The Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, is an absolute gem. Its located on a…read moreformer trolley bridge. It is easily accessible with nearby free parking, wonderfully kept up by dedicated volunteers, and filled with breathtaking, ever-changing floral displays. It's right in the heart of a charming town with quaint little shops

"There was a shopping mall Now, it's all covered with…read moreflowers" (Talking Heads) Our May 10th visit to the Bridge of Flowers was marked by two things -one thing we saw and one thing that we didn't see. What we saw were gates locked on both sides of the 400-foot-long bridge to prevent foot traffic. What we didn't see were any flowers on the Bridge of Flowers! We learned that when the Bridge was opened in the Spring, something was wrong with the soil in the flower beds that line the bridge. I heard that the vendor that delivered the soil delivered the wrong thing, so the planted flowers weren't exactly flourishing. Everything (over 500 varieties of annuals and perennials) had to be dug out, all of the plants went to temporary" foster homes" in the community, and the bad soil was removed and replaced with the correct type of soil. Everything should be back to normal very soon, so we'll have to make a second visit to the Bridge of Flowers to actually see the flowers.

"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!

This afternoon while walking in downtown Greenfield we decided to walk down to Energy Park for the…read morefirst time. When we got to the park we were surprised to see how large it was and how unique it was as well. This park has an old train caboose which is used as an exhibit, has a cute playground area for children, and also has the towns old train station platform which is now used as a stage for performances during the summer. The park itself is fairly large and it has a great layout. It has multiple stone benches and picnic tables. It was great to walk around the park but at this time it was really dirty. During the winter the park isn't maintained and seems as though it is a haven for people to go to and drink. There was a ton of empty alcohol bottles as well as trash. In the park there was also a few people who seemed a bit out of place, but they didn't bother us as we walked around and enjoyed the fresh air. This park seems as though it is a great place to hang out when the weather is nice. From what it says on their website it seems as though it hosts some great celebrations during the summer and fall as well. The only thing is that it seems like a place where you should be cautious of going during off peak hours or during the night. This park has great potential, and we can't wait to go back when the weather is warmer!

Not really a business but a rare bridge!! Beautiful setting with good vantage points for…read morephotography of the bridge and general area.

One day while exploring Western MA, we drove through Conway and came upon this bridge spanning over…read morethe Deerfield River. This historic truss bridge built in 1882 is such a unique structure and the views from the bridge are incredible. For the past few summers we have made it a point to stop by this bridge to not only marvel in the views, but to swim under the bridge. On either end there are parking lots, and often the water is moving slow enough that swimming here is a blast. Last Fourth of July we parked one of our cars here and ended up tubing down the river. This was a great place to start and parking was great because it was off the road. In the end, we love traveling to this bridge especially when it is snowing. One of our other favorite parts of this area is that the train passes by the bridge and listening to it pass as you are spending the day swimming here is relaxing.

The sanctuary is really cool. Suggested donation of $20 and you walk the grounds at your own pace…read more There is some amazing art there and, I believe, it changes regularly with additions from artists. There is a labyrinth right by a beautiful little body of water, some really cool sculptures, glass works, and cool places to sit and/or wander around. The whole place has a really nice vibe, and I think it's just really cool that someone takes care of a space like that for everyone to enjoy. I would highly recommend it. Fun for the whole family.

fabulous. An hour wasn't enough. There is so much sculpture and art. Glass, mosaic, welded metal,…read moreand natural stone. Not to miss, but give yourself more than an hour. And PLEASE - honor system to pay admission- DO IT!

A treasure to have this woodsy getaway in Greenfield. HP is a section along a ridge that borders…read moretown. The whole ridge is actually quite lovely. They do need better blazes and new maps at the trailhead kiosks, though. The tiny metallic arrows on trees are hard to see. You can get a little lost up here. Then again, you might want to. The woods aren't so big that you couldn't be found :) Varied trails from cushy pine to rocks and roots. Some steps built in to steeper hills. I understand the cross country skiing is good here but I haven't had the pleasure. A pond down low. Views up high. A cool platform at Sachem Head. Little streams after a rain. If you need a little dose of nature, head in. You'll be happy you did.

Love this park. So beautiful. Many different trails to choose from for varying levels of activity…read more Beautiful view from the platform at the top of the ridge. People that I come across are always pleasant. The "bears den" is really neat. Only complaints would be the amount of people that drop bags of dog poop on the trail, a pet peeve of mine. Honestly, I'd rather you just left it without the bag. Doesnt really make sense why someone would go through the effort of using a bag just to litter it. But that small annoyance doesnt stop me from going back. Overall the area is well maintained.

It is a very nice hiking trail. It was easier going up…read more I went to the north side and that is a tad more challenging and longer.

We drove up to Mt Sugarloaf State Reservation hoping for that big Connecticut River view and it was…read moreraining sideways and super windy and probably like 40 degrees out. We were freezing honestly and didn't stay up there very long at all. You can drive right to the top which is nice, and even with all the fog and rain you could still see the river and that little white church and the bridge down below. It was kind of moody but also really pretty in a weird way, I kept thinking it would be amazing on a clear day. We basically just huddled under the little stone lookout, snapped a couple quick pictures and then ran back to the car because our hands were freezing and we just couldn't take it anymore. Definitely one we'd go back to, just not in weather like that. Check the forecast before you go because we did not and yeah lesson learned. Oh it's a $5 entry fee abd you pay at a little kiosk stand thing,

Mount Toby has a lot to offer; waterfalls, beautiful trails and caves…read more We followed the Robert Frost Trail to get to the caves. I skipped it but others went in with flashlights. It's tight quarters. Then we continued to the waterfall. It was well worth it. There is a small parking area on Reservation Rd. The park doesn't really have a street number but if you type '95' into your gps it will take you right up to a small free parking lot.

The mountain is a very cool place with the BEST marked trails and map I've seen so far. As someone…read morewho frequently goes the wrong way when hiking it was a huge relief to know exactly where I was on the mountain. The visitor center staff was helpful and parking plentiful. There are many trail options from wide and easy to narrow and more challenging. None of it was tough. I'd say this is a great choice for those who don't hike often, or like a fun over a hard climb. We did a 6 Mile loop to the reservoir on top of the mountain and back down along the Rose Ledge trail.

Northfield Mountain is a great place to go for recreation, education, or just to relax. It is not…read moreonly a recreational/conservation area but also a pumped storage hydroelectric facility (meaning that it has a man-made pond of sorts at the top of the mountain that is used for hydroelectric power when the towns and cities in the area need it...they have free tours to check it out!). There are also a lot of outdoor activities including hiking trails, education programs, canoing, and the list goes on (check out their website). The scenery is incredible, its a very quiet place to go and take in some nature. I was there recently for an environment education program which was a lot of fun and very well organized. I've actually been going to place since I was a kid.