Since there is limited information on the Berkshires, I thought I would write a report on our latest mini trip there.

We spent 4 days 3 nights in the Berkshires in mid July.

1st night we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Great Barrington. This is probably the newest motel in the area. It is quite clean, good location, & adequate breakfast. We used points to stay there.

We then spent 2 nights at Blackinton Manor bed and breakfast in North Adams. This is an excellent b&b. I highly recommend it. More information on both places is at tripadvisor.com.

Unfortunately it rained most of the first 2 days we were there, so our plans to visit various gardens had to be changed.

We went to the Norman Rockwell Museum, in Stockbridge. The Clark Museum in Williamstown and Mass Moca in North Adams. They are all quite different, but well worth a visit.

Evenings were spent at Tanglewood- Music of Leonard Bernstein concert - Excellent. Williamstown theater production of "Anything goes" very enjoyable and in a great new theater. and finally the Bolcom and Morris concert in Charlemont on Rt.2
(mohawk trail)

Drove up to the top of Greylock mountain on the first day we had good weather. Nice view from the top. About 9 miles each way.

Also spent some time at the Trustees of the Reservation site at Field Farm on Sloan Road in Williamstown - to do some birding. Saw some cedar waxwings - a first for us!

On the way home we stopped in Shelburne Falls to walk over the flower bridge - and for lunch. Cute little town to visit if you are in that area. Off of Rt. 2.

We ate at Dakota Steakhouse in Pittsfield one night and Gideon's Restaurant in North Adams another night. I believe the steak house is part of a chain. They have a great salad bar, which you can make a meal of if you wish. Gideons is a more upscale restaurant and has Italian food.

An enjoyable few days.

Hello Joaqnel, it sounds like you had a lovely trip. I have never heard of a bird called cedar waxwings, so I assume this is an eastcoast bird? I will have to go to Google to see what this bird looks like. Thanks for sharing your trip.

Hi Joanel, interesting articles on Google regarding the cedar waxwings. Evidently they are for a short time in N CA but further north than where I live. A fruit eating bird. And they can get intoxicated and die if they eat fruit that has fermented on the trees. Lovely looking bird. The things you learn on Fodors!

Wow. I'm new here and I have to say these trip reports are terrific. I've been reading them all day. Sounds like a good trip, Joanel. Cedar Waxwings are beautiful birds, aren't they?

Imagine, a bird eating fermented berries, getting drunk and dying..Nature is a funny thing

Joanel, great concise report! And good timing as we are heading to the area in September ( if all goes right here)... We rented a house in South Egremont, loved that area, love the Clark and love Tanglewood
I will look into the B&B in N Adams .. we have to figure out where to stay soon ..
Thank you for this report!

Joanel, I did a bit of research on the hotel, is it on the way out of Great Barrington, heading towards Stockbridge? That stretch of road has a lot of strip malls kind of places along it ?
We looked at the King Suite..staying for more than 10 days, we were thinking having a fridge might be a good idea.
Would you have wanted to stay longer in this Holiday Inn?
There is also a hotel right in GB, before Church Street, I have to look into that one too.

Yes it is as you are leaving GB on your way to stockbridge. I think all the rooms have refrigerators. Ours did.

they also have internet access and a computer for you to use.

10 days is a long time in any motel.
The only problem we had, which is very common to all motels is that when the air conditioner runs there is a slight mildew odor. they need to come in and CLEAN the filter and then it will be ok. We didn't have them do it, as it was cool the night we were there and we turned it off.

I would still stay there again, even with this problem.

I am also very sensitive to mildew, someone else might not notice it. would imagine some of the older motels in lenox. ( most of them are older) could be worse.

Hi
thanks..yes, we will be in that area for about 10 days, after NYC and before going back to NYC...we are really looking forward to going back and wish we could move up the date...but tourist season there can be brutal.