Massachusetts' Uniquely Charming And Creative College City Is One Of The Best In America

Take the best parts of Massachusetts, put them together in a single town, and you get Northampton. Here you'll find the quality college experience of Boston, the progressive atmosphere of Cambridge, and the cute downtown of Salem or Concord. Northampton has the small-town charm of the Berkshires, but it's as creative and walkable as big-city Somerville. Like Lowell and Fall River, Northampton's history is grounded in an industrial past, when it served as a silk-making capital. With just over 30,000 residents, this community's character is an attractive blend of rural and urbane, close-knit and diverse. There's more than one reason this town is known as "Paradise City."

Unless you attend school there — or know someone who does — Northampton is an easy town to overlook. The drive from Boston takes around two hours, and the next-closest city is New York, a solid three hours away. In terms of mass transit, it's a long ride on Greyhound or Peter Pan buses from either city, although The Vermonter is a beautiful new Amtrak route that connects this region to the Big Apple. The most likely motivation to stop here is a scenic drive through the northeast, perhaps on your way to the nearby Green Mountains. With a little planning, you could weave it into a five-day New England road trip. What you'll find is a town full of culture and outdoor activities. At the very least, make a pit stop for a meal, as this place has more than its fair share of great grub.

Northampton's anchor is Smith College, which was founded in 1871 and is widely considered one of the best higher learning institutions in the northeast. Traditionally a women's school, Smith remains a bastion of female empowerment in education — with just over 2,500 undergraduates — while opening its doors to students of all genders. Smith excels at research and experimental psychology, as well as data science, political science, and biology. The lovingly maintained campus is a mix of Victorian and modern architecture, and it stands around the corner from downtown Northampton.

Out-of-towners are welcome to visit the Smith College Museum of Art, which houses 27,000 individual pieces from a wide range of historical movements. The museum is free to visit and open every day except Monday. You can also stroll through the Smith College Botanical Garden, which is open to the public and showcases 6,600 species of plants. More broadly, Smith's campus has a welcoming atmosphere, especially in the warmer months, and many a visitor has enjoyed a promenade along Paradise Pond, which is flanked with multi-use trails.

Two blocks away from the Museum of Art is another hallowed institution, the Academy of Music. First opened in 1891, this vintage auditorium has seats for 1,000 people. Famous personages like Mae West and Harry Houdini have graced the Academy's stage, and the theater's calendar is a dizzying mix of concerts, literary readings, live podcast recordings, and other performances. Smith College and the Academy alone would merit Northampton's inclusion on a list of underrated small towns in America worth visiting, and yet there's more.

Northampton's Main Street is a gently curving corridor lined with antique facades and lots of local businesses. Here you'll find an eclectic gauntlet of eateries, from Gombo Nola Kitchen & Oyster Bar, to the Toasted Owl Tavern and Bueno Y Sano Mexican restaurant. Just a block off the main drag is The Parlor Room Collective, a nonprofit music venue and musicians' workshop. Northampton is small and easy to walk around, so you can park your car once and spend hours exploring its hospitable center. You'll stumble into all kinds of small businesses as well, many geared toward lifestyle and wellness. During cold and rainy days — and Massachusetts has many — Thornes Marketplace is a favorite destination. This structure was built in 1873 and contains a wellspring of restaurants and retail.

In the warmer seasons, cyclists pour through town, thanks to the 11-mile Norwottuck Rail Trail. This paved route spans the legendary Connecticut River, thanks to a long trestle bridge, and the trail is a great way to explore the pastoral countryside at the foot of the Berkshire Hills. The ride will only get better in the coming years: The Massachusetts Central Rail Trail is a 104-mile route that will one day connect Boston to New Haven, Connecticut, effectively crossing Southern New England. Much of this system is already complete, and when finished, cyclists will rarely have to interact with cars — and can stop in Northampton and 25 other communities across the two states.

Planning to stay the night? While the town has several chain hotels, the standout is the historic Hotel Northampton, a brick stunner from 1927. Expect a night here to cost between $150 and $300. While you're in the area, consider a side-trip to this great East Coast destination for a mountainside couples getaway.