Archive for the ‘Places’ Category
Northampton Top Ten #3: Pulaski Park
In between Northampton’s City Hall and The Academy of Music you will find Pulaski Park. This small park is usually overlooked but it is a nice play to catch up with some reading, drink coffee, take the kids to play and do some hoola hooping! Here is where the annual holiday three lighting event, among other, takes place every year.
Northampton Top Ten #4: The bike trails
Northampton has many bike trails that connect the town with other locations. The most popular is the Norwottock Trail connecting Northampton to Hadley and Amherst. This trail is 8.5 miles long and runs along the old Boston & Main Railroad. Biking from Northampton takes about thirty to forty five minutes. There are also other bike trails going to Easthampton, Leeds and Florence. For the convenience of bikers, all Pioneer Valley Transit Authority buses are equipped with bike racks.
Northampton Top Ten #5: The Coffee Shops
Being a college/artsy town it is not a surprise that coffee shops are everywhere in Northampton. These places are the heart of downtown where people hang out with friends or bring their laptops to work. During summer and spring you can find customers sitting on front of these establishments relaxing and sipping some good coffee. We have taken refuge in many of these coffee shops for fabulous drink and food and the free wi-fi! Some of the most popular coffee shops include Woodstar Cafe, Haymarket, Yellow Sofa, The Elbow Room and Northampton Coffee.
Northampton Top Ten #7: The music scene
Northampton’s music scene is well know for its liveliness and variety. From small shows at local bars to music theaters there is so much going on at Northampton. You can check the Northampton Box Office to buy tickets. Big music halls include the Calvin Theater and The Academy of Music. Also check places like the Iron Horse, The Basement and Bishop’s Lounge for up and coming bands and the Yellow Sofa for the open mike nights.
Our favorite local bands are Dust Savior, Sylphid, The Trials and Tribulations, and Ponds.
Walter playing some tunes on Main Street.
Northampton Top Ten #8: The Community
Northampton is a tight knit community of very supportive people. The community supports many programs that address the needs and goals of the community. Organizations like the Northampton Survival Center and Tapestry Health provide medical assistance at affordable prices and free food. Also, a large part of the community from individuals to local restaurants support local agriculture. The community is also supportive of the LGBT community.
