Lenox (Massachusetts) - town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States

Lenox is a town in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, about 3 hours from New York City and 2½ hours from Boston. Lenox is an arts-lover's dream, home to Tanglewood. There are also several stately mansions and prestigious boarding schools in the area.

Get in

• From the west (3 hours from New York City): Take the Taconic State Parkway. Exit at "Hillsdale, Claverack, Route 23" and follow Route 23 East to Great Barrington. North on Route 7 through Stockbridge. Left onto Route 7A into Lenox.
• From the east (2½ hours from Boston): Take the Massachusetts Turnpike to Exit 2, marked Lee. Follow Route 20 West about 4 miles beyond Lee then left on to Route 183 into Lenox.
• From the south (75 minutes from Hartford): North on I-91 to the Massachusetts Turnpike West to exit 2; then as above.

Get around

The small downtown area is easily walkable, and Tanglewood is just a mile from the central crossroads. To go farther, you will probably need at least a bicycle if not a motor vehicle.

See

• Ventfort Hall Museum of the Gilded Age, 104 Walker Street, +1 413 637-3206. Sa Su 10AM-3PM. Gilded Age mansion. $9/$4
• Mount Estate and Gardens of Edith Wharton, 2 Plunkett Street, +1 413 551-5100, admin@edithwharton.org. Daily May–Oct 9AM-5PM. Elegant 1902 mansion and magnificent formal gardens designed by Edith Wharton, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and authority on architecture, interior design and gardens.
• Lenox Athenaeum, +1 413 637-1087. Seminars on classical music, theater, dance, literature, and other subjects. Music recitals, private and charitable functions, as well as lectures that promote an appreciation of the history, literature, and the natural beauty of the Berkshires.
• Shakespeare & Company, 70 Kemble Street, +1 413 637-3353, boxoffice@shakespeare.org. Mid June-late Oct. Morning, noon and night. Walking trails, picnic areas, free outdoor family performances. Experience eight plays on three indoor and outdoor stages.

Do

• Tanglewood, 297 West Street, +1 413 637-1600. Summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Tanglewood Music Center, and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute.
• Undermountain Farm Riding Stable, 400 Undermountain Rd, +1 413 637-3365. Pony rides ($20) and guided trail rides ($55). Schooling shows.
• Berkshire Horseback Adventures, 293 Main Street, +1 413 637-9090.
• Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, 472 West Mountain Road, +1 413 637-0320, berkshires@massaudubon.org. Daily July-mid Oct; Off season: Tu-Su and Monday holidays. Over 7 mi (11.25 km) of trails on 1500 acres.
• Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, West St. and Richmond Mountain Rd. Offers yoga, meditation, massage and other healing arts.
• Kennedy Park, 275 Main Street (just past the Church on the Hill at the top of Main Street). A compact multi-use park on the site of a former Gilded Age resort home now reverted to forest. Free

Buy

Eat

• Blantyre, Blantyre Rd, +1 413 637-3556, welcome@blantyre.com. Mobil Five-Star Award and the Wine Spectator’s 2003 Best of Award of Excellence.
• Chocolate Springs Cafe, +1 413 637-9820, joshua@chocolatesprings.com. Pastry Café.
• Church Street Cafe, 65 Church St, +1 413 637-2745, ChurStCafe@aol.com. Lunch, dinner. Regional & ethnic dishes. Vegetarian items available. Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.
• Cranwell Resort, Spa and Golf Club, 55 Lee Rd, +1 413 637-1364, info@cranwell.com.
• Dish Cafe Bistro, 37 Church St, +1 413 637-1800. Breakfast, lunch & carry out daily.
• Firefly, 71 Church St, +1 413 637-2700. Lunch, dinner. Wine Spectator “Award of Excellence”.
• Gateways Inn and Restaurant, 51 Walker St, +1 413 637-2532, frontdesk@gatewaysinn.com. 2015-03-17
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• Prime Italian Steakhouse & Bar, 15 Franklin St, +1 413 637-2998, Catgallo@msn.com. Great wine list, late night entertainment on weekends.
• Seven Hills Inn and Restaurant, 40 Plunkett St, +1 413 637-0060, 7hills@berkshire.net. Gourmet dining on fine china.
• {{eat | name=Spigalina Restaurant | alt= | url=http://www.spigalina.com (dead link: December 2020) | email= | address=80 Main St | lat= | long= | directions= | phone =+1 413 637-4455 | tollfree= | fax= | hours= | price= | content= }}
• Trattoria Il Vesuvio, 242 Pittsfield Rd (Routes 7 & 20), +1 413 637-4904, info@trattoria-vesuvio.com.
• Village Inn, 16 Church St, +1 413 637-0021. Full breakfast, Afternoon English tea, Candelight dinners.
• Wheatleigh, +1 413 637-0610. Hawthorne Rd. Year-round. Lunch and dinner daily. Prix-fixe.

Drink

• Olde Heritage Tavern, 12 Housatonic St, +1 413 637-0884. Neighborhood bar, very casual. Pool, darts, jukebox, and pub food.

Sleep

• Days Inn Lenox, 194 Pittsfield Rd, RT 7 & 20, +1 413 637-3560. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Free wireless Internet access, breakfast included, outside pool, free parking, TV with cable HBO, free newspaper.
• {{sleep | name=Knights Inn Lenox | url=http://www.knightsinnlenox.com (dead link: December 2020) | email= | address=474 Pittsfield Rd | lat= | long= | directions= | phone = +1 413 443-4468 | tollfree= | fax= | hours= | price= | checkin=3PM | checkout=11AM | content=Free wireless Internet access, free breakfast, free parking, TV with cable, pet-friendly. }}
• {{sleep | name=Howard Johnson Express Inn | url=http://www.hojolenox.com (dead link: December 2020) | email= | address=462 Pittsfield Road, Routes 7 and 20 | lat= | long= | directions= | phone = +1 413 442-4000 | tollfree= | fax= | hours= | price= | checkin=3PM | checkout=11AM | content=Jacuzzi rooms, free wireless Internet access, free breakfast, outside pool, handicap rooms, free parking, TV with cable. }}
• Apple Tree Inn, 10 Richmond Mountain Rd, +1 413 637-1477, innkeepers@appletree-inn.com. Walk to Tanglewood. Pool & tennis.
• Berkshire Inns - Yankee Inn, 461 Pittsfield Rd, +1 413 499-3700, reservations@yankeeinn.com. (Rtes 7 & 20). 6 room categories, outdoor pool, AAA 3-Diamond.
• Birchwood Inn, 7 Hubbard St, 42.362962°, -73.281722°, +1 413 637-2600, innkeeper@birchwood-inn.com. Elegant country bed and breakfast featuring comfortable rooms with private baths, luxury linens, and free Wi-Fi. Breakfast included. Pet friendly rooms available. $199-369
• Blantyre, Blantyre Rd, +1 413 637-3556, welcome@blantyre.com. Tennis courts, heated pool. Recipient of the Mobil Five-Star Award.
• Brook Farm Inn, 15 Hawthorne St, +1 413 637-3013, innkeeper@brookfarm.com. 15 rooms.
• Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires, 165 Kemble St, +1 413 637-4100. Dedicated to healthy living and fitness. Classes, hiking & biking, spa & body treatments, nutritious gourmet dining, private consultations and workshops.
• Chesapeake Inn of Lenox, 210 West St, +1 413 637-3429, cinnlenox@aol.com. 1/4 mile to Tanglewood. 75' Heated lap pool.
• Cliffwood Inn, 25 Cliffwood St, +1 413 637-3330, joy@cliffwood.com. 7 rooms.
• Cranwell Resort, Spa and Golf Club, 55 Lee Rd, +1 413 637-1364, info@cranwell.com. AAA Four Diamond Resort. 107 rooms, indoor/outdoor pools, 18-hole championship golf course, tennis, x-c skiing, 3 restaurants on property.
• Garden Gables Inn, 135 Main St, +1 413 637-0193, innkeeper@lenoxinn.com. 18-room Colonial Inn. In center of Lenox Village. Largest outdoor pool in Berkshire County.
• Gateways Inn and Restaurant, 51 Walker St, +1 413 637-2532, frontdesk@gatewaysinn.com. 12 rooms. Pricey and worth it. 2015-02-24
• Hampton Terrace, 91 Walker St, +1 413 637-1773, info@hamptonterrace.com. 14 rooms. One mile to Tanglewood.
• Howard Johnson Express Inn, +1 413 442-4000. Routes 7 & 20.
• Kemble Inn, 2 Kemble St, +1 413 637-4113, kemble@bcn.net.
• Ponds at Foxhollow, +1 413 637-1469, reservations@pondsatfoxhollow.com. Route 7. One- and two-bedroom condominiums.
• Rookwood Inn, 11 Old Stockbridge Rd, +1 413 637-9750, stay@rookwoodinn.com. At town center. One of New York Magazine’s 30 best B&Bs.
• Seven Hills Inn and Restaurant, 40 Plunkett St, +1 413 637-0060, 7hills@berkshire.net. 1911 mansion with fine dining.
• Stonover Farm, 169 Under Mountain Rd, +1 413 637-9100, stonoverfarm@aol.com. 3 suites and separate cottage. Walk to Tanglewood.
• Summer White House, 17 Main St, +1 413 637-4489, gable@berkshire.net. Walk to Tanglewood.
• Village Inn, 16 Church St, +1 413 637-0020, info@villageinn-lenox.com. Year round. 32 rooms. Historic 1771 inn.
• Walker House, 64 Walker St, +1 413 637-1271, walkerhouse.inn@verizon.net. 8 rooms.
• Wheatleigh, Hawthorne Rd, +1 413 637-0610, info@wheatleigh.com. 19 rooms. Walk to Tanglewood.
• Whistler's Inn, 5 Greenwood St, +1 413 637-0975, rmears3246@aol.com.
• The Lenox Inn (info@thelenoxinn.com), 525 Pittsfield Rd, +1 413 499-0324.

Go next

Jacob's Pillow dance festival is in Becket, about a half hour's drive from Lenox, depending on traffic.