View of Fall Colors in the Berkshires

It’s true. You (we) seniors deserve a little recognition from time to time. We’ve worked hard at our careers and raising our children, and many of us are still hard at work volunteering our time or caring for grandchildren. Goodness knows, from time to time we need to just get away from it all and relax. So be it.

Our Berkshires inn offers a Senior’s Special just for you, and we genuinely hope you will take advantage of it. When you stay for at least two nights midweek, you’ll receive 15% off your entire stay. That’s enough savings to celebrate with a shopping trip to Stockbridge, Lee or Lenox, or a fantastic night out at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield. Or simply bring a good book, enjoy the many games available here at the inn, and relax here over wine and cheese, served every evening.

Anyone would benefit from a refreshing walk through the Berkshires; we have a nature trail on our grounds, and there are many good trails just a short distance from our Lee MA bed and breakfast. Ask us about some of our favorite hikes. Then plan to spend the following day enjoying a massage or facial at one of several nearby spas, such as Soul Spa. In short, give yourself a treat.

Those of you who feel energetic would find this a delightful destination for a bicycle outing along colorful New England country roads. Be sure to stop for refreshment at the Monterey General Store, which has been operating since 1780. The Bidwell House Museum is open from Memorial Day to Columbus Day, just a few days away. Be spontaneous, give us a call, throw your bags in the car, and take advantage of our “Fill Our Openings Package” .

Even if the museum itself is closed, the Bidwell House sits on almost 200 glorious acres. Stroll through well-tended gardens and untamed woodlands. Indeed, the land in and around Monterey is well-suited for outdoor recreation, with miles of trails – both gentle and strenuous – easily accessible. The Appalachian Trail passes through here, and the Berkshire Fish Hatchery has wonderfully maintained hiking trails.

This is just one of the innumerable local treasures that help make a stay at our Berkshires inn memorable.

Relax in our Massachusetts bed and breakfast after your berkshires hike

Take a break from the cultural richness of the Berkshires and head out into the wilderness for a hike. Nothing calms the mind like being surrounded by trees and magnificent rock formations. You will feel refreshed and ready either to head back to Tanglewood or go straight to your Berkshires bed and breakfast for a dip in the pool and a sit on the porch.

The trail to Ice Glen is less than 1.5 miles there and back, without much gain in elevation. Heavily shaded by huge, old hemlock trees, the trail offers one pleasant surprise after another. Deep caves, stacked boulders, and narrow fissures abound, along with dramatic views of the ravine. This trail has been popular for many years; indeed, Nathaniel Hawthorne called Ice Glen “the most curious fissure in all Berkshire.”

The Ice Glen trailhead is just south of Stockbridge, MA – a short drive from our Lee MA bed and breakfast. We will feed you a delicious breakfast and send you on your way. You should have plenty of time to return to your room and rest before heading out to one of the many delicious restaurants in the region, or to a concert at Tanglewood.

Those of you who plan on attending more than one performance during the 2009 Tanglewood season should consider purchasing a Tanglewood Lawn Pass Book. There are eleven tickets per book, which are valid for all Boston Symphony and Pops concerts in the Koussevitzky Music Shed and Ozawa Hall. Our Lee MA Bed and Breakfast is close enough to Tanglewood to make using your Lawn Pass a cinch – especially once we show you the secret route we use to get there. Enjoy all our amenities before and after the concert: relax by the pool or take a dip; fill yourself with an amazing, home cooked breakfast in the morning, and enjoy a glass or wine in the parlor in the evening.

Weekends fill up at Tanglewood. Consider staying at our Tanglewood lodging during the week, when the crowds are a bit thinner. The music is delightful any day of the week.

Hailed as “one of the most important violinists of his generation” (Tanglewood website), Christian Tetzlaff will delight music aficionados with several performances at Tanglewood. Hear him play Stravinsky and Brahms on July 5, and Beethoven’s complete sonatas for violin and violin July 6, 7 and 9, when he is joined by Alexander Lonquich on the piano.

July 14 and 15, Le Concert des Nations offers listeners the chance to hear Jacobean Masque and Stage Music, Locke’s music for The Tempest and Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, as well as Lully’s Suite from Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme. The two performances are both directed by Jordi Savall, but each one is unique and engaging in its own right.

We are thrilled that the 2009 Tanglewood season is at last upon us, and hope to see you here soon.

Stretch out in our Berkshire b&b pool after the adventure park

Catamount Ski Area has opened an Adventure Park near our Berkshires MA Bed and Breakfast. This is an exciting way to make use of a beautiful area in the Berkshire Mountains that has traditionally been most used in the winter. We are excited by what the new Adventure Park has to offer our community and guests at our Massachusetts Bed and Breakfast.

You may find yourself wondering, “What exactly is an adventure park?” It is a place to have fun while building skills. No rollercoasters here. Instead, you will find an aerial forest rope course complete with platforms in the trees connected by ropes and cable “bridges”. The goal? To move from platform to platform by various means, including via zip-line. The courses vary in difficulty, so visitors are sure to find one that meets their comfort level, or pushes them slightly beyond it. Safety is of course paramount, and participants are always fully secured by a harness.

Spending a few hours at the Swiss designed Catamount Adventure Park is a great way to experience the beauty of the Berkshires. We promise to fill you with a nutritious and delicious home made breakfast at our Lee MA Bed and Breakfast, after which you can head out for great adventure. In the evening, perhaps you will join us for a glass of sherry and regale us with tales of swinging from tree to tree.