Holyoke
#1
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Holyoke
Hi all
I'm from the UK and am going to a friends wedding in Holyoke staying at the Holiday Inn, I can't really find anything about the place, IE whats on whats there to do where to eat I will be there for three days.
Any info would be much appreciated.
I'm from the UK and am going to a friends wedding in Holyoke staying at the Holiday Inn, I can't really find anything about the place, IE whats on whats there to do where to eat I will be there for three days.
Any info would be much appreciated.
#2
Join Date: Aug 2007
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Assuming you mean Holyoke, MA.
There is a huge mall there that has a ton of chain restaurants. Look up Ingleside Mall.
Are you getting a rental car? If so, you may want to drive up to Northampton, MA and Amherst, MA as there is a lot of little shops / restaurants. Could also take a drive through the Berkshires - Stockbridge, Lenox, etc to go to the Norman Rockwell Museum.
There is a huge mall there that has a ton of chain restaurants. Look up Ingleside Mall.
Are you getting a rental car? If so, you may want to drive up to Northampton, MA and Amherst, MA as there is a lot of little shops / restaurants. Could also take a drive through the Berkshires - Stockbridge, Lenox, etc to go to the Norman Rockwell Museum.
#3
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Holyoke is a small and very impoverished city in the middle of the state of Massachusetts. If you have a car, it's in a very interesting area, but if you're in the city, there's not much but the St. Patrick' Day parade. It's usually held on the Sunday after St. Pat's. but since this year that's Easter Sunday, it will be postponed to March 30 (can't have it the Sunday before, that would conflict with Boston's parade).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holyoke,_Massachusetts
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holyoke,_Massachusetts
#6
Phew...Holyoke will be different alright!!
If you have free time head out to the Berkshires, specifically Stockbridge, Lenox, or Williamstown. You could do it as a day trip taking the Mass Pike to Lee, then seeing Stockbridge, up to Lenox, on up to Williamstown, driving rte 7, then east on scenic rte 2 then back down I-91 to Holyoke.
Another possibility would be taking 91 north into Vermont and do a loop of southern Vermont--30 over to Manchester, back south on rte 7 to rte 2 mentioned above, east to 91 and back to Holyoke.
If you have free time head out to the Berkshires, specifically Stockbridge, Lenox, or Williamstown. You could do it as a day trip taking the Mass Pike to Lee, then seeing Stockbridge, up to Lenox, on up to Williamstown, driving rte 7, then east on scenic rte 2 then back down I-91 to Holyoke.
Another possibility would be taking 91 north into Vermont and do a loop of southern Vermont--30 over to Manchester, back south on rte 7 to rte 2 mentioned above, east to 91 and back to Holyoke.
#7
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We can make much better suggestions if we know when you'll be there.
Also, what your interests are: the area has some outstanding academic institutions, museums, and a couple of those "living museums" that are villages with authentic historic period buildings and costumed interpreters. Or we can tell you where to see dinosaur tracks.
Also, what your interests are: the area has some outstanding academic institutions, museums, and a couple of those "living museums" that are villages with authentic historic period buildings and costumed interpreters. Or we can tell you where to see dinosaur tracks.
#9
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Wait, isn't HOlyoke, MA only about a 15 minute drive from South Hadley, MA or am I thinking of somewhere else???
If so, it is a stone's throw from the Five College Consortium of Amherst College, Mt HOlyoke, Smith, Hampshire, UMass -
meaning there are a ton of wonderful B & B's and great Innes with wonderful amenities all around that gorgeous area -
when we were looking at colleges a few years ago we stayed out there and Northampton was a very hip downtown area with wonderful cafes and restaurants and funky shops and Mt holyoke had a gorgeous campus and we stayed in a great B & B
I would suggest going on those college websites, clicking on "visiting campus" and then the links they all have to "accomodations and lodging, restaurants" and see if you can not find something that would give you a wonderful taste of New Engand B & B or Inne and enjoy some of the small, excellent restaurants and downtowns in the area.
If so, it is a stone's throw from the Five College Consortium of Amherst College, Mt HOlyoke, Smith, Hampshire, UMass -
meaning there are a ton of wonderful B & B's and great Innes with wonderful amenities all around that gorgeous area -
when we were looking at colleges a few years ago we stayed out there and Northampton was a very hip downtown area with wonderful cafes and restaurants and funky shops and Mt holyoke had a gorgeous campus and we stayed in a great B & B
I would suggest going on those college websites, clicking on "visiting campus" and then the links they all have to "accomodations and lodging, restaurants" and see if you can not find something that would give you a wonderful taste of New Engand B & B or Inne and enjoy some of the small, excellent restaurants and downtowns in the area.
#10
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Yes, it is not too far from South Hadley, etc. The town itself is the usual former mill town gone downhill.
The surrounding countryside is quite nice amnd scenic and you don;t have to go far for that, either.
The surrounding countryside is quite nice amnd scenic and you don;t have to go far for that, either.
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Assuming you are staying at the Holiday Inn in Holyoke, it is right off I91, close to the Holyoke Mall, Barnes & Noble, Cracker Barrel and Friendlys. There is a restaurante across the street, JB I think where you'll find a little townie flavor.
The Skinner National Park is an interesting place to visit. You will need a car to drive up. It used to be a hotel in the turn of the century. They used a tram to bring the guests up top of the mountain (hill to westerners) and has a wonderful view, rocking chairs on the porch, places to walk around.
A college area is nearby, about 15 minute ride I91N or Route 5, which includes Northampton, South Hadley and Amherst, that have interesting shops, no malls. Northampton is the most intersting people wise and shop wise. Great ice cream place, Herrells and a variety of restaurants. Amherst has a great fruit farm, Atkins.
Berkshires are about a 20 minute ride on the MassPike. Unlimited places to visit and see here.
Springfield is in the other direction, about 15 minutes I91S. Places to visit are the Basketball Hall of Fame, Dr. Seuss, Springfield Museums of Firsts, Springfield Armory (Revolution and Civil War munition artifacts), a Titantic Museum in Indian Orchard (sort of a suburb of Springfield). In Agawam there is a Six Flags Amusement Park open on weekends through October, and if you are here during the Big E, Sept. 12-28th that's a day trip.
Hope you have a great trip visiting the USA. Will you be going anywhere else while you are here? Oops, just checked your date, maybe you already came and went.
The Skinner National Park is an interesting place to visit. You will need a car to drive up. It used to be a hotel in the turn of the century. They used a tram to bring the guests up top of the mountain (hill to westerners) and has a wonderful view, rocking chairs on the porch, places to walk around.
A college area is nearby, about 15 minute ride I91N or Route 5, which includes Northampton, South Hadley and Amherst, that have interesting shops, no malls. Northampton is the most intersting people wise and shop wise. Great ice cream place, Herrells and a variety of restaurants. Amherst has a great fruit farm, Atkins.
Berkshires are about a 20 minute ride on the MassPike. Unlimited places to visit and see here.
Springfield is in the other direction, about 15 minutes I91S. Places to visit are the Basketball Hall of Fame, Dr. Seuss, Springfield Museums of Firsts, Springfield Armory (Revolution and Civil War munition artifacts), a Titantic Museum in Indian Orchard (sort of a suburb of Springfield). In Agawam there is a Six Flags Amusement Park open on weekends through October, and if you are here during the Big E, Sept. 12-28th that's a day trip.
Hope you have a great trip visiting the USA. Will you be going anywhere else while you are here? Oops, just checked your date, maybe you already came and went.