Northampton

You are currently browsing articles tagged Northampton.

A Quick Northampton Getaway

April 10, 2019 in Food, Living, Restaurants, Travel by traveleatlove | 1 comment

Getting away from home, even for just one night, is such a refreshing, perspective-changing experience, and I always look forward to the opportunity to take a short trip, especially since so much of our travel is long-haul. A few weeks ago, I left my little family behind, and I took the Peter Pan bus from Boston to Northampton for an overnight stay at Hotel Northampton and to spend some time in Hampshire County in Western Massachusetts.

Disclaimer: Both are long term clients, and my stay at the Hotel was kindly hosted.

I love staying at Hotel Northampton for its beautiful interiors (including newly renovated rooms), historic Wiggins Tavern, the beautiful, light-filled atrium, and great food. Free breakfast is always a plus!

Every detail of the Hotel is beautiful, and every stay feels like a special experience. You should see it at the holiday season!

Wiggins is one of my favorite spots in Northampton. It’s super cozy and offers great food and cocktails. You have to have the lobster bisque!

While I was in town for an Indigo Girls concert at Smith College, I had some time to do some wandering, which included a stop at Provisions, a beautiful wine, cheese, and so-much-more store in Northampton. I’d love to visit when the weather is nicer to grab picnic items from Provisions and to enjoy the beautiful nature found in Hampshire County.

Northampton is a lovely, eclectic town with great shopping and food and a fun and whimsical spirit. It’s also an ideal wellness getaway, surrounded by hiking and biking trails, and offering an abundance of relaxation activities, including soaking in a hot tub at East Heaven. We opted for an outdoor hot tub, and the contrast between the cold air and the steaming tub was blissful.

Also blissful was my first visit to the new Black Birch Vineyards location. I loved their old spot and really enjoy their wine, so it was fun to see their new home and to relax with some wine and a winery cat!

I love winery animals!

Traminette and Cab Franc are two Black Birch favorites. Hampshire County is full of great wineries and breweries and is worth a visit just to try the local tipples alone!

To sip on wines from further afield, ConVino is the perfect spot! This dark and cozy wine bar has a great wine list, and while we didn’t eat, I have heard their food is fantastic and definitely want to return.

I also want to return to Hungry Ghost Bread, the warmest most bakery-smelling bakery I have ever been to! The smell of fresh bread drifting out the windows is intoxicating, and once they open, the goods start moving fast!

Luckily I made us get there early (to wait outside in the cold) and we got what we wanted for breakfast. Next time I need to take a few loaves home.

Finally, and saving the best for last, I got to visit my beloved Bueno y Sano twice in 24 hours. I devoured hot sauce and black bean tacos like it was my job, and it was the best. I could eat Bueno every day and would if it was closer!

There’s so much more to do, eat, drink, and see in Hampshire County, and since it’s just two hours from Boston, it makes for a fantastic place to get away for an overnight or even long weekend. I can’t wait to go back!

Tags: getaways, Hotel Northampton, Northampton, wineries

Visiting Western MA

August 23, 2016 in Travel by traveleatlove | 5 comments

Sometimes you get to combine work and things and places you love, and over the past year, that’s happened to me more than once. I got to work in Sonoma on a project last summer, and for the past year I have been working with the Hampshire County Regional Tourism Council in Western Massachusetts. As a UMass alum, I find that Amherst and Northampton hold some of my favorite memories, and the area is still one of my favorites to visit. There is SO much good food, beer, and wine, and gorgeous open outdoor space. And that’s just the beginning.

A few weeks ago I headed West for a meeting, and since it was on a Friday, I decided to stay the night in Northampton.

The beautiful and historic Hotel Northampton, a business I also work with, was my home for the night. It’s the perfect place to stay, and I’m not just saying that because I am lucky enough to work with them.

Hotel Northampton

Built in 1927, the hotel maintains historic charm and character while also being impeccably clean and well-kept, a true place of elegance and luxury, where you feel like sinking into a chair and never leaving.

Our beautiful and cozy room featured two balconies, where we enjoyed watching the hustle and bustle of Northampton on a warm July night.

Throughout, lovely little details like bookshelves, beautiful old fixtures, and welcoming staff really add to the special feel of the hotel.

Wiggins Tavern, with its dark wood, plaid furniture, and historic artifacts is a place that can’t be missed. They have a great food and drink selection, and being that it’s a tavern that was actually brought from another location, it is just very interesting.

Free breakfast at the Coolidge Park Cafe is filling and delicious, served in a bright and sunny space, the perfect way to start the day.

It was tempting to just hang out at the hotel, but there’s so much going on in Northampton and its surroundings, we had to get out and about. We enjoyed part of the Northampton Arts Council Summer Concert Series, which took place right next to the hotel, and we browsed the sidewalk sales which were happening that weekend.

We had heard great things about New City Brewery and their ginger beer mimosa flight, and it certainly lived up to the hype! How beautiful is this?! It was SO delicious and refreshing and a unique tasting option.

In the same complex, we stumbled into the Community Food Engine, a really cool hydroponic restaurant and indoor park. It wasn’t open yet, but from the peek we got, we were definitely intrigued!

For me, no trip to the Northampton area is complete without visiting Black Birch Vineyards. I love their wine and their stunning vineyard views. I kicked my shoes off, got a cold glass of Chardonnay, and soaked up the beautiful country life.

While there are many places to eat in Northampton, I will admit I had two meals at Bueno y Sano, and old college favorite. I will forever love their tacos and am obsessed with their hot sauce. The next time I visit, I want to explore more of the restaurants, including Bistro le Gras, which everyone raves about. I need a week to eat there!

Before we headed out of town, we stretched our legs with a walk on the trail at the Mill River, which is very close to downtown Northampton. You can really have the best of all worlds, fine dining and shopping, downtown life, and outdoor adventures all within a few miles in Western Massachusetts.