15 Best Things to Do in North Adams (MA)

Located in the Hoosick River Valley, surrounded by mountains, Massachusetts' smallest city flourished as an industrial base for the region in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Over time, the North Adams area has reinvented itself as a hotbed of creativity, beginning in 1999 with the opening of the world-class Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA).

In this enterprise, grand industrial buildings were given a new lease of life, a story repeated in North Adams, where water-powered mills now house artists' studios, markets, restaurants, distilleries, and other small buildings. a job

While the city is a cultural fiesta, North Adams is surrounded by stunning nature, with waterfalls, a unique natural marble bridge, the highest peak in Massachusetts, and many more nearby.

1. MASS MoCA

A historic industrial complex in North Adams has been transformed into the largest contemporary art museum in the United States.

These factory buildings and courtyards became towering galleries and performing arts venues, a nexus of painting, music, sculpture, dance, photography, film, theatre, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

MASS MoCA's signature is the kind of large-scale, transformative installation that would be impossible in a traditional museum.

A notable ongoing exhibition is the Sol LeWitt Wall Painting Retrospective, which features more than 100 memorable drawings created by the artist throughout his career, from 1969 to 2007.

Performances are also central, with more than 70 performances annually, ranging from contemporary dance to avant-garde theater and silent film screenings with live music.

2. Natural Bridge State Park

Just east of downtown Adams, Hudson Brook passes through a rocky terrain rich in marble and minerals, including quartz, pyrite and calcite.

Here, storms of glacial meltwater that tumbled down the hills at the end of the last ice age created a unique natural bridge of 550 million-year-old marble rock.

At Natural Bridge State Park, you can admire this formation as well as the gentle canyon walls that lie 60 feet below.

Partly located on the site of a former mine, the park contains something else quite unique in North America: a man-made dam composed entirely of white marble.

3. North Adams Downtown Cultural District

In addition to Mass MOCA, North Adams is full of arts, both stationary and live, with a calendar of live performances throughout the year.

The downtown area is a unique outdoor gallery, featuring historic brick walls decorated with stunning murals by international artists.

Along Main Street, see installations like the bus shelter designed by Victoria Palermo, and the park designed by Keith Line Carr.

Much of that creative flair comes from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, which is responsible for the Downtown Arts Initiative, while also hosting its own gallery.

One thing that makes North Adams a cultural destination in every season is the sheer amount of public events, of which there are more than a dozen, from the fall foliage festival and parade in October to the raucous downtown celebration in August.

4. Windsor Lake

The city has this picture-perfect lake and surrounding wooded parks, just a few miles from downtown North Adams.

Windsor Lake is an easy place for outdoor recreation without going to the mountains. In summer, you can come for hiking, swimming, fishing and boating, and west of the beach there is a popular 18-hole golf course in the woods.

On Wednesday evenings from early June to late August, Windsor Lake hosts a free concert next to the lake's cascade, and you're invited to bring a picnic blanket, lawn chairs, and something to eat. In winter, the park's trails are groomed for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

5. Mount Greylock State Reservation

Most of the northwestern corner of Massachusetts is occupied by the 12,000-acre Mount Greylock State Reservation.

When it was established in 1898, it became the first forest reserve in the commonwealth, extending over six different towns, including North Adams.

The target for most visitors is Mount Greylock itself, the highest peak in Massachusetts at 3,491 feet. On a clear day you can see for almost miles, in five different states.

The summit is traversed via the Appalachian Trail, and you can hike along the trail from Phelps Street in North Adams to the summit.

If you're driving to the summit, you can stop at Adams Overlook, to get a sweeping view east of the town of Adams surrounded by the Hoosack Range.

6. Mohawk Trail

North Adams lies on a traditional Native American trade route that now crosses much of northwestern Massachusetts, connecting tribes on the coast with those living in present-day upstate New York.

Now, honors are mostly given to Trail Routes 2 and 2A, which wind their way along the Hoosac Mountain Range and along the Deerfield and Millers Rivers.

With stunning views of the Berkshires, a wealth of history and roadside attractions, it's one of the best drives in the area.

North Adams is located near the western end of the trail, and you can take a short trip to Williamstown, home of the world-famous Theater Festival.

Head east and you'll soon reach Whitcomb Peak, the trail's highest point at 2,173 feet, with views extending as far as Vermont and New Hampshire.

7. Hoosac Range Trail

Heading east from North Adams on the Mohawk Trail, you'll find the main trailhead for an unforgettable hike along the edge of the Hoosac Range, a branch of the Berkshire Mountains.

Heading south, it's a three-mile round-trip, with the final destination being Spruce Hill, which offers great views of Mount Greylock and North Adams to the west.

Along the way are natural banks, with exotic plants, eroded by years of wind and snow, so you don't have to walk the full three miles.

Less than a mile away, Sunset Rock is also stunning and, like Spruce Hill, covered in cranberries in the summer.

On the Mohawk Trail, near the trailhead, you can stop at Top 'O the World', overlooking the East Florida State Forest and beyond for a great view.

8. Cascade Waterfall

Another great piece of natural beauty on the city's doorstep is the waterfall and gorge, which can be accessed by a trail starting a mile west of downtown North Adams.

Cascade Waterfall is located in Notch Brook, and the trail follows the stream south near its mouth on the Hoosk River on a 90-minute round trip. It leads to the foot of the waterfall under the powerful walls of the gorge.

The waterfall drops 45 feet high and is a curtain of water or a torrent, depending on the season and rainfall.

Much work has gone into keeping this wonderful spot free of road traffic and development, and today the site is managed by the Trustees of Western Massachusetts Reservations.

9. Western Gateway Heritage State Park

Nomenclature aside, the Hoosac Tunnel took nearly 25 years to build, from 1851 to 1875, and remains the longest active transportation tunnel east of the Rocky Mountains to this day.

To say it was a difficult project is an understatement, as there were four sections of the tunnel that needed to be aligned.

Over time, the initial cost of $2 million rose to $25 million. The history of the tunnel is chronicled at Western Gateway Heritage Park, which is located in the former rail yard in North Adams.

Here you will discover the enormous impact of the project as well as the significant human cost, as 200 lives were lost during construction.

10. Appalachian Trail

America's greatest hiking trail, the North Adams Appalachian Trail traverses its epic 2,200-mile route from Georgia's Springer Mountain to Maine's Mount Katahdin.

The trail winds its way along Phelps Street and Massachusetts Avenue on the west side of town and emerges from the valley into Vermont's Green Mountain Forest to the north or Mount Graylock State Reserve to the south.

North Adams is the northernmost settlement on the Massachusetts section of the trail, and hikers have the opportunity to take a hot shower, sleep in a real bed, stock up on gear, or eat out before spending several days in the Green's wilderness.

11. Bright Ideas Brewing

This craft brewery opened in 2016 in the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. What started as a local operation for museum goers and North Adams residents has evolved into a regional operation, distributing to packaging stores and restaurants throughout western Massachusetts.

The taproom has dozens of beers on tap at any given time, with an emphasis on hoppy IPAs, but it also has plenty to offer those who prefer malt and ales.

There is always some type of event going on, whether it's live music, trivia nights, movie screenings, or televised sporting events. In terms of food, you are free to order from one of the many restaurants throughout the North Adams area.

12. Berkshire Art Museum

A recurring theme in North Adams is that historic buildings are taking on new roles, often as platforms for the arts. Such is the case with the Berkshire Art Museum, which was founded by the Barbara and Eric Rudd Art Foundation in 2012.

Main Building June-October, 156 E Main St. features a range of temporary and permanent exhibitions, including Eric Rudd's lexan/iceberg sculptures and robotic sculptures.

Also part of the museum is a historic Gothic-style church building, which houses a large, integrated work of contemporary sculpture that includes 150 life-size figures, 250 relief figures, and a September 11 memorial.

The museum has a calendar of public events, receptions, lectures, and guided exhibition tours.

13. Greylock Works

Against the backdrop of Mount Greylock, this 19th-century textile mill complex has been redesigned into a mixed-use campus with a collegiate feel.

Greylock Works offers 50 loft rooms with mountain views, a co-working space, a craft distillery, a culinary laboratory, and stunning event space in the engine room and display shed.

A good time to check this place out is on the weekends when you can call in to the distillery, and make small batches of gin and rum using ingredients sourced from the Berkshire region.

Meanwhile, Breakroom Restaurant can be described as a working living room, with a sustainable and seasonal menu, based on local agriculture.

14. Norad Mill

Another imposing remodeled mill in North Adams is the Bretonville Norad Mill, which is unique in that its 1860s Italianate exterior has been virtually unchanged in the past 150-plus years.

At the height of production in the 1870s, the factory had 50 looms and employed about 300 people. In 2010, the building was purchased by a commercial developer, and a wide range of tenants moved in.

At the time of writing, there are artist studios, an independent publisher, a coffee roaster, a yarn shop, a recording studio, beauty studios, Nord Café, plus a huge event space for pastries, breads, sandwiches and more.

15. Downtown Celebration

North Adams has a social calendar that would put most towns to shame, and there's a good chance you'll catch a public festival or performance whenever you visit.

One event held in the height of summer is the Downtown Celebration, when the vibrant heart of downtown North Adams is closed to street traffic for an evening gala.

Many local organizations, businesses and other groups participate, offering live music, great food, contests and giveaways amidst the city's stunning mountain scenery.