Amherst (Massachusetts)

Amherst is a town in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. Amherst is home to about 35,000 residents as well as the campuses of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst College, and Hampshire College. A usually pleasant mix of students, academics, and retirees makes it a quintessential New England college town.

Amherst is at the center of a vibrant academic consortium comprising UMass, Amherst College, Hampshire College, and two more colleges in neighboring towns: Smith College in Northampton and Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley. Because of this the area is frequently referred to as the "Five College Area."

Understand

When to visit

The most popular time to visit Amherst is during autumn, because of the spectacular fall foliage display throughout the area. This usually peaks in mid-October. Views of the foliage can be seen from the surrounding mountains, the hiking trails, and throughout the college campuses. During this time tourists also come to take part in agricultural activities such as apple picking, farmers' markets, and hay rides. The town is usually bustling with college students during the season, making the town congested and sometimes crowded. Although, the students add to the youthful atmosphere of the town and make it lively and energetic.

Get in

By car

Route 9 is the main road in and out of town, and it can get pretty busy when the colleges are in session. Extended construction has just been completed on the art deco Route 9 Calvin Coolidge Bridge over the Connecticut River between Northampton and Hadley, markedly easing the congestion as one approaches Amherst.

Route 116 is the picturesque central artery through Amherst. UMass, Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the main shopping district are all situated along 116.

I-91 is the main north-south artery through the Pioneer Valley area, providing access to Route 9 for drivers approaching from Northern New England or Connecticut and New York City.

Please look out for drunk drivers during the nights after college students are finishing their parties!

By bus
  • Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA), ☏ +1 413 586-5806, toll-free: +1-877-779-PVTA (7882). Operates a good bus system that can take you between the UMass campus, Northampton, and South Hadley with limited service as far east as Worcester and as far south as Springfield. Inter-campus PVTA routes are free for Five College students, enabling PVTA the claim to fame of operating the second-largest free-fare public transit system in the world (second only to the entire nation of the Netherlands). 
  • Peter Pan, 79 South Pleasant Street, ☏ +1 413-256-0431. Buses can take you to Springfield, Hartford, New York City, or further.
  • Megabus. Service from New York City, Hartford, Montpelier, and Burlington. Buses arrive and depart at the Hampshire Mall Shopping Center in the parking lot between the Cinemark and the rear of Target; from the mall you can catch the PVTA Blue 43 bus route to get into town. Fares from $1 and up.

By plane

The two airports you'll want to look at are nearby Bradley Airport (BDL IATA) in Windsor Locks, Connecticut (One hour by car) and Logan Airport (BOS IATA) in Boston (2 hours or more away depending on traffic).

  • Valley Transporter, Phone: +1 413-253-1350. Offers convenient (though expensive) shuttle service from Bradley Airport to Amherst and the surrounding area.
  • Seemo Shuttle, ☏ +1-800-908-2829. Offers a shuttle service to Bradley ($40), Boston Logan, JFK and LaGuardia in New York.

By train

Due to the rerouting of Amtrak Vermonter service, Amherst is no longer served by train. Nearest train stop is in Northampton, 6 mi (10 km) to the west. Northampton Station is on PVTA B43 route, which leads to Amherst.

If you intend to take a train service more frequent than Vermonter, Amtrak/CTrail Hartford Line can be your choice during weekdays, transferring at Springfield Union Station for PVTA R29.

See

Colleges

Do

Because of the large population of college students, there are frequent concerts, and other activities that cater to the college crowd.

  • Amherst Cinema, 28 Amity St, ☏ +1 413 253-2547. Amherst's only non-profit movie theater. Very modern with small but very nice theaters playing primarily independent films. Tickets range from $6.50 to $8.50, offering discount prices for students and members. 
  • Fine Arts Center, ☏ +1 413 545-0481. 145 Fine Arts Center. Located on the UMass campus, this center offers a variety of arts and education programs year round with excellent prices. Make sure to check out their calendar of events when you're in the area. If you're a student at one of the Five Colleges, don't miss your chance to attend a great performance for $7-15. 
  • Mullins Center, 200 Commonwealth Ave, ☏ +1 413 545-3001. The Mullins Center is home to UMass Athletics as well as the latest rock and pop bands who frequently make this center a stop on their nationwide tours. There is also a public skating rink as a fun alternative. Just make sure to check their schedule as the rink hours are pretty irregular. 
  • The Norwottuck Rail Trail. Scenic ten-mile paved trail passing through the towns of Amherst, Hadley, and Northampton. Great for biking, jogging, roller blading, or just walking along. There are many places to get on and it's a great way to spend the day with your family, friends, or even on your own, with rest places and picnic tables along the way. There is also an extension now that you can get on in Northampton, pick up your bike and go over the railroad tracks, that takes you to Look Park in Florence. (updated Mar 2019)
  • Self-guided Cellphone Tour of Simple Gifts Organic Farm. 1089 North Pleasant, St. Visitors to the Simple Gifts Farm in North Amherst, MA can now use their cellphones to take self-guided tours that explain what’s happening at 15 stops around the 32-acre farm. Stops include information on the organic vegetable, livestock including chickens, cattle, pigs, and sheep, as well as farm history and ecology. Maps are available at the top of the parking lot. 

Buy

Amherst centre has a variety of boutique and book stores.

  • A.J. Hastings, 45 South Pleasant Street, ☏ +1 413 253-2840. A family owned and operated business that has been providing office and school supplies, newspapers and magazines to the local community and nearby collegiate market since 1914. Open daily. 
  • Amherst Books, 8 Main Street, ☏ +1 413 256-1547. A locally owned, independent bookshop, selling new & used books. Michelin Guide 'Pick'; Boston Magazine 'Best'. 
  • Amherst Music House & Guitar Workshop, 233 North Pleasant Street, ☏ +1 413 549-1728. 
  • Amherst Wines & Spirits, 233 North Pleasant Street, ☏ +1 413 549-0900. Staff is knowledgeable and unstuffy; a service-oriented business with competitive pricing and high quality selection. Free wine tastings every Saturday, 2 - 5PM. 
  • Atkins Farms, 1150 West Street, ☏ +1 413 253-9528. Apple Orchard and Country Food Market near the Holyoke Mountain Range, where the Atkins Family has been growing apples for over 100 years. 
  • Henion Bakery, 174 North Pleasant Street, ☏ +1 413 253-4909. Since 1993 David W. Henion and Barbara Kline have been offering a wide variety of fresh scratch-baked goods. Cafe space for on-premises consumption. 

Eat

There is an interesting selection of locations for eating out in Amherst, from the traditional college-town fare (pizza, wings, subs) that one would expect from a town with 3 colleges, to some unique and interesting local restaurants. Many are situated in the downtown area, around the intersections of North Pleasant Street (Route 116) and Main Street.

Budget
  • Antonio's, 31 North Pleasant St, ☏ +1 413 253-0808. Open daily until 1AM, weekends until 2AM. An Amherst icon serving pizza by the slice. Their cheese pizza is OK but people really come here for their specialty slices such as their chicken blue cheese (white pizza topped with buffalo chicken and blue cheese), quesadilla (chicken, cheese, and pico de gallo topped with tortilla chips), and steak burrito (steak, rice, and beans). Many vegetarian slices too. $3 a slice. 
  • Bueno y Sano, ☏ +1 413 253-4000. Boltwood Walk. Giant burritos made from fresh ingredients. Tacos and quesadillas are also on the menu, but the burrito will run you about $6 and you won't be hungry afterwards. 
  • The Hangar, 55 University Dr, ☏ +1 413-549-9461. Open daily 11:30AM until 1AM. This place makes chicken wings as an art form. You can get boneless or traditional wings in aptly named sizes such as "747" or "DC-10". Their buffalo sauce has five levels of intensity but their other flavors, such as honey barbecue and teriyaki, are great too. There are an insane number of beers on tap, and you can get delivery too (wings, not beer). Their delivery business is named Wings (549-9464). $5-$10. 
  • Pho Noodle Soup, ☏ +1 413 253-0007. 41 Boltwood Walk. Right behind Antonio's next to Thai Corner. Offers Vietnamese and Korean dishes consisting of rice noodle soups, appetizers, salads and noodle dishes. Great for lunch or something warm to eat on a rainy day. The owner is very friendly and your meal will probably run you $7-10. 
  • River Shark Cafe, 17 Montague Rd, ☏ +1 413 259-4259. Unique breakfast place and cafe. For breakfast try their stuffed French toast (corn flake encrusted, fruit filled French toast) 
  • The Sub, 33 E Pleasant St, ☏ +1 413 549-5160. Open for lunch and dinner, this independent sub shop makes astonishingly good subs and pizza, and you can easily get a meal there for under $10. The owner is friendly, and the place is kept spotlessly clean. 
  • La Veracruzana, South Pleasant Street, ☏ +1 413 253-6900. Shredded chicken burrito is a must! Authentic Mexican food and atmosphere. They make their own salsa and tortillas chips, they offer a great selection of Mexican beer and there are so many different food choices you will have more than one favorite. There is also a park across the street or tables set up to eat outdoors on a nice day. 
  • Pita Pocket's, 103 N Pleasant St, ☏ +1 413 256-3600. Amherst is a college town, so of course this place exists. Not exactly high class, but you get tasty, cheap falafel/gyros with friendly service (updated Apr 2015)

Mid-range
  • Amherst Brewing Company, 24-36 North Pleasant St, ☏ +1 413 253-4400. Open daily 11:30AM until 1AM, dinner stops at 10PM. American and pub fare. Great appetizers, try the fried pickles. ABC brews and serves a full selection of their own beers including seasonal brews and standards like the North Pleasant Pale Ale. $10-$20. 
  • Amherst Chinese Food, 62 Main St, ☏ +1 413 253-7835. Cognoscenti come for the blackboard vegetable dishes grown on Mr. Chang's farm, stir-fried with your choice of pork, chicken, beef, shrimp or tofu. Wonderful dumplings and noodles and other Northern Chinese specialties. 
  • The Black Sheep Deli, 79 Main St, ☏ +1 413 253-3442. It has a decidedly vegetarian feel, but this local deli can make you a mean meat sandwich if that's what you're after. All the bread is baked in their own bakery and all the sandwiches and the raspberry swirl danish are delicious. There are also take-out dinners and The Black Sheep runs a full catering business as well. Serves a wide selection of fair-trade coffees, espresso drinks, and teas. Internet access is available. $5-10. 
  • Cushman Market & Cafe, 491 Pine Street, ☏ +1 413 549-0100. In 1892, George Cogswell bought the land where the Cushman Market and Café is now located. He built a grocery store on the site and the building has remained a market of one kind or another ever since. A comfortable, friendly place with good breakfast and lunch menu. There is also a small, well stocked market featuring wine and beer, local products, and an eclectic mix of gifts. Wi-fi. 
  • Fresh Side, 39 South Pleasant St, ☏ +1 413 256-0296. Asian food and tea restaurant. Their tea rolls are very tasty and filling. They have a small variety of fine tasting teas. The atmosphere is very chill. They have two rooms of seating, with additional seating outdoors and on mats in front of the window. $10-15. 
  • Lone Wolf, 63 Main St, ☏ +1 413 256-4643. Great place to eat breakfast. 
  • Panda East, 103 North Pleasant St, ☏ +1 413 256-8923. Open Monday through Thursday 11:30AM until 10PM, Friday and Saturday 11AM until 11PM, Sunday noon until 10PM. A wide selection of Chinese and Japanese food including a full sushi bar and all the tropical cocktails you could want. $10-20. Stick with more Americanized (fried) fare, avoid wonton soup. 
  • UMass Dining Commons, 4 locations, ☏ +1 413 545-2472. While mainly intended for students, UMass dining commons are open to everyone. The four dining commons- Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, and Worcester, are famous for providing some of the best campus food according to the Princeton Review. It is an all-you-can-eat buffet for $12.50. 

Splurge
  • 🌍 Arigato Sushi, 11 North Pleasant Street, ☏ +1 413 253-1070. The best place to get sushi in Amherst. The food is well prepared and the service is excellent. The atmosphere fits the restaurant very well. Their widescreen television is great for watching the Red Sox game. Try their avocado salad. (updated Oct 2016)
  • 🌍 Chez Albert, 27 South Pleasant Street, ☏ +1 413 253-3811. An intimate French bistro with a simple but high quality menu, based around local organic ingredients. (updated Oct 2016)
  • 🌍 Judie's, 51 North Pleasant St, ☏ +1 413 253-3491. Open Sunday through Thursday 11:30AM until 10PM, Friday and Saturday 11:30AM until 11PM, closed Mondays. A good place for lunch or dinner, located in the center of town. Judie's is famous for their popovers, you can even have your sandwich served in a popover. Great soups, salads and dressings, and very interesting entrees. $15-25. (updated Oct 2016)

Take-out

There are a variety of take-out restaurants that specialize in college-town fare.

Drink

Bars
  • Amherst Brewing Company, 10 University Drive, ☏ +1 413 253-4400. Daily 11:30AM until 1AM. It's in here as a restaurant and a bar because it's both. The ABC brews and serves a full selection of their own beers. It's not the cheapest place to drink but there are more expensive. A beer or a cocktail will run you $3-4. There is live music on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, with karaoke some Thursdays. 
  • Moan and Dove, 460 West St, ☏ +1 413 256-1710. (Route 116). Open until 1AM. The selection of excellent lesser-known brews is the Moan and Dove's claim to fame. Boasting a constantly rotating list of beers you've never heard of, this is a must-see on a drinking tour of Amherst. This bar does not accept out of state IDs without a backup form of identification. 
  • The "college bars", North Pleasant Street. They're pretty much identical: Charlie's, McMurphy's, Delano's. Cheap pitchers or pints of your favorite light American lager. You may want to target one of these bars if you misplaced your valid ID and have to "borrow" someone else's.
  • The Spoke, North Pleasant St. The best dive in town. Not quite chi-chi like ABC or Moan and Dove, but not quite childish like above-mentioned "college bars." Sit down for a $1.50 draft, play some pool (free on Tuesdays), and sometimes they even make free sandwiches.
  • The Harp, 163 Sunderland Rd. Irish bar with live Irish music on Friday nights, and an interesting menu. The must try menu item are the Irish nachos, although the current ones are not as good as their original recipe was. 
  • High Horse, 24 N Pleasant St, ☏ +1 413 230-3034. Large brewpub serving an eclectic selection of their own brews. Huge bar, comfortable interior, and a patio for the summer. (updated Apr 2015)

Coffee
  • Rao's Coffee, 17 Kellogg Av, ☏ +1 413 253-9411. A favorite among the locals. Rao's roasts its own coffee and also offers a variety of blends of tea. Good place to sit down and hang out. Internet access available. 
  • Amherst Coffee, 28 Amity Street, ☏ +1 413 256-8987. Extremely high quality coffee, live Jazz on Thursdays. 

Sleep

Accommodations are sometimes tough to get and are damn near impossible during high demand times like graduation, parents' weekend at the colleges, or football Saturdays. Book ahead of time if you know you're going to be in the area. Also look to Hadley or South Deerfield for some closer lodging or stay in Holyoke, or Springfield and make the 45 minute drive.

By far the cheapest and best way to see and stay in Amherst, though, is by couch surfing. Being a college town, there are a lot of very receptive, very low-key locals (read: students living off campus) who would love to host friendly travelers. Of course, staying with a total stranger can be daunting, even unsafe, so make sure to contact your host prior to arrival, have a backup plan, and use resources like www.couchsurfing.com which allow users to review and rate couch surfers and hosts.

Go next
  • Hike Seven Sisters in the Mt Holyoke Mountain Range 380 Amherst St, South Hadley, MA. A beautiful scenic hike that gives you a complete 180-degree view of the connecticut river and the many farmlands in the area. Located at the westernmost end is the summit house a great place to rest and have a picnic. There is also an area off route 47 where you can drive up or park and hike up the road for anyone who has kids or issues hiking you can still get to the top and enjoy the view!
  • The nearby Mt Holyoke Range State Park is a great place for hiking and fall foliage.
  • The New England Peace Pagoda, the first Nipponzan-Myōhōji Peace Pagoda to be built in the US, completed in 1986, is in the neighboring town of Leverett, to the north.
  • Puffers Pond- State St. Located along mill river puffers pond used to be home to the Norwottuck natives a tribe who had settled along the river banks along with other Native American tribes who used the river and the area surrounding it for hunting and fishing for sometime before settlers came. This historical landmark is now used by the town for swimming and fishing. There are beautiful trails surrounding the pond and make for a great day of site seeing and taking in some fresh air. At the end of one of the paths is a mill river park, an open field with a plays cape and swimming pool. Off to the left are tennis courts and basketball courts a little something for everyone.
Routes through Amherst
Northampton ← Hadley ←  W  E  → Brookfields → Worcester
Adams ← Deerfield ←  N  S  → South Hadley → Springfield


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