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There goes the neighborhood... SoundQ is coming to New England :-)

SoundQ SVT

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Yes, the time is fast approaching for my wife and I to head to Massachusetts for vacation.

We'll be staying at a resort north of Pittsfield, near Hancock in the Berkshires. Our stay begins on Saturday 8/30 and ends on Saturday 9/6.

Anyone in that area that has some tips on what to see and do? I already know about Chocolate Springs in Lenox. :drool::drool::drool::laugh: I'll hopefully be making a few visits there....

Thanks for any help or advise!!
 
There's a restaurant on 7 called Old Forge. It's not cheap, but it's really good. Make sure you get the house wings. They're not spicy, but they're very tasty. A deep ginger/soy/garlic flavor. Really great stuff. If you're on 7, near Pontusac Lake, go north. It'll be on your left- hand side, in Lanesboro. Blink and you might miss it, though. Oh... and if your SVT is lowered at all (assuming that's what you're driving), park as close to the restaurant as you can. The lot extends south, down 7, but there's a huge lip where the road goes into the gravel lot.

If you're willing to go a bit north, you can visit the Mass MOCA in North Adams if that's your thing. You'll likely be surrounded by college freshmen, though, since that's the time they usually start moving into MCLA. Mt. Greylock is mostly closed down right now for renovation, and it's due to open back up in March, but you still might be able to get up there somewhere.

There's always Tanglewood up in Williamstown, though I'm not sure when the season begins/ends if classical music is your bag.

And to answer the next question... no, we don't live out there, but one of my best friends and his wife live in Pittsfield, right on Pontusac Lake. We've been out there a bunch of times... hell, he and I have technically married each other. ;) We actually were granted one-day officiant powers by the state to perform the other's weddings.
 
I would suggest the August 30th SVTOA autocross in Ayer, but that will be quite a ride and probably not the greatest family activity.
 
here's a tip...come show us your car because I never got to sit in it at spring zing :laugh:

Unfortunately (or, fortunately according to my wife) we are not driving there from Illinois. We will be flying in to Albany NY and then renting a car.

Thanks for all the tips everyone. I appreciate them all.
 
I can't believe vacation time is almost here!!

I think we will be trying to do a day trip to Boston. I know it should be about 2 to 2.5 hours to get all the way downtown, but should we do that? Any suggestions on how to see Boston in a day (if that is even possible...). Basically I think we just want to see some of the historic sights and "touristy" stuff...

Other things I think we're doing is going to Stockbridge to the Norman Rockwell Museum. We are contemplating getting on the scenic railway in Lenox and riding it down, spend a few hours in Stockbridge, then take the train back to Lenox. Also planning on a trip to the Yankee Candle place in South Deerfield. Basically, we just like to go see what there is to see when we go to areas we have never been. We thought about making the trip up to the Ben & Jerry's factory in Vermont, but that is quite a hike north so we probably won't.

Any other suggestions besides the ones already posted?
 
Some of my favorite touristy things to do in Boston:

Tour Sam Adams brewery
Stroll through the Common, see the ducks, etc.
Grab a beer/burger at Cheers
Walk/shop Newbury Street
Get some ice cream at JP Licks
Tour Fenway Park
Grab another beer and chili cheese fries at Cask n Flagon
Stroll the north end, then get dinner
Get an after dinner pastry with coffee

Something I've always meant to do:
Check out a Duck Tour.
 
Something I've always meant to do:
Check out a Duck Tour.
Highly recommended - but reserve it ahead of time! I tried to go again on Saturday and they were booked solid! They start outside of the Boston Museum of Science, also a great (large) museum.

Definitely doable to see much of Boston in a day. Morning: Go to Boylston Station, or Park Street Station (oldest subway station in the US), head toward Faneuil Hall (walk the Freedom Trail for historical sights). Take the T to Lechmere, do Duck Tour. Should be midday by that time, which leaves plenty for evening activities.
 
Highly recommended - but reserve it ahead of time! I tried to go again on Saturday and they were booked solid! They start outside of the Boston Museum of Science, also a great (large) museum.

Definitely doable to see much of Boston in a day. Morning: Go to Boylston Station, or Park Street Station (oldest subway station in the US), head toward Faneuil Hall (walk the Freedom Trail for historical sights). Take the T to Lechmere, do Duck Tour. Should be midday by that time, which leaves plenty for evening activities.

Could even take the Green Line just to Science Park and cross the street. :)

Matt and Kim both put up a couple of great sight seeing trips. I give them both my seal of approval. Hahah
 
Thanks bunch for the Boston tips...

... is it advisable to drive into the city to park and walk around, or should we catch mass transit from farther out? I worked in downtown Chicago for 8 years and visited Atlanta more than a few times (even Dallas twice), so big city traffic is not a problem for me. However, if parking is the problem (like when we visited Washington DC we were told by everyone to ride the subway into town) then that is something we can take under advisement.

Thanks again!
 
My recommendation? Take Rte 2 in (it's a long, but beautiful drive), park at Alewife, and take the T (short for MBTA... Boston's mass transit system). There's a charge for parking, and the ticket prices depend on how many times you hop on/off the train. The tickets are rechargable, too.

Driving in Boston is worse than driving in your average city. Combine the stupid/hyper-aggressive drivers with the worst lain- out city in this country, and you've got a challenge. :)
 
not to mention you'd have to find parking each time you stop to do something in different parts of the city.
But yeah, the layout of the roads definitely suck. Signage and road line painting are piss poor too.

Definitely park at the outskirts and spend the day using the T.

One lot we park at is near the Lechmere station (green line). Cost to park all day is super cheap.
On weekends we park near Kendall Square (red line), which is technically a school or employee only lot during weekdays (right Jay?), but pretty much open/free all weekend.
Jay's suggestion for Alewife station is probably your best bet.
 
Alewife Station is HIGHLY recommended. You will curse your stupidity if you attempt to drive in Boston, especially if you have the misfortune of picking rush hours.

A GPS might help, but it's useless when it says "Turn Right!" and there are a bunch of choices in a rightward direction. (I used to live on Dover St. here.)
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Alewife parking garage is $5 per day. It's right at the end of Rt 2, very easy to find.
T tickets are $2 each ticket, though I think there's a day pass you might find helpful.
 
which is technically a school or employee only lot during weekdays (right Jay?), but pretty much open/free all weekend.
Jay's suggestion for Alewife station is probably your best bet.

Most of those lots have been gated, requiring a student or employee ID/sticker now. They're all MIT property, but they weren't monitored for at least 10 years. You can still park in the Medical lot (the really slanted entrance/exit) without fear, though. No way they can tell if you're there for medical reasons or not. Otherwise, it's not an option anymore. :( I'm pissed, too, since it was so convenient.

SoundQ, if you happen to get into the Kenmore area (Fenway Park area, if it interests you), you *must* eat at UBurger. Possibly the single best burger I've ever eaten, and the prices aren't outrageous for the Kenmore Square area.
 
Some of my favorite touristy things to do in Boston:

Tour Sam Adams brewery
Stroll through the Common, see the ducks, etc.
Grab a beer/burger at Cheers
Walk/shop Newbury Street
Get some ice cream at JP Licks
Tour Fenway Park
Grab another beer and chili cheese fries at Cask n Flagon
Stroll the north end, then get dinner
Get an after dinner pastry with coffee

Something I've always meant to do:
Check out a Duck Tour.

In accordance with this, I highly recommend going to Cambridge, it's directly next to Boston across the River. Harvard Square is a great place to drop money. Tons of shops and boutiques.

Eating in the North end is a definite must like she said, if you can find it go to Cafe Victoria for coffee and desert. It's among the best.

Theres a resteraunt called Tresca (it's in the North End), it's owned by Ray Bourke, they have a 2 person balcony. You could try calling them and reserving it, it's basically the most amazing place to take a girl out to eat I have ever seen. They have a picture of it on their website. I reserved it for my ex-girlfriends bday then she broke up with me :shrug:. It's not cheap though, most meals cost at least $30.

If your into thrifting (by any chance...I might be alone here) check out Garment District in Cambridge as well. They have like a 2 ton mound of clothes you can go through and its 1.50 per lb. It's a good time if you enjoy that kind of thing.
 
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