Amherst to Northampton

Hampshire County is home to the Five Colleges which heavily influence Amherst, Hadley and Northampton. These Pioneer Valley towns in Western Massachusetts are rich with food and fun. Join us as we start at the University of Massachusetts, explore downtown Amherst and make our way down Route 9 to Noho (or Hamp if you're old school!). A quick adventure to visit old haunts and new delights.

Amherst is the flagship campus for The University of Massachusetts and the dominant member of the Five Colleges which also includes Amherst College, Smith, Hampshire and Mount Holyoke. With over 30,000 students it has more than four times the enrollment of the other four combined. The local culture and economy is heavily driven by education.

The Hangar Pub and Grill opened in 1999 serving chicken wings and tenders with a wide selection of sauces and beers on tap. It's a popular spot for watching a game and catching up with friends. The homemade tenders are the star of the show tossed in one of 26 sauces. Enjoy a pint from Amherst Brewing, and play a few games of pinball while you wait for your order.

Downtown Amherst is bordered by both UMass and Amherst college and filled with all the usual college town suspects like book stores, coffee shops, affordable restaurants and a local cinema showing independent films. We met a man on the town common with a stroller walking his pet rabbits. Emily Dickinson's house is on main street. That is Amherst.

Antonio's is popular with both students and the community at large. So popular in fact that an additional 8 locations were spawned by the Amherst original throughout greater New England. While whole pizzas can be ordered they are famous for by the slice offerings and wide variety of creative pies. They primarily throw New York style thin crust, but occassionally have a thicker Sicilian option. The potato topped pizzas are tasty.

Along Route 9 between Amherst and Northampton is the Hampshire Mall and X9 Games. While trading card games hold dominant popularity, X9 still makes space for board and role playing games as well. The Hampshire Mall has faced tough times for many years, and every time people talk closure it stays afloat. Interskate 91 is living history and one of the few original attractions. Hopefully the space will continue to evolve and find its way.

Our first stop in Northampton was Raven Used Books which features academic texts in addition to the more typical categories like mystery and cooking. For those with a deeper thirst for knowledge this shop offers options that wouldn't normally be available to thumb though before purchase.

The lower level of Thornes Marketplace houses Hometown Arcade. Its a great place to spend an hour or two playing cabinet classics, multiplayer console games like Mario Kart and ultimate bubble hockey!

You might build a crowd if you get loud...

Homestead employs some talented folks making homemade pasta and serving up New England ingredients transformed through Italian technique. While the appetizers and desserts missed the mark for us, the drinks and main courses were wonderful. They market themselves with the Rigatoni Bolognese for good reason.

This region of Western Massachusetts is made vibrant through the continuous flow of students from around the world. It not only helps to drive the local economy, but also creates a culture of learning that spills out as intellectual curiosity, individual expression and competition. There is an air of excellence tempered with social justice and the scent of manure from the surrounding farmland. Thanks for joining us as we visited this pillar of New England.