Puffer's Pond in Amherst is a place that I like to stop in at when traveling through the area. The…read morepond itself is a nice place to come and swim at, but it is also nice to walk around the pond and eventually come out at their waterfall. I also make it a point to come in the winter just so that I can see the waterfall get frozen over. The only critique about this place is that at the end of UMass' school year the place tends to be packed and at times people leave their trash everywhere. Besides that this place is nice and relaxing.

A great place to swim, but get here early on a hot day because parking does fill up fast…read more Please keep an eye on your stuff though people have had stuff gone through before. The swimming hole closes at dusk and alcohol is prohibited alone with smoking

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!

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.

The Quabbin Reservoir Visitor Center is well worth a visit. The history and evolution of the…read morereservoir including indigenous wildlife are explained in detail. Very friendly and helpful staff. Ample free parking, too. The Reservoir is astounding.

What a special day at Quabbin Reservoir! I've always been fascinated by the history of the towns…read morethat were flooded to create the reservoir, so getting to see it in person was something special and our friends told us the history while we drove around and saw different spots along the way. The views were absolutely beautiful, and we may have gotten a little too excited when we spotted the turkeys. The best part was sharing the day with friends we met on a cruise 24 years ago. Beautiful scenery, fascinating history, wildlife, and longtime friends... it doesn't get much better than that.

Love walking on this trail! It's very peaceful and calm, just make sure to stay to the side when…read morebikers are passing. Lots of people tend to walk on this path and the path extends pretty far which is nice.

This was a great day and a fun trail. Not too crowded on the day that I went. People are pretty…read morerespectful to stay in their lanes and not wandering all over. Electric bikes, and some gas powered scooters were on the trail exceeding safe limits. This is the only issue I had with the trail. 11 1/2 miles each way. I started at the Belchertown trailhead. Approximately 30 spots for parking and maybe a few along the street. There's also random parking along the trail and some of the smaller towns. There is a cute stop along the trail for refreshments/food. That's about the 4 mile mark.

Skinner State Park really surprised me. The drive up was beautiful and the view at the top over the…read morePioneer Valley made me stop and just take it in. I also liked reading about the old Mt. Holyoke Summit House and the incline railway that used to bring people up the mountain. I'm a sucker for places with a bit of history mixed in with the views And of course I loved seeing it with our friends we met on a cruise 24 years ago!

Iconic set of rolling wooded hills over looking the Connecticut River and surrounding lowlands…read more Skinner State Park is approximately 3,000 acres once privately owned now overseen by the Mass DCR. There are an intertwining network of trails from the base, along the ridge, and through the wooded parkland. Bring a GPS and trail maps are available at the gates and in the Summit House. This was my first time hiking here. A life long buddy & hiking pal encouraged me to join him. He was excited to try out his new hip on some varying terrain. He drove in from Vermont, me from CT. Both of us aging (gracefully) we each used an adjustable pair hiking sticks, which did come in handy both ascending and descending the hills. We found the trails were all very well maintained and well traveled. There's a system of trail markers and blazes to follow. Keep in mind bikes and horse are allowed, so hikers, keep your eye open and give way to wheels & hooves. The Summit House does have access too by vehicle, but (!) parking is very limited up top and DRC Rangers control traffic flow. We parked very close to Hockanum Road (Rte 47) and hiked up. Views at the Summit House stunning 360 degrees. If the House is open (seasonally) take time to tour the former residence and Lodge. View from the House decks are even better. My foot recently repaired foot & my buddies new hip passed the test!

Look Memorial Park (aka Frank Newhall Look Memorial Park) is a privately run non-profit park that…read moreopened in Northampton, Massachusetts in 1930. Located in the village of Florence, the 150 acres of land were given to the City of Northampton by Mrs. Fannie Burr Look (widow of Frank Newhall Look). Mr. Look had been a long-time resident of Northampton and the chief executive of the Prophylactic Brush Company. Operation and maintenance are dependent upon the trust fund, visitor fees, grants, and gifts. Owned by the city but operated as a non-profit organization, Look Park receives no funding from the city or state. The park contains a number of notable features including walking paths, an outdoor amphitheater, tennis courts, baseball and softball diamonds, a miniature golf course, paddle boats, playscapes, a spray park, a wildlife center, a sweet shoppe, covered picnic areas, covered bridges, and a miniature railway. I recently visited Look Memorial Park with my family. I first visited the park last summer with my older son. We had so much fun that we decided to return this year with my wife and younger son. We first set out to visit the park's 5,000-square-foot spray park. It was a hot day and my two sons had a blast exploring the various ground jets, bucket dumps and water umbrellas. After a change of clothes, we explored one of the playscapes and the wildlife center. What we were most looking forward to was a ride on the park's miniature steamer train. Manufactured by Wichita, Kansas-based Chance Rides, the miniature train is a replica of the circa-1863 C.P. Huntington steam locomotive. The train runs every half hour on the weekends and rides last about 10 minutes. The train is transformed into 'Santa's Train' during the Christmas holiday season and it can also be rented for birthday parties. The train ride was easily the highlight of our park visit. We look forward to visiting Look Memorial Park again and again!

I planned a fun birthday picnic today, only to find out after paying to get into the park that half…read moreof the services were closed. I wish management would be more proactive about notifying incoming guests that many park services are closed before paying to get in. We also went to the sweet shop to get root beer floats, and paid $11 for two root beer floats that were actually half full. I would recommend the place for people looking to enjoy the scenery, but apart from that the experience was lacking.

We love to visit Wahconah Falls, bring a picnic, take a walk, sit back & relax! The falls are so…read morebeautiful!

Great cascading falls especially when you consider how quick a walk it is from the parking lot. We…read morewent there on May 2nd and it was dead because it was drizzling off and on. Def worth going a little out of your way for. Couple of things: -No swimming signs are posted-I've head people still do it. -There is a port-o-let in the parking lot-didn't use and not sure if it's unlocked/clean but if your coming for more than 1/2 hour may be smart to bring some t.p. -There are a few picnic tables by the falls-but if it's crowded then your prob going to need a picnic blanket. -The road that gets you to the park is rutted in places so go slow and don't drive in the ruts. If you have a super low car because your one of those types then skip this as you will prob bottom out. -Bring a trash bag and take your stuff (and anything you find) out.