Perhaps you are looking for a quick getaway. You are tired of the grayed city streets, the noise and the traffic. You picture a place that can offer you both the pleasures of sports as well as a vibrant arts and culture scene. You want the sophistication and finesse of fine dining mixed in with the warmth and hospitality of a cozy country inn. You’ll find it all in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. Located only 142 miles out of New York City, the Berkshires offers all-season sports, a vibrant and thriving art and cultural scene as well as cozy country inns and shops if you simply want to sit by the fire and sip a glass of wine. Here are some of our favorites.
Stay in Stockbridge:
For over two hundred years the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Massachusetts has welcomed guests from all over the world. This historic inn offers 125 individually decorated guest rooms, nightly entertainment, and formal as well as casual dining options. A year-round outdoor heated swimming pool and hot tub is also on the grounds in addition to gift shops offering Berkshire made gifts and home goods. The Inn is a short distance from the region’s goldmine of outdoor activities and the arts and cultural scene. Be sure to stop by the downstairs Lion’s Den, which offers free musical performances seven nights a week.
Do:
What can a 10,000- square foot abandoned million-gallon water tank hold? Art that’s what! At Mass MoCA, you can see three enormous works and a collection of thirty others by the German artist Anselm Kiefer on the theme of nautical warfare and intriguing work by Austrian artist, Franz West, Les Pommes d’Adam. North Adams, Mass Moca’s hometown, is loaded with eye-catching public murals, so be on the lookout.
If your taste in art runs to the more traditional, stop by and visit the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge. The museum is dedicated to bringing the world of Norman Rockwell and American illustration to life.
The Clark Art Institute in Williamstown offers a plethora of choices for the art aficionado. In addition to an outstanding permanent collection the Clark also hosts additional exhibits, as well as concerts, lectures and beautiful grounds to explore.
Food + Drinks:
Tired from all your travels and want an unusual place to stop for a drink? Try Berkshire Mountain Distillers, Inc. in Sheffield where they make artisanal spirits including Greylock Gin, Berkshire Bourbon and whiskeys. Book a tour and learn about the first distillery founded in the Berkshires since Prohibition and take home some samplers.
For a quick bite by the MASS MoCA, stop by Public just a few blocks from MASS MoCa. With a well curated tap list, and dishes ranging from falafel to burgers, you are guaranteed to please everyone in your party.
Get Outdoors:
Eager to hit the slopes? Butternut in Great Barrington is the place to ski. With 110 acres of skiable terrain, Butternut has options for everyone from the beginner skier to the more advanced skier. Packages and lessons are available for all levels.
For those who prefer to hike rather than ski, the Berkshires offers a plethora of hiking trails from easy to more advanced.
Take the Bus from NYC:
Ride the Peter Pan bus line from Port Authority to the Berkshires in just over three hours. Once you’ve arrived, the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority buses serve 12 communities. No Sunday service. For more information, head to Berkshires.org.
Photo credits: Emily Frances
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram