Wonderful Western Massachusetts Attractions You Might Not Know Of (2024)

Do you know what's amazing to me, Berkshire County? The number of times that we plan vacations or getaways, whether it's a romantic weekend for two or a week-long family road trip, and we forget the number of amazing things we have to see and do that are right here in our own backyard.

I confess that I too am guilty of this oversight. I've lived in the beautiful Berkshire for 40+ years and there are still places right here that I've never seen. For instance, I have never once visited The Mount in Lenox. I know, right?

My question to you, Berkshire County friends and neighbors, is how many of the following amazing and beautiful Berkshire County attractions have YOU actually visited yourself?

Since I already mentioned it, how about we start off with The Mount in Lenox:

The Mount is the turn-of-the-20th-century home of noted author Edith Wharton. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1971 and is now a museum and cultural center that is open to the public.

Here's another top Berkshire attraction:

Have you ever hiked up Monument Mountain in South County on a beautiful day and gazed at the majestic view of the Housatonic River Valley? Look at it this way. That view is your reward for making that hike. And it's well worth it.

Have you ever visited Natural Bridge State Park in North Adams?:

This is definitely a very cool, very picturesque place. The park got its name from its natural bridge made from white marble. There's also a white marble dam and a marble quarry worth checking out.

You've probably driven by this landmark many times, but have you ever been inside the Herman Melville House?:

Better known as Arrowhead, this location served as the home of the author of Moby Dick, Herman Melville, and it's right on Holmes Road in Pittsfield.

I know this is hard to believe, but I actually know several people who have never caught a wonderful music performance at Tanglewood in Lenox:

Few things are better than seeing acts like Ringo Starr's All-Star Band, Bonnie Raitt, the Berkshire's very own James Taylor, or a concert spectacle from the Boston Pops while sitting on the lawn at Tanglewood.

Okay, here's one that I bet a lot of you have never visited:

It's Bash Bish Falls, at Bash Bish Falls State Park in Mount Washington. How many words can you use to describe "beautiful"? Bash Bish Falls is the highest single-drop waterfall in Massachusetts and it's one of my soulmate Tonya's favorite places.

You know what, faithful readers? I'm going to have to do a part two on this at some point looking at more awesome attractions in our own backyard. There are so many of them and I've barely scratched the surface. If you want to find out more information on any of the attractions listed above, just Google them or check out their various Facebook pages.