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.

Beautiful grounds. In summer the trails take you through an old growth forest. In winter, every…read moreother year the home is decked out for Christmas and open for seasonal tours.

This former home of the poet/journalist William Cullen Bryant is a bit out of the way - it's in the…read moremiddle of nowhere actually and still operates as a farm. The house is in a bit of a shamble and could definitely use some TLC (the Trustees of Reservations, which own the property, seem to do better with outdoor landscapes). I had a moderately good tour of this interesting house. Those who enjoy architecture will be intrigued by the story of the home and its construction stages. I was more interested in the life and work of Bryant and the tour was moderately successful. I was most pleased, however, at the end of the tour when the guide noted she likes to make sure people leave the home knowing some of Bryant's poetry. So, she handed each of us a copy of one of his poems and read from it. This was a touching but important part of the experience - it was a poet's house, after all, so it's only appropriate we should be treated to poetry!

We discovered this overlook after doing some hiking in Stockbridge on our way to Lenox. We didn't…read moreexplore the trails adjacent to this overlook site, but we certainly enjoyed the view from the parking lot. There is probably room for about 10 cars, so I'd imagine it can get crowded during peak season, but it is a lovely overlook and a nice spot for anyone with limited mobility as the view can be enjoyed without leaving the parking lot.

Neat, but the lot was full. There is a wall that blocks views. Sludge, mud and snow runoff…read more. Review: 3

Who knew that nestled between US route 5 and the Connecticut River in Holyoke, 190 million years…read moreago, there wandered groups of dinosaurs along what was once a lake bed. It's really cool to literally walk in the same footprints of these Jurassic creatures. The tracks include Eubrontes, a bipedal ornisthiscian which apparently was an ancestor of the iconic T-Rex. The site is not very large but it is easily accessible and it not only offers the aforesaid dino footprints but also nice views of the CT River. Well worth a stop!

This is a terrifically cool roadside attraction. It's an easy little pull off with a short trail…read moredown to where you can see the dinosaur footprints. There is some nice artwork and murals, plus signage about the tracks. Otherwise, it's just a matter of patiently walking around and perusing for the tracks. We took the tip of bringing some water with us to help make the prints really stand out, and that worked well. Fun stop!

Skinner State Park really surprised me. The drive up was beautiful and the view at the top over the…read morePioneer Valley made me stop and just take it in. I also liked reading about the old Mt. Holyoke Summit House and the incline railway that used to bring people up the mountain. I'm a sucker for places with a bit of history mixed in with the views And of course I loved seeing it with our friends we met on a cruise 24 years ago!

Iconic set of rolling wooded hills over looking the Connecticut River and surrounding lowlands…read more Skinner State Park is approximately 3,000 acres once privately owned now overseen by the Mass DCR. There are an intertwining network of trails from the base, along the ridge, and through the wooded parkland. Bring a GPS and trail maps are available at the gates and in the Summit House. This was my first time hiking here. A life long buddy & hiking pal encouraged me to join him. He was excited to try out his new hip on some varying terrain. He drove in from Vermont, me from CT. Both of us aging (gracefully) we each used an adjustable pair hiking sticks, which did come in handy both ascending and descending the hills. We found the trails were all very well maintained and well traveled. There's a system of trail markers and blazes to follow. Keep in mind bikes and horse are allowed, so hikers, keep your eye open and give way to wheels & hooves. The Summit House does have access too by vehicle, but (!) parking is very limited up top and DRC Rangers control traffic flow. We parked very close to Hockanum Road (Rte 47) and hiked up. Views at the Summit House stunning 360 degrees. If the House is open (seasonally) take time to tour the former residence and Lodge. View from the House decks are even better. My foot recently repaired foot & my buddies new hip passed the test!

I seriously love this place. I've been coming to Ashley for the past 12 years to walk and enjoy…read morenature. Great place to go for a run or a nice stroll. Side note--Recently my brother's gotten into bird watching and was able to spot FIFTEEN new (to him) birds which he was hyped about. That being said, there are some spots throughout the year I would avoid as it's where the geese lay their eggs.

From the 1/2 Way to St. Patricks Day road race to Jacks Walk this is truly a great place for any…read moreoccasion. So many people were out and about over the weekend enjoying the first sunny day in a week. Seen a few people bring dogs in which is a no no so leave your loved ones at home if you have never been. There are clearly marked signs so don't be that person who gets fined $300 for your inability to follow instructions. Parking is hit or miss, there is plenty of it but you may need to park in the overflow lot where you enter.

Love walking on this trail! It's very peaceful and calm, just make sure to stay to the side when…read morebikers are passing. Lots of people tend to walk on this path and the path extends pretty far which is nice.

This was a great day and a fun trail. Not too crowded on the day that I went. People are pretty…read morerespectful to stay in their lanes and not wandering all over. Electric bikes, and some gas powered scooters were on the trail exceeding safe limits. This is the only issue I had with the trail. 11 1/2 miles each way. I started at the Belchertown trailhead. Approximately 30 spots for parking and maybe a few along the street. There's also random parking along the trail and some of the smaller towns. There is a cute stop along the trail for refreshments/food. That's about the 4 mile mark.

I noticed this park wasn't listed on Yelp so I figured I'd write it's first Yelp review, in hopes…read moreof spreading the word to fellow newcomers in the area! I was visiting my folks at their place in the Berkshires over the weekend and when looking for a place to explore, came across Clapp Park on the map. Upon driving in, I was greeted by a massive free parking lot (score!). I immediately noticed how clean the space is, with very well-kept athletic fields (basketball, baseball, etc), as well as multiple picnics spots. To the right of the parking lot, I noticed a couple of trail openings and decided to mozy on through. It led to the train tracks, which I believe is for the Amtrak train, though could be wrong. I followed the tracks and had a very nice walk filled with interesting plants, trees, streams and plenty of birds above. Also, Clapp Park apparently has one of the biggest sledding hills in the area, which is great to know for the next time I'm back later this winter!