Best towns in Berkshires? (Boston, Pittsfield: house, buying, private school)

[ScreechHawk]

Thanks to Pidgett, tao777, and ontheroad for your terrific insights! Pidgett, your synopsis of these wonderful towns is just what we were looking for, and we plan to bring your list with us when we venture up to the area soon. Just looking at the topo maps, we felt drawn to these areas so we're excited to check these towns out.

~ScreechHawk's better half :-)

[Pidgett]

ScreechHawk,

Glad to be of help! I have every confidence that you'll be pleased with the Berkshire region of western MA/eastern NY. And please let us all know how your sojourn turns out by posting here on the MA or NYS forums!!

And Tao777,

I am moving to either the Saranac Lake/Keene/Jay areas of the Adirondacks of New York or Vermont. This will depend on where my employer ultimately assigns me. The decisive place will be known to me sometime by the end of 2007. Either place will be a great choice for my wife and I, that I am sure of

I am a native of Maine--Maine-iac Met my wife who is from the Adirondacks while vacationing in Great Barrington! Presently live, if I can use that term, in southwest West Virginia. This part of the country is a "trip" unto itself and I could fill volumes of books about my experience in Appalachia, some of it good, and, unfortunately, most of it less than good.

I have never lived in the B-shires, believe it or not. However, I have visited and stayed with friends who DO live there. Great part of the world, I must say. My buddy and his wife and family live in Spencertown NY, up in the hills above Route 295, if you know where that is. Stunning country. A bit expensive though, I am afraid. Where in the B-shires are you living in or ahve lived in if you are no longer there?

[tao777]

Pidgett,
Interesting (as most of this forum is!)... So the Berkshires acted as a kind of 'matchmaker' for you!
I lived (grew up) in Lenox -it was pretty remote and undiscovered yet then, and as kids we thought it was B-O-R-I-N-G. Now I can't imagine a more spectacular gem of a place that is really still "getting there" as far as it's potential.
When I returned, as an artist and holistic health practitioner, I wanted Stockbridge but found it difficult to get housing -even temporary anywhere so that I could LOOK for housing! I got lucky and met the right person who rented to me in Lenox.
Later, I lived right outside- if not in- Great Barrington, a town I'd never gotten to know growing up and really saw it's character. Based there, I did alot of driving, and found the more I drove/explored, the more places I found that were just beautiful.

Best of luck to you & your wife and your move! (and thanks for answering my question...I'd love to hear your stories of Appalachia, but I guess I can't carry on that conversation here... )

[ScreechHawk]

Pidgett - good luck up in the "great white north." I've done some work up there (Saranac Lake and north, and Plattsburgh); it's wonderfully scenic, and there is plenty to do if you're an outdoors person. I'm sure you know this, but no matter where you are in the Adirondacks, you will be closer to real "wilderness" than in Vermont. If that's important to you, keep it in mind.

ScreechHawk

[007salmonguy]

Guess I'd be partial to Housatonic, born and raised there. Living in the Pacific NW now, but always will call Housatonic "home". Although it's changed greatly since I left 15 years ago, I think it's for the best.
Some things though never change, like the water tower, flag rock, and the underpass! Good luck on your search...!

[mspielman]

A really great town in the berkshires is Otis. Particularly if you're into outdoor activities. It's a very small town located at the intersection of route 8 and 23. It's about 30 - 45 minutes from Great Barrington and Pittsfield. There are several lakes and rivers around Otis with great fishing and theres very nice hiking trails. The local ski area, while small, is a good place to learn and also to take kids. It's a much sleepier town and doesn't have the traffic/tourist/NY-weekender problems that places like Great Barrington, Stockbridge, and Lennox have.

[ontheroad]

Yes, I was just driving through the Berkshires to the Pioneer Valley-made a turn here or there, wrongly, and found Otis.

The road I was on was beautiful.

Originally Posted by mspielman

A really great town in the berkshires is Otis. Particularly if you're into outdoor activities. It's a very small town located at the intersection of route 8 and 23. It's about 30 - 45 minutes from Great Barrington and Pittsfield. There are several lakes and rivers around Otis with great fishing and theres very nice hiking trails. The local ski area, while small, is a good place to learn and also to take kids. It's a much sleepier town and doesn't have the traffic/tourist/NY-weekender problems that places like Great Barrington, Stockbridge, and Lennox have.

[whimsylinsy]

How about Adams and North Adams near the Mass MOCA?

[girlandpup]

Originally Posted by tao777

Pidgett,
Interesting (as most of this forum is!)... So the Berkshires acted as a kind of 'matchmaker' for you!
I lived (grew up) in Lenox -it was pretty remote and undiscovered yet then, and as kids we thought it was B-O-R-I-N-G. Now I can't imagine a more spectacular gem of a place that is really still "getting there" as far as it's potential.
When I returned, as an artist and holistic health practitioner, I wanted Stockbridge but found it difficult to get housing -even temporary anywhere so that I could LOOK for housing! I got lucky and met the right person who rented to me in Lenox.
Later, I lived right outside- if not in- Great Barrington, a town I'd never gotten to know growing up and really saw it's character. Based there, I did alot of driving, and found the more I drove/explored, the more places I found that were just beautiful.

Best of luck to you & your wife and your move! (and thanks for answering my question...I'd love to hear your stories of Appalachia, but I guess I can't carry on that conversation here... )

Just wondering about your thoughts on living in Great Barrington. I am looking to move (from NYC, where I've been for years and ready to leave), and am looking into a few possibilities, the Berkshires area being one of them. I'm single, 40, with a dog, and love being outdoors especially hiking(not into skiing or other snow sports, but ok with the cold). Thanks!!!

[ontheroad]

Great Barrington is a nice town, wonderful shopping, and rather central. It is probably expensive these days, but dog friendly and a good spot for most Berkshire activities. Many New Yorkers have a second home up this way and commute regularly.