Otis

A more rustic alternative to Stockbridge and Lenox, Otis, with a ski area and 20 lakes and ponds, supplies plenty of what made the Berkshires desirable in the first place—the great outdoors. Dining and lodgings options are slim; you can stay in Lee or Great Barrington or head southwest to Old Marlborough and stay at the Old Inn on the Green, where you can sample chef Peter Platt's swoon-worthy cuisine. Nearby Becket hosts the outstanding Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in summer.