"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!!!!

This is a really cool landmark to see in person, while it was locked up it was still amazing to see…read moreand we even made the small hike to see the cemetery as well.

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.

Wonderful National historic site conveniently located adjacent to Springfield Technical Community…read moreCollege. Free admission and onsite parking. Exhibits of armory and knowledgeable rangers available to discuss and answer any questions.

The Springfield Armory historical museum is a testament to the facility that was primarily…read moreresponsible for producing firearms for the US military beginning right after the Revolutionary War (1794) to the Vietnam War (1968). That's over 170 years and this museum chronicles that history. The Armory facility consisted of many buildings where all of the work and manufacturing was done. Today the land and many of the old buildings form the Springfield Technical Community College campus. So to get the museum you have to drive into the campus and head to the easy to find Armory building with the American flag on top. There is plenty of parking in front. Inside it is a museum that is all located on the ground floor that is run by the National Park Service so there are Rangers there to answer any question. Carl greeted me and was very nice and helpful. The museum shows everything from the beginning to the end of its existence. I found it very interesting to see manufacturing methods used in the 1800's where water power from nearby rivers was used to operate machinery to the transition to steam power and finally electricity. The ingenuity of craftsman back then is amazing in how they made things. Included in the museum is an informative 17 minute video about what took place at the Armory during all of these years. The output of this facility made the American soldier the best equipped in the world and provided for so many victories. Even if you aren't a gun nut, I believe you will enjoy coming here. The history of our nation is on display here and the best part of visiting is that the parking and admission are FREE. Budget about 1 hour to see it and yes they have a gift shop.