"I'm fixing a hole where the rain gets in And stops my mind…read morefrom wandering Where it will go" (Lennon and McCartney) 14,000 years in the making!! The Glacial Potholes in Shelburne Falls, MA have been around since the last Ice Age, which is wild to think about. As the glaciers melted and pulled back, fast moving water and swirling stones basically acted like nature's power tools to carve out around fifty smooth, round potholes in the rock. Now they just sit there staring at you, looking like something left behind by an ancient race of aliens. You can see them by walking along a platform that gives you a great view of the holes, pools of water, and a waterfall. What an awesome example of natural beauty.

Went here with my boyfriend!!…read more I'm from New Hampshire and can be picky about hikes (especially) but I was thoroughly impressed and we had a phenomenal time!!! The hike was lovely and the air as we climbed got a little cooler. Would recommend a jacket (even on a warmer day) and definitely some bug spray... We didn't bring any and were chased by bugs all the way down!

A ten-minute uphill walk to this tower that mental patients were ordered to build for physical…read moreactivity/to alleviate their illnesses. Sadly, when it was done, many started jumping off the top to their deaths, so of course I had to visit and see what this was like. Parked in the ski slope Farm Retreat parking lot and walked to the trailhead across the street. Worth seeing and hiking up to the tower as it's so quick, though you can't enter the tower/climb up it. Visitors put wildflowers at the base of the tower by the sealed door which was so nice. 5 stars!!!!

Since it was a beautiful day out we decided to take a little hike during lunch and thought that the…read moreRetreat Tower would be the best spot to go. This was the first time we have hiked up to the tower and we have to say that we were not disappointed. The walk itself was fairly low impact and didn't take very long. Once we got to the top we enjoyed sitting by the tower while taking in the serenity of the wood. Overall it was a great experience and we would totally hike here again.

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.

The Smith Bridge is located in the small town of Colrain. It's right off Route 112, which happens…read moreto be a Massachusetts Scenic Byway - so your whole drive is pretty and the covered bridge is just the icing on the cake! It's a pedestrian only bridge. So I was only able to walk over it. Bummer. Since I love driving over covered bridges. According to the website coveredbridgemap.com, @The Arthur A. Smith bridge was beautifully restored in 2006. It spent the previous 15 years rotting in a cornfield." Now I'm pretty happy for Arthur that his namesake bridge is no longer rotting in a cornfield. But I do wonder - who was he? And more importantly, how did he get a bridge named after him. And a covered bridge no less?

It's a bridge, it's old but had a million dollar restoration a few years ago. Nice little place to…read moretake a dip in the North River

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!

This house is where the pre-treasonous Benedict Arnold recuperated after being wounded at the…read moreBattle of Bemis Heights. The house is an interesting landmark for what it represents historically. It is not open to the Public.

If you're ever driving on Route 5 near the Springfield/Longmeadow line, be prepared to do a double…read moretake if you are lucky enough to spy this landmark. It has the epic name of Omiskanoagwiah, or "the Wolf People Medicine Man". It is fifteen feet of magnificent carved wooden awesomeness! It was carved from a single log by Hungarian born sculptor Peter Wolf Toth. It is just one of the sculptures in the "Trail of the Whispering Giant" series of over sixty sculptures across the US and Canada. Check out the details of the sculpture! He wears a feathered wolf headdress, he has long braided hair, and he sports an ornament on his chest. And for some reason there is a carved turtle on the sculpture too. There's a metal plaque on the stone base that reads: The Trail Of The Whispering Giants "Omiskanoagwiak" Wolf-People Medicine Man Dedicated to the: Pioneer Valley Indians Sculptor: Peter Wolf Toth Mayor Richard E. Neal Courtesy City of Springfield Park Commission Sponsor Joseph J. Deliso, Jr. November 18, 1984

Odd but interesting landmark along route 5. Just a quick detour off I91. If you like wooden…read moresculpture or native American art this might just be a spot for you to check out.

This was, by far, my favorite covered bridge of the trip! Not only is it strikingly beautiful and…read morehistoric, but the surrounding area is everything you could want - bucolic, peaceful, colorful, and a perfect place to practice any photography skills! It has become the place I return to in my mind when I'm stressed or meditating lol! This is the largest bridge in the area and was built in 1864 to replace the existing bridge. There's plenty of room to park off to the side and the bridge has walkways on either side that span the length of the bridge. There are also pathways that take you down to the riverbank for more views! The river is incredibly beautiful, especially with the fall foliage - just wow! I could've quite happily stayed here all day! It's very easy to find - just plug the name into google maps and it will get you here (Apple Maps didn't work for me though).

While driving down the back roads in New Hampshire, trying to get home, I came across this really…read moreamazing covered bridge. This bridge located in Winchester is huge and also has some really unique features. My favorite was that both sides of the bridge had covered areas to walk, which you don't see in some of the smaller covered bridges. Overall, it's a unique little landmark hidden in the middle of nowhere and if you are a little bit of a nerd like me you'll probably enjoy it.

My first review somehow went under a different reviewer with same name…read more Trying again, a great NHS that covers the beginning of the weapons industry in Anerica. The displays cover eras and the conflicts during those times through the history of the weapons that were manufactured to be used by those involved. The displays are nicely done, informative and eye catching, especially the damaged weapons case (one was struck by lightning). The Rangers were helpful and willing to share thier knowledge of not just the Armory, but of the local events (fireworks) and the Dr. Seuss museum downtown. We are very appreciative.

The Springfield Armory produced weapons for the country going all the way back to the personal…read moreorder of George Washington, when it was intended to be the northern supplier while its sister site Harpers Ferry was to serve the south, until 1968. During this time of service, the armory was not only a production site, but also the home to significant research and development, including the production of rear (breech) loading style weapons and the cutting edge at the time M1 by John Garand. We were fortunate to arrive in time for a walking tour with Ranger Chris. The site now shares space with a local community college, given the number of buildings the armory once included, so a lot of this is an exterior tour since they are now home to many classrooms. There are a lot of fascinating touches that Ranger Chris pointed out, including lampposts that looked like cannons and the black walnut trees around the campus (black walnut was originally used to make weapons). There is a small parking area for the visitor center - we just checked in at the gate and they directed us where to go. The center is good sized and includes a theatre to watch the site film, a whole lot of weaponry artifacts, and a gift shop.