Want to stay connected to Hampshire County? Sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Western Massachusetts

Hampshire County

Blog

Share Your Colorful Side of Massachusetts on Instagram

Leaves at Quabbin | Photo by Bruce Chambers
Leaves at Quabbin | Photo by Bruce Chambers

We we want to see your best fall photos photos from around Western Massachusetts. Read more about how to submit!

Continue Reading This Entry

Date: Oct 7, 2016 | Posted by: vincejackson | Category: Explore, Eat, Shop, Stay

5 Reasons to Visit Western Mass. Any Day of the Week this Fall

We can’t deny that fall is truly one of our best seasons in Hampshire County of Western Massachusetts, but that also means it's one of our busiest! Between signature events like the Paradise City Arts Festival and Family Weekends at our schools, thousands of visitors flock to our region every October. But we don’t want that to discourage you! This year we’re inviting you to think about a different kind of getaway. Go ahead—extend your weekend and include a Thursday or Sunday night, or celebrate a little Mountain Day of your own with a midweek getaway!

Continue Reading This Entry

Date: Sep 23, 2016 | Posted by: vincejackson | Category: Explore, Recreation, Biking, Hiking, Eat, Restaurants, Farms, Pick Your Own, Shop, Stay

22 New Things to Check Out in Western Massachusetts

Hitchcock Center for the Environment | Photo by Jessica Schultz
Hitchcock Center for the Environment | Photo by Jessica Schultz

With the return of the school year and the changing of seasons among us, we’re heading into one of the best times of the year in Western Massachusetts. As you plan your fall visits to Hampshire County, be sure to consider adding some of these new places to eat, learn, shop and explore as well as events to your itinerary! 

Continue Reading This Entry

Let Valley Wed Help You Say ‘I Do’ in Western Massachusetts

Love & Perry Photography and Films
Love & Perry Photography and Films

Wedding planning can be a fun and fulfilling experience, especially when you have the right people on your team. Valley Wed will help you find everything you need to have an amazing wedding day, with the best vendors to help you plan one of the most important days of your life. Register today for a chance to win some fantastic prizes from western Massachusetts businesses!

Continue Reading This Entry

Make the Most of Summer’s Final Days in Western MA

Farm Fresh | Photo by Lynne Graves
Farm Fresh | Photo by Lynne Graves

We tend to associate Labor Day with the end of summer, but it doesn’t have to be that way! There’s still so many ways to enjoy the best that summer has to offer in Western Massachusetts until the season officially ends September 21, 2016. From outdoor concerts and festivals to celebrations of our farm fresh abundance, check out what’s going on these final few weeks of summer in Western Massachusetts.

Continue Reading This Entry

Date: Aug 15, 2016 | Posted by: vincejackson | Category: Explore, Music, Eat, Farms

How to Spend a Weekend in the Hilltowns of Western MA

William Cullen Bryant Homestead, Cummington | Photo by the Trustees of Reservations
William Cullen Bryant Homestead, Cummington | Photo by the Trustees of Reservations

When you visit Hampshire County of Western Massachusetts, the bustling downtown destinations only make up half the equation. There’s so much to discover beyond our city lines, particularly in the Hilltowns of western Hampshire County—Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Huntington, Middlefield, Planfield, Westhampton, Williamsburg and Worthington. This part of Hampshire County is home to Snow Farm: The New England Craft Program and countless other artists finding inspiration…

Continue Reading This Entry

8 Places in Western MA with Serious Foodie Cred

Burger by Bistro Les Gras, Northampton | Photo by Lynne Graves
Burger by Bistro Les Gras, Northampton | Photo by Lynne Graves

It turns out you don’t always need to visit the big cities to sample the best of the best in the culinary world. Here in Western Massachusetts, we’re home to several James Beard Award winners and nominees, a nationally recognized cheesemonger, and some seriously celebrated bakeries and breakfast spots. Here's a roundup of some of our most recent foodie accolades.

Continue Reading This Entry

Date: Jul 20, 2016 | Posted by: vincejackson | Category: Brunch, Farm-to-Table, Frozen Yogurt & Ice Cream

6 Ways to Play It Cool This Summer in Western Mass.

Kayaking in Goshen | Photo by Lynne Graves
Kayaking in Goshen | Photo by Lynne Graves

As if you thought you already had a lot of plans this summer, there are so many things to do in Western Massachusetts during this truly magical season. Check out summer concerts, theater productions and free outdoor movies; rent a kayak, sip on fresh beer, and enjoy delicious eats from our food trucks and roadside stands!

Continue Reading This Entry

8 Unique Drop-In Fitness Classes to Try this Summer in Western MA

Vortex Dance & Fitness Metal Yoga | Photo by Shaina Mishkin on MassLive.com
Vortex Dance & Fitness Metal Yoga | Photo by Shaina Mishkin on MassLive.com

If you’re looking to shake up your fitness routine this summer and try something new even while you're traveling, there’s plenty of unique options in Hampshire County in western Massachusetts! There are weekly drop-in group cycling rides, hooping classes, and certainly no shortage of daily classes at our yoga studios and even a handful of unique classes in famous gardens, breweries, and more. For the more adventurous and experienced, there’s even aerial yoga at the local circus training studio!

Continue Reading This Entry

Share Your Best of Western MA

This summer on your Instagram, share awesome pictures of the the places you've been (or want to go!) in Western Massachusetts. Tag your photos #gowestMA for a chance to be featured on the @VisitMA Instagram and massvacation.com blog. Additionally if you're sharing any pictures of destinations and places in Hampshire County, tag #othersidema and you'll be entered into a contest for a $100 Downtown Northampton giftcard!

Continue Reading This Entry

pixel