gem of an organization in our midst...my daughter who goes there to work out on her visits here from NY loves 'its vibe'. Anne Beardsley

Berkshire South is such a valuable part of our community, but it's also great for visitors looking…read morefor a place to workout or swim indoors. The employees are helpful, facilities good quality, and hours convenient. There are always a ton of fun programs offered: cooking classes, arts and crafts, swim and fitness lessons, babysitting and life guard certifications (look for them out patrolling local lakes in the summer!), dance for kids and adults, guided nature walks, etc. etc. You can even host a birthday party here! Most importantly, this organization does such vital good work for our community - from providing excellent childcare and day camps for families to offering free community suppers and discounted memberships to those in need. People of all ages and backgrounds can find a deep sense of belonging here. I truly appreciate all the work the staff and volunteers do for the people of Great Barrington and nearby towns.

This little farm is a gem! We stopped by on a whim, after…read morespotting a sign down the road for Farm Fresh Eggs. The eggs are DELICIOUS! For only $3, we got a dozen eggs from hens raised ethically and humanely. Tip: Call ahead to reserve your dozen for pickup, as they often run out. Owner Gordon was so very generous with his time. He let us visit the chickens, turkeys, and pigs. These pigs have the best life! I have never seen happier, cleaner, healthier pigs. Gordon and Denise also make a variety of homemade foods, such as jams and cheesecakes, available seasonally. We will stop by for those next time we are in the area!

An interesting historical tidbit. This historic site includes Van Buren's "gentleman's farm" and…read moreestate called Lindenwald. He bought the estate later in his life in 1839. Washington Irving (the famous author) was a notable long-term guest at Lindenwald. Fee: Free Tip: if you want to tour the historic house, budget at least 2 hours because you might show up while a tour is in progress and need to wait for the next tour.

Martin Van Buren's residence, Lindenwald, is tucked away in the peaceful town of Kinderhook, New…read moreYork. It's a unique window into the life of America's 8th president. I had visited the site years ago when there was a larger visitor center and an introductory video that gave a broader overview of Van Buren's presidency and personal story. Today, the visitor's center has been scaled back to a trailer, and unfortunately, there's very little introductory context provided for those less familiar with Van Buren's role in American history. One of the main displays now focuses on the history of slavery in America. While this is an important topic, its placement here felt somewhat disconnected, as Van Buren neither owned enslaved people nor lived in a slaveholding state during his time at Lindenwald. Given the limited space available, I found myself wishing more of it had been used to explore Van Buren's own political career, personal life, and legacy. They only have a few tour times a day, and the guide cited budget cuts with a roll of her eyes. We waited around a bit for the next tour, but the audio tour around the property wasn't very informative. Once our group tour began, it opened in the empty basement, where much of the discussion centered on the broader legacy of slavery and Sojourner Truth. While those subjects are historically valuable, their connection to Lindenwald itself felt tenuous and overshadowed the site's direct link to Van Buren. It appeared the tour guide had a greater interest in that topic than on the actual topic. Upstairs, the rooms were far more engaging. The main hall was particularly impressive, featuring original design elements and beautiful wallpaper. The guide shared some insight into Van Buren's later life, though key biographical details--such as the early death of his wife--were only briefly mentioned at the end. The tour concluded at a small gift shop with a nice selection of books and keepsakes. Overall, having prior knowledge of Van Buren helped me piece things together, but for first-time visitors, the lack of focus on his presidential legacy may leave them wanting more. I couldn't help but think that some of the funding loss was due to the staff losing sight of the park's primary purpose. Lindenwald remains a special site with strong potential. I hope future interpretive efforts rebalance the content to better highlight Van Buren's contributions and the historical significance of the home itself.

Just off Rt 9 in West Brattleboro VT, this is a quick stop to see an old covered bridge built in…read more1879. Ample parking next property in a church lot. No longer allows vehicular traffic, but foot traffic is allowed. And easy drive to the Chelsea Royal Diner right up the road. Stopped here w best friend Pots & Pans, who drove up from Astoria NY and met me in northern CT. All I kept hearing was he wished that his beloved wife, the breathtaking Maria, was with him cuz he wanted to rename it "The Kissing Bridge". Get a room!

The Creamery Covered Bridge is actually the driveway to a residence/Farm. It's right off Creamery…read moreRoad. You want to look for the signs for the Creamery Sugar House. The bridge is off the road a bit. Easily visible if you turn your head and look. Once you cross the bridge you are in the personal drive way of the farm owners. They happened to be sitting out in lawn chairs when we drove over. Which was a bit awkward. But we just asked if they had maple syrup for sale and they pleasantly directed us to the self serve bridge. So we turned around, drove back over the bridge and bought our obligatory maple syrup. The whole inside of the be was lined with historical signs, syrup and other things for sale. A pretty cool set up. The owners were really nice. We were obviously tourists. City folk. But the owners just took us in stride. Turns out the maple syrup is damn good. Better than any of that stuff you buy at Christmas Tree Shops.

This place is amazing! My 12 year daughter loved it! We will def be back ... it was worth the…read moredrive here! These people put a lot of work in to this place and it paid off... I thought this was even better than the haunted hay ride! Huge thumbs up!!!!!