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,

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!

Amazing playground. Clean, wheelchair accessible, they have playground toys I didn't even know…read moreexisted, but I wish they did when I was a child!! They use rubber playground matting and the playground is easily accessible for parents and or grandparents to navigate around the different play areas with their kids.

It's truly a blessing living less than a five minute drive away from this playground. My daughter…read moreloves to go here and always has a blast. The amazing thing about this park is that it is ENTIRELY capable of allowing handicap children and children in strollers. How beautiful!!! My heart aches for the Martin family who this park was constructed for, they're all so nice. Honestly you'll find my daughter and I here 4/7 days a week, it's THAT nice. There's hardly ever any trash there. The ONLY thing I would change well-- suggest about the park is I think they should have installed a water fountain for when it's hot during summer. Then again, I don't have any clue on how difficult that would have been!

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

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.

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.

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.

Wow wow wow- this is the playground of all play grounds. I met another mom who travels to this…read moreplayground because it is one that her child's unique abilities are considered. So many unique structure to play and be in the outdoors. Both my boys said this is their new favorite park. Their favorite features were the basketball hoops and the circular merrigo-round made for one person. There's so much more- a braille reading library. Safety fence with a safety lock to keep kids inside. Huge parking lot. There's also motivational quotes all around with so much color. The buddy beach is bright and there's also a rock sharing area. This park has thought of everything to make everyone have a sense of belonging. The only negative was the picnic tables that are covered are also used for parties. They may come out to ask you to move to accommodate a birthday party. Which was a major pain for us as we had a full on picnic spread out. The staff was very kind and allowed us to stay when they recognized we had a bunch to move.

A very large and nice playground. There is a mini basketball court, climbing playscape, zipline…read moreunder a fake airplane, etc. The playground is located in the back parking lot area of the Mandell Jewish Community Center. It opens everyday from 8 am to sunset. There is a porta potty available. This was built in 1996 and was the first all inclusive playground for children of all abilities in the area. We went on a Saturday and it was super busy. You have to keep a hawk eye on your babies because they can get lost in the crowd. There is a pavilion with picnic tables. The play area is fenced in and has plenty of parking. In the end, I can't wait to come back on a weekday when it's less busy.

Now that the season is getting warmer, it's almost time to grab some beach chairs, a few hotdogs,…read moreand head over to Lake Wyola for a relaxing afternoon. This State Park is a great place to swim during the summer as well as spend time barbecuing with friends. Whenever we go we make it a point to show up early in the morning, set up shop, and do nothing for the rest of the day. They have a ton of different picnic areas and a centralized beach area with bathrooms and a food trailer. They also have space to play soccer and a few different horseshoe pits. The park also has some walking trails that provide a great space to connect with nature. A few things do need to be said about the park. The first is that you should plan to show up early on busy days such as holidays because at times there can be limited parking. The other interesting fact is that you should plan to have little to no cell service while at the park. This is great because it ensures that you won't be bothered, but good luck checking in.

It was beautiful! We got there around 3 or so on the 4th of July. People who had gotten there super…read moreearly were heading out, so we got lucky and found parking up the block. A guy let us park in his yard for $10. It was pretty filled up, but, it was still comfortable. Great sandcastle sand, clean bathrooms, and GORGEOUS scenery. We stayed until the lifeguards left at 6. The beach was open until 7:30 though. We will definitely be going again! We were so glad to have come across this gem.

I absolutely love visiting The Bridge of Flowers in the lovely New England town of Shelburne Falls,…read moreMA. I've been here several times over the years, and the bridge is just so beautiful in the summertime when it is filled with blooms. I love that it's free to walk over the bridge and enjoy the flowers, and I love browsing the shops and stopping for ice cream nearby. The bridge gardens are well maintained by a crew of volunteers, and although they have had hardships to endure such as structural repairs to the bridge and most recently problems with the soil, they always persevere and keep this beautiful landmark going. I will always stop in and enjoy the Bridge of Flowers whenever I'm in the area. Thanks so much to each and every person who keeps this bridge in bloom!

"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.