Need a gift idea? Try a gift certificate for Applegate Inn.

Western Massachusetts is known for its natural beauty and its strong arts communities. People travel here from Boston, Hartford, and New York City to admire fall foliage, hike, and ski. They come to watch world-class performances at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and Tanglewood in a stunning natural venue. They come to breathe in fresh air and visit museums like The Clark and the Norman Rockwell Museum.

At this time of year, they also come to shop. It’s hard to find more aesthetically pleasing places to shop than the picturesque New England towns surrounding our Berkshires Bed and Breakfast. And it’s hard to beat the convenience of shopping at nearby Prime Outlet Village. We’ll even supply Prime Outlet coupons to guests here for a Shopping Getaway.

Downtown Lenox is filled with interesting shops and art galleries. Wit Gallery, Lenox Gallery of Fine Arts, Church Street Art Gallery, Sienna Gallery, and Concepts Art feature fine art, hand-crafted jewelry, sculpture, paintings, Judaica, and more. Shops such as Berkshire Classic Leather & Silver and B. Mango & Bird are also full of fun items.

Many galleries and shops line the streets of Stockbridge and West Stockbridge. Visit An American Craftsman Gallery, Schantz Galleries, and Hoffman Pottery. Browse an eclectic mix of fine antiques and jewelry at Heirlooms Jewelry, and a stunning variety of CD’s, Wee Forest Folk, and Norman Rockwell items at Seven Arts. Admire unique items at Hotchkiss Mobiles and Inner Vision Studio, and load up on delicious maple syrup and miscellaneous sundries at Charles H. Baldwin & Sons

Shopping can spark an appetite; fortunately, there are excellent restaurants close to our Berkshires Bed and Breakfast. In Lenox, try Alta, where fresh, simple dishes are enhanced by fantastic wines. Church Street Cafe is a good spot for lunch or dinner enjoyed with a local beer. Firefly features tasty tapas, late night dining, and a full bar. In Stockbridge, try Michael’s Restaurant, Once Upon a Table (a cozy bistro), and the always-tasty Red Lion Inn.

Shopping can be fun when incorporated into a Berkshires getaway.

Silken, by Dan Dailey, at Schantz Galleries.

Nearby Stockbridge, Great Barrington, Lenox and Lee have antique shops, art galleries, and clothing stores. Our inn is also close to the Prime Outlet Village; we offer a Berkshires Shopping Getaway Special which includes a variety of discount coupons for the village.

Origins Gallery in Stockbridge features unique art, masks, and artifacts from remote villages in Africa. An American Craftsman Galleries features many unique holiday gifts such as lovely glass ornaments. Amazing glass art by Dale Chihuly, Dan Dailey and others may be found at Schantz Galleries. Inner Vision Studio is a good place to find watercolors and drawings by local artist Karen Andrews.

Antique shops abound throughout the Berkshires, particularly in Great Barrington. Elise Abrams Antiques features fine antiques for dining; the Emporium Antique Center offers many treasures to those with patience and stamina to browse through more than 23,000 square feet; the Great Barrington Antiques Center neatly displays items from many dealers in more than 5,000 square feet.

Treat yourself to a Berkshires Getaway this holiday season and have fun shopping for others.

The Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield is one such place, not far north of our Lee MA lodging. Freud’s Last Session is running through October 4, 2009. Don’t miss this fascinating, imagined conversation between atheist Dr. Freud and devout Christian C.S. Lewis, as they discuss God, sex, and the meaning of life. Their exchange is thought provoking as well as deeply humorous. This play is followed by a favorite musical; The Fantasticks is “a captivating romantic comedy about a boy, a girl, two fathers and a wall.”

If you happen to be staying with us on the third Thursday of a month, you may enjoy a trip up to Pittsfield for 3rd Thursdays. From 5 – 8pm, the downtown area of Pittsfield is full of music, art and great food. Art Galleries and museums stay open late, and art and music take over the town. The next two 3rd Thursdays are September 17 and October 15. Why not check out our specials – you may find temptation to cancel everything and head to the Southern Berkshires in time for 3rd Thursday on September 17.

Yesterday, we visited the Ferrin Gallery in Pittsfield.
It is a beautiful space.
It had a wonderful ceramics collection on display.
We than made our way to the Hoadley Gallery in Lenox.
It too had some exciting ceramics among other things on display.
We didn’t make any purchases this day.
On the street, we ran into Linda Novik.
She is a painter who we purchased several paintings from through the years.
She has a multi-media approach to her work.
We chatted for a while to find out that she is moving here full time and more excitement she is now making jewelry.
I love hand crafted items and she may twist my arm into buying one of her new creations.