Top Reasons to Stay at Whistler’s Inn
- Tucked in a circa-1870 Tudor Mansion in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, the Whistler’s Inn was once owned by a railroad tycoon and his wife.
- More recently, the inn has been in the Mears family for the past 50 years; Richard and Joan Mears, along with their daughter Lisa, currently run the B & B.
- Each guest room features unique furnishings. The Cotswolds room, for example, has antique hand-painted furniture and views of spruce and pine forests.
- In the morning, you can dig into a complimentary breakfast of quiches, frittatas, omelets, muffins, bagels, pastries, cereals or oatmeal, fresh-fruit juices, coffee, and tea.
- There is complimentary sherry or port, and tea in the 2,000-volume library—enjoy some while curling up with a good book.
- In the stately music room, guests and visiting musicians hold impromptu concerts; the room’s focal point is an 1898 Steinway grand piano.
- You can take a stroll through the inn’s carefully manicured perennial gardens.
Lenox, Massachusetts: Historical Estates, Concerts, and Hikes amid the Picturesque Berkshires
Tucked away in the rolling Berkshires of far western Massachusetts, Lenox has been attracting visitors since the 19th century, when it was a popular refuge for artists, painters, and musicians. The intelligentsia left their mark on Lenox—it’s now home to a handful of cultural and historical attractions. Pulitzer Prize–winning author Edith Wharton’s mansion, The Mount, was designed by the writer herself in 1902. You can tour the grand estate and its 3 acres of formal gardens, which have been preserved and restored to look as they did during Wharton’s time.
Unwind with a picnic on the vast lawn at Tanglewood on warm summer evenings. The outdoor music venue regularly hosts the Boston Symphony Orchestra and such acclaimed artists as Yo-Yo Ma and Harry Connick Jr.
Verdant scenery is abundant in the area—Kennedy Park is full of trails for outdoor activities throughout the year. Just north, Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary is home to 7 miles of hiking trails that wend through forest, meadows, wetlands, and the foothills of Lenox Mountain. Keep an eye out for beavers and their dams along the Yokun Brook.
Love to travel? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for travel tips, inspiration, and photos from around the world.