Northern Berkshires

The towering peak of Mount Greylock [1] dominates the skyline from many a backcountry road here. The highest peak in Massachusetts [2], it is capped by a war memorial that enables viewers to pick it out from a distance, and sets the wild tone for the area’s mountainous terrain.

This corner of the state has always been its most remote, a fact that has led at times to economic stagnation. The combination of cosmopolitan Williamstown [3] and the spreading influence of summer folk in the southern Berkshires, however, has given the area a new lease on life as a cultural destination, anchored by a pair of art museums worth the trip from anywhere in New England.

Getting to the Northern Berkshires

The closest airport to the region is Albany International Airport (737 Albany Shaker Rd., Albany, NY, 518/242-2200, www.albanyairport.com [4]). Taxi service from the airport is available from a variety of limousine services, including Advantage Transportation Services (518/433-0100, www.albanycarservice.com [5]), which charges $75 to Williamstown [3] and $80 to North Adams [6].

Buses to Williamstown are run by Peter Pan Bonanza (www.peterpanbus.com [7]) and stop in front of the Williams Inn at the corner of Routes 2 and 7. The company also runs buses to Pittsfield Bus Terminal (1 Columbus Ave., Pittsfield, 413/442-7465).

Buses throughout the region are run by the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (413/449-2782 or 800/292-BRTA).