Northampton
Downtown Northampton
Photo by Lynne Graves
Northampton has been dubbed “Paradise City,” and we couldn’t agree more. Our little Eden is nestled among the forests, farmland, and mountains of Western Massachusetts, on the banks of the Connecticut River.
Where else can you find great coffee, historically preserved buildings, a raucous music scene, students reciting Plath, a local food movement, first-rate museums and art galleries, eccentric shops, eclectic restaurants, and residents eager to play outdoors in any season? Okay, maybe Europe – but that’s a bit far. Come see what Northampton has to offer.
Northampton has also been named a few other things: the Happy Valley, the most liberal city in the US, the lesbian capital of America, and the best small arts town in the nation. To our knowledge, no one’s ever said a bad word about Northampton. And even if they did, we wouldn’t be able to hear it over the poetry slams, music festivals, pride parades, and espresso machines. Northampton is home to a top-ranked women’s liberal arts college, and an art museum where you can see both a Picasso and an exquisitely painted restroom. It has not one but two historic theaters, too many bookstores to count, several breweries, a winery, and an incredible farmers market. You can hike, bike, boat, bowl, swim, climb, dance, and shop all within the city limits.