To get to the Valley (100 mi. inland from Boston), take the Mass. Turnpike (I-90) west for about 1¼hr. to I-91 in Springfield. For a more scenic but longer route, take Rte. 2 to Greenfield and then head south on I-91 into the valley. Rte. 91 is the fastest north-south conduit, but both Rte. 5 and 116 offer scenic views and pleasant diversions. Alternatively, Peter Pan (800-343-9999; www.peterpan.com) buses service Springfield, Northampton, Amherst, and Holyoke daily. Once in the Valley, the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (413-781-7882; www.PVTA.com) runs bus routes, going nearly everywhere.
Aside from aggressive tourism, the best way to keep offbeat shops and eateries afloat is to pack a few square miles with college students. Centered on the Connecticut River, Pioneer Valley (also known as the “Five-College Area”), with nearly 30,000 college students, does just that. Preppy Amherst, free-wheeling Hampshire, sporty Mt. Holyoke, liberated Smith, and—the jewel of Massachusetts public education—the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (UMass-Amherst) make up the “Five College Consortium.” True to form, the area has the best attributes of a college town: unique and cheap restaurants and cafés, impressive museums, and plenty of bike trails and parks to relieve the stress of a liberal arts education. The peak Pioneer visiting season is in the fall, when tourists come to marvel at the foliage and share in the bounty of the harvest at road-side produce stands.
The best way to see the five colleges area is to take Rte. 116 from I-91 north of Springfield and follow it to Amherst. This route passes Mt. Holyoke, Hampshire, Amherst, and The University of Massachusetts (UMASS)-Amherst). From Amherst it’s a quick shot on Rte. 9W to Northampton and Smith College. Amherst itself lies at the crest of a stately hill and offers a commanding view of the valley. The town is a miniature version of Northampton, give a few more yuppie boutiques and take the fetish shops. The Emily Dickinson House (guided tours W-Sa, $7; call 413-542-8161 in advance) is 5min down Main St. from the town center. Half of Emily’s poems (the ones which Harvard’s Houghton Library doesn’t own) are at Smith College.
Just outside nearby Springfield, Six Flags New England (south of Springfield off I-91; www.sixflags/newengland) will titillate the jaded Harvard student late April through September with childhood amusement.
Easily reached by heading all the way west on the Mass. Pike (I-90) or Rte. 2.
Rolling hills and sleepy colonial towns speckle the Berkshires. Ski slopes scar the mountains and expanses of patchwork-quilt farmland are overlooked out upon by the many pricey, yuppified relaxation havens—resorts and B&Bs—in towns such as Lenox. For maps and information on camping, other lodging, and area attractions, call the Berkshire Visitors’ Bureau (413-743-4500). In winter, skiers flock to the mountains, while summers light up with artistic events. The summer theater scene consistently garners big-name actors and rave reviews. Tanglewood (617-637-5165; www.bso.org), in Lenox, is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Catch a concert while picnicking on the massive lawn. MASS MoCA (413-662-2111; www.massmoca.org; $5), in North Adams, is the largest center for contemporary visual and performing arts in the country. Williamstown, a chilly but cozy town on the Vermont border, is home to Williams College, the second-oldest college in Massachusetts (3hr drive). In Stockbridge you’ll find the Norman Rockwell Museum (413-298-4100; www.nrm.org).
