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Amherst is a New England college town of about 40,000 people in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts. It is home to the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst College and Hampshire College, which give it a lively mix of students, bookshops, cafes, galleries and music, set against farmland and the wooded Holyoke Range.
The town has a deep literary heritage. Poet Emily Dickinson was born and lived nearly all her life here, and her family homes are now the Emily Dickinson Museum. Robert Frost taught at Amherst College, and the Jones Library keeps special collections on both writers. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, the Yiddish Book Center, the Mead Art Museum and the Beneski Museum of Natural History, with its famous dinosaur tracks, make Amherst a surprisingly rich museum town.
Outdoors, the Norwottuck Rail Trail links Amherst with Hadley and Northampton, Puffer's Pond is a popular swimming spot, and Mount Norwottuck offers the best views in the Holyoke Range. Northampton, the Quabbin Reservoir and Deerfield are easy day trips.
Two historic family houses on Main Street: the Homestead, where Emily Dickinson was born and wrote most of her poems, and the Evergreens next door, home of her brother Austin. Guided tours show her bedroom, the gardens and family life. Book tours in advance, as group sizes are small and fill up in autumn.
A museum founded by the author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar that celebrates the art of picture books from around the world. Rotating galleries show original illustrations, and a hands-on art studio and reading library are perfect for children. Plan two hours and visit the studio early before it gets busy.
Amherst College's art museum with a wide-ranging collection that includes American paintings, European art, Russian art, Asian and ancient works, and an oak-paneled English period room. Admission is free and the galleries are calm and uncrowded. Combine it with a walk across the college's historic hilltop campus.
A free natural history museum at Amherst College known for one of the world's largest collections of dinosaur footprints, gathered from the Connecticut River Valley in the 1800s. Mammoth and saber-tooth skeletons, minerals and meteorites fill three floors. It is excellent for kids; check opening hours during college breaks.
A cultural center on the edge of the Hampshire College campus, built to look like a cluster of shtetl houses, that has rescued more than a million Yiddish books. Exhibits cover Yiddish literature, theater and Jewish immigrant life. Visitors can browse the book stacks, see changing exhibits and shop for used books.
Amherst's public library, housed in a stone building in the town center, with special collections devoted to Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost and local history, including manuscripts, letters and photographs. Visitors can view small exhibits and ask about the collections. It is a quiet place to rest during a downtown walk.
The long green at the center of town, lined by the Town Hall, churches, shops and cafes, with Amherst College rising just to the south. It hosts farmers markets, festivals and gatherings through the year. Grab a coffee nearby and use it as the starting point for walking to the museums and campuses.
The towering brick library at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, one of the tallest academic libraries in the world, named for the civil rights scholar W.E.B. Du Bois, whose papers it holds. Walk the campus pond area nearby and look up at the tower. Special collections can be visited by appointment.
A small pond with a sandy beach and an old mill dam in North Amherst, popular for summer swimming, picnics and short walks in the surrounding conservation land. It is a favorite of students and families on hot days. There are no lifeguards, parking is limited, and it gets crowded on summer weekends.
The highest peak of the Holyoke Range, reached by trails from the Notch Visitor Center on Route 116 south of Amherst. The climb passes rocky ledges and the Horse Caves before reaching wide views over the Pioneer Valley. Allow two to three hours round trip and wear sturdy shoes, as some sections are steep.
A paved rail trail that runs about 11 miles from Northampton through Hadley and Amherst toward Belchertown, crossing farmland and a long bridge over the Connecticut River. It is ideal for cycling, walking and skating. Access points in Amherst have parking; bring a bike or rent one in Northampton.
A family farm market in South Amherst surrounded by orchards, selling local apples, cider donuts, baked goods, deli sandwiches and seasonal produce. In autumn it is a classic stop for apple picking and pumpkins. Weekends in September and October are busy, so go early for donuts and parking.
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