The City Side
Amherst
The town — the most populous in Hampshire County — is a vibrant , intellectual hub with three prestigious colleges : Amherst College , Hampshire College , and UMass Amherst . Bask in the academic tradition as you stroll through the grand campuses and recite poetry ( try local heroine Emily Dickinson ) under a towering elm tree . Then we might suggest enjoying the more hedonistic perks of a college town — late night pizza and cookies , fancy cocktails , and music .
Amherst ’ s youthful , lively downtown boasts an independent movie theater , diverse restaurants , and a handful of coffee shops , museums , art galleries , and bookstores set against the backdrop of historical architecture and blooming flower gardens . Yes , it looks like a movie set for a quintessential New England town — only Amherst is the real deal ( though you might see the odd film crew ).
A cultural college town , Amherst is known for its bookishness , its artsiness , its openness and inclusivity , its beauty , and it ’ s late-night menu options , like ramen , pizza , cookies , and fancy cocktails . It ’ s also quickly becoming an agricultural hub , where Amherst College ’ s Book & Plow farm is aptly named . Farmers ’ markets are brimming with the local bounty all year round , including the summer market held on the Amherst History Museum ’ s lawn every Thursday night , and the winter market hosted in the Hampshire Mall . If eating kohlrabi doesn ’ t sound adventurous enough , Amherst offers outdoor recreation that will spike your adrenaline — from swimming to hiking to cycling .
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