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Summer Bucket List & Reader Recommendations for Western MA With it’s natural beauty, local food, family attractions and community festivals and fairs, Western Massachusetts is a haven for family fun. Whether you’re visiting the area, or are fortunate enough to live here year round, the region in the summer is an engaging place to vacation or staycation! We asked our readers to recommend their favorite attractions, day trips, must see or must… Read More
We call vacations “a breather” for a reason. Pain Specialist & Yoga Instructor Ginny Hamilton and her spouse recently took a grown up vacation. In “Off the Mat: Reflections on the Practice of Parenting,” she reminds herself about the importance of taking a breather, and of just breathing.
Western Massachusetts is a glorious region to explore with family and friends in the fall as the leaves start to change and drop, and harvest festivals and seasonal traditions happen each weekend. Whether you’re visiting the area, or are fortunate enough to live here year round, Western MA in the fall is one of the most beautiful places to be! We asked our readers to recommend their favorite attractions, must see or must do family activities during the fall, and we received thirty great tips. While not an exhaustive list (nor in any order) of the fun adventures families can have in Western MA, it’s a great place to start.
As Spring rolls in, many of us will roll out. The travel bug may bite you too! The idea of free play while traveling in airports and on planes can seem nearly impossible for you and your toddler. However, by planning appropriately and creatively, you can make travel with your toddler a great adventure and a great memory for the whole family.
Quite often, the information available to us about communities in faraway places is created to be used for tourism, and doesn’t necessarily paint an accurate picture of local culture. Our recent “On the Road” episode of the Hilltown Family Variety Show with Guest DJ, Steve Weeks, features interviews with folks from communities across the United States (and one in Canada!) sharing their own authentic reasons for why they love the places in which they live – providing families with genuine, affection-filled descriptions about each of the featured locations!
Western Massachusetts is a glorious region to explore with family and friends in the fall as the leaves start to change and drop, and harvest festivals and seasonal traditions happen each weekend. Whether you’re visiting the area, or are fortunate enough to live here year round, Western MA in the fall is one of the most beautiful places to be!
We asked our readers to recommend their favorite attractions, must see or must do family activities during the fall, and we many great tips. While not an exhaustive list (nor in any order) of the fun adventures families can have in Western MA, it’s a great place to start.
Peruse our list, and ff you have a recommendation to add to this list, please do! Post your suggestion in the comment field!
Frankenstein to Ghost Tours. Stargazing to Birdwatching. Simple Machines to Science Labs. Museum Adventures to Musicals. These are just a few of the community learning highlights we’re featuring this week! Peruse our list below and make plans to get out into your community and learn while you play!
Witches Butter to Apple Cider. Bear Hole to Old Burying Ground. Beatbox to Native American Flute. Community Service to Community Meals… These are just a few of the community learning highlights we’re featuring this week! Peruse our list here on “Learn Local. Play Local.” and make plans to get out into your community and learn while you play!
Here’s a recap of news and information posted on Hilltown Families this past week, along with a map for finding out what’s happening this weekend and next week throughout Western MA! Peruse our list of Suggested Events for Columbus Day Weekend for a comprehensive list of events happening throughout the four counties of Western MA, including: Bulletin Board Announcements, Featured Community Building Events, Hilltown Family Variety Show and our Autumn Bucket List! Also check our weekly columns, “Learn Local. Play Local.” and “Berkshire Family Fun” for a list of educational and cultural highlights!
Barns to Trolleys. Matcha to Blueberries. Honey to Bread. Canoeing to Storytelling. These are just a few of the community learning highlights we’re featuring this week in “Learn Local. Play Local.” Peruse the list and make plans to get out into your community and learn while you play!
Our list of weekly Suggested Events for Columbus Day weekend is up! Pumpkin Festival, Discover Holyoke Day, Ashfield Fall Festival, RambleFest, Riverside Blues & BBQ, and Granville Harvest Fair are just a small sample of all the community buidling celebrations happening this weekend and next week, nestled amongst fun & educational ways to engage in your community too! Peruse our list and make plans to engage in you community in smart & fun ways!
Here’s a recap of news and information posted on Hilltown Families this past week, along with a map for finding out what’s happening this weekend and next week throughout Western MA! Peruse our list of Suggested Events for October 5th & 6th for a comprehensive list of events happening throughout the four counties of Western MA, including: Bulletin Board Announcements, Featured Community Building Events, Hilltown Family Variety Show and our Autumn Bucket List! Also check our weekly columns, “Learn Local. Play Local.” and “Berkshire Family Fun” for a list of educational and cultural highlights!
“Learn Local. Play Local.” is up with 33 community learning opportunities for families in Western MA! Talc Mines to Papermaking. River Cleanups to Storytelling. Russian Food to Apple History. These are just a few of the community learning highlights we’re featuring this week…
It’s the first weekend in October and the fall festivals are in full force! Peruse our comprehensive list of weekly Suggested Events for great ideas on ways your family can join in on community celebrations and learning opportunities happening all over Western MA… you’ll also find service-learning opportunities, parenting workshops and ideas for a parents’ night out!
Here’s a recap of news and information posted on Hilltown Families this past week, along with a map for finding out what’s happening this weekend and next week throughout Western MA! Peruse our list of Suggested Events for September 28th-October 4th for a comprehensive list of events happening throughout the four counties of Western MA, including: Bulletin Board Announcements, Featured Community Building Events, Hilltown Family Variety Show and our Autumn Bucket List! Also check our weekly columns, “Learn Local. Play Local.” and “Berkshire Family Fun” for a list of educational and cultural highlights!
“Learn Local. Play Local.” is up with 28 community learning opportunities for families in Western MA! Hoosac Tunnel to Comet Ison. Plein Air Painting to Piano Music. Community Meals to Local Gardens. These are just a few of the community learning highlights we’re featuring this week…
It’s the first fall weekend! Community dinners and fall festivals are happening and the community-based learning continues as October steps out from around the corner early next week! Autumn is a delicious time of year here in Western MA… so get out with your family and engage in your community while the air is crisp and the leaves start to turn!
Here’s a recap of news and information posted on Hilltown Families this past week, along with a map for finding out what’s happening this weekend and next week throughout Western MA! Peruse our list of Suggested Events for September 21st-27th for a comprehensive list of events happening throughout the four counties of Western MA, including: Bulletin Board Announcements, Featured Community Building Events, Hilltown Family Variety Show and our Autumn Bucket List! Also check our weekly column, Learn Local. Play Local. for 22 Community Highlights, and our column, Berkshire Family Fun for September, for a list of premier educational and cultural highlights in Berkshire County for families!
Honeybees to Wild Edibles. Chinese Moon Festival to Tibetan Sand Mandalas. Arugula to Grapes… These are just a few of the learning highlights we’re featuring this week in our Friday column, “Learn Local. Play Local.” Peruse our list and make plans to get out into your community and learn while you engage!
Looking for that bite sized piece of community engagement & education that will frame your children’s learning with their local landscape? Take your pick! We’ve curated another great list of suggested events for this weekend and next week that highlights both community engagement & community based education here in Western MA! There’s a little something for everyone, from tots to teens to parents…
Here’s a recap of news and information posted on Hilltown Families this past week, along with a map for finding out what’s happening this weekend and next week throughout Western MA! Peruse our list of Suggested Events for September 14th-20th for a comprehensive list of events happening throughout the four counties of Western MA, including: Bulletin Board Announcements, Featured Community Building Events, Hilltown Family Variety Show and our Autumn Bucket List! Also check our weekly column, Learn Local. Play Local. for 22 Community Highlights, and our column, Berkshire Family Fun for September, for a list of premier educational and cultural highlights in Berkshire County for families!
Coffee to Silk. Watercycles to Watersheds. Literacy to STEM… These are just a few of the learning highlights we’re featuring this week in “Learn Local. Play Local.” Peruse our list and make plans to get out into your community and learn while you play!
Featured community building events this weekend in Western MA include Hilltown Hoot, Art Walks in Shelburne Falls & Easthampton, and Berkshire Food Festival! Find our about these events and over 100 other events & activities happening this weekend and all next week in our list of Weekly Suggested Events for Sept 14-20…
Here’s a recap of news and information posted on Hilltown Families this past week, along with a map for finding out what’s happening this weekend and next week throughout Western MA!
Monarchs to Macroinvertebrates. 19th-Century Chores to Food Traditions. Intergenerational Story Swap to Nature-Based StoryWalk… These are just a few of the learning highlights we’re featuring this week! Find out about these community based educational opportunities, including service based learning at The Food Bank’s Family Volunteer Day…
School’s back in session for most, and the harvest community celebrations are starting up! Find opportunities to engage and learn in your community with our list of Weekly Suggested Events, packed with community based educational opportunities, service learning experiences and community building events! And PLAYGROUPS!
Here’s a recap of news and information posted on Hilltown Families this past week, along with a map for finding out what’s happening this long weekend and next week throughout Western MA! Here you will find a comprehensive list of events happening throughout the four counties of Western MA, including: Bulletin Board Announcements, Hilltown Family Variety Show, and our Bucket List of Summer Activities! View according to day of the week or topic, or choose a post from this past week or one from our archives…
West African Drumming to Greek Dancing. Bridges to Comets. Stockbridge Mohicans to Victorian Technology… These are just a few of the learning highlights we’re featuring this week! Peruse our list and make plans to get out into your community and learn while you play!
It’s Labor Day Weekend… the last weekend of summer, for some. Find friends and neighbors laughing, singing and eating together all weekend long with our list of Weekly Suggested Events! Make plans to get out into your community and enjoy these final days of summer… rain or shine!
Cultural Itineraries
- Season: January & February
- Season: March & April
- Season: May & June
- Season: July & August
- Season: September & October
- Season: November & December
