Any info on Western Mass? (Boston, Worcester: car rental, rentals, hotels)

[Samsoncat]

I have been told by many that WM would be most affordable for a single parent... Hampshire County, to be exact.
I need safe, good schools for a 14 yr old and a 10 yr old, up and coming 9th grade and 5th, Catholic, Parochial Schools even?
We have no family or friends in Mass, just each other I am looking to go back to school myself and have a fixed income of Social Security Disability that we live off of however, I would NEVER want to live in a slum!, I prefer urban life over big city and just need some leads on local newspapers that would give me a feel for the area.....
We would be coming from VERY far away, moving site unsceen in search of a fresh start.

Thanks

[Samsoncat]

Bump!

any local newspaper links? I am planning to come visit there next month, only confusion is in airports I see flights to Boston and i'd rather fly to Bradley.

Any input would be appreciated.

[Kerby W-R]

Albany is close to the Berkshires.

[ogre]

For the airport closest to Hampshire County, you want Bradley. If you're unsure how to get flights to Bradley listed for online reservations, the city you most likely want to list as the destination is Hartford. Try Springfield, MA, if Hartford doesn't work, but most likely Hartford is the city the online travel companies will associate with Bradley, since the airport is in Connecticut. Unless you plan to rent a car at the airport, check the link below for possible transportation. It's the site of a regional bus company called Peter Pan. When I lived in the area a few years ago, they had some busses between Bradley and several destinations in Hampshire County.

Peter Pan Bus Lines

[Samsoncat]

I would be renting a car from the airport.
so, is Bradley a closer drive to Western Mass? I read that from Boston Airport it is a 90 minute drive?

Thanks

[ogre]

If you're looking in Hampshire County, Bradley would be MUCH closer. To get some precise numbers, I checked mapquest, for the distance to Northampton, the largest town in Hampshire County. They showed a distance of 38.15 miles from Bradley, 106.4 from Logan Airport in Boston. Another possibility for an airport would be Worcester, MA. I'm not sure what the fares are to the different airports, but Worcester is at least another option, in the event that you were able to find cheaper fares to there than to Bradley. From the Worcester airport, it's about 25 miles farther to Northampton than from Bradley, so a little farther, but still a lot closer than Boston. If you were to think of looking as far west as the Berkshires, then the Albany airport would be the closest.

By the way, not sure from your statement that you "prefer urban life over big city" what kind of community you're looking for. I'm guessing this was a typo.

[willdufauve]

Bradley International is actually in Enfield, Ct which is just over the Mass line. Maybe 25 minutes from amherst/noho.

Amherst is a very disabled friendly town of about 32,000. Look into the Stavros Center for Independent Living.

Avoid Franklin County and Greenfield like the plague (unless you are a redneck hillbilly).

[wheelmannn]

The daily hampshire gazette would be a good newspaper for the area. Flying into bradley in windsor locks would be half the drive time than boston. There are lots of car rentals right at bradley

[Samsoncat]

Originally Posted by ogre

If you're looking in Hampshire County, Bradley would be MUCH closer. To get some precise numbers, I checked mapquest, for the distance to Northampton, the largest town in Hampshire County. They showed a distance of 38.15 miles from Bradley, 106.4 from Logan Airport in Boston. Another possibility for an airport would be Worcester, MA. I'm not sure what the fares are to the different airports, but Worcester is at least another option, in the event that you were able to find cheaper fares to there than to Bradley. From the Worcester airport, it's about 25 miles farther to Northampton than from Bradley, so a little farther, but still a lot closer than Boston. If you were to think of looking as far west as the Berkshires, then the Albany airport would be the closest.

By the way, not sure from your statement that you "prefer urban life over big city" what kind of community you're looking for. I'm guessing this was a typo.

I meant no cities as in Los Angeles type.

[jmmex]

I go to Western Mass alot, actually I'd love to live there. All the info you have on this thread so far is right-on. Bradley is 50 mins from Northampton, MA and a very simple drive. BTW, Boston and Western Mass are 2 different worlds they just happen to be in the same state. If you need a car, for that area I recommend Priceline (rates are very competitive). Same for a hotel...unless you know where you are staying, hotels tend to run high in the Northampton/Amherst area due to the schools. Parochial school: check out the Springfield Diocese website for info or ask them for leads. Best of luck!