Town

    Where to Stay in North Adams

    North Adams was a factory city that lost most of its industry when the mills closed. MASS MoCA, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, opened in 1999 in a complex of 19th-century factory buildings, and its galleries are large enough for installations that need a great deal of space. The town has grown around it since. The Porches Inn sits across River Street from MASS MoCA in a row of restored Victorian row houses, with a four-season outdoor pool. TOURISTS, a former motor lodge on the Hoosic River, has 46 rooms on 80 wooded acres with trails and live music. Williamstown is about 6 miles west on Route 2, with Williams College, the Clark Art Institute and the Williams College Museum of Art. North Adams has a more urban, industrial feel, while Williamstown is a classic college town, and they are close enough to split a weekend.

    TOURISTS

    North Adams · Motel / Hotel

    A former roadside motor lodge on the Hoosic River, rebuilt as a 46-room hotel on 80 wooded acres with trails, sculpture installations and a live music series. MASS MoCA is a few minutes away. TOURISTS Homes, a group of 19th-century houses in the neighboring Blackinton Historic District, opened in 2024 for longer stays.

    Design-forwardWalkableBohemian
    $$View lodge →
    The Porches Inn at MASS MoCA

    The Porches Inn at MASS MoCA

    North Adams · Inn

    Forty-seven rooms in a row of restored Victorian row houses at 231 River Street, directly across the street from MASS MoCA, each house painted a different color. There is a four-season outdoor pool, an outdoor hot tub, a Finnish-style sauna and a fitness center, and breakfast is included in the daily amenity fee. The interiors mix eclectic decor with the original Victorian details, and dogs are welcome.

    Design-forwardBohemianWalkable
    $$View lodge →

    Why Stay in North Adams

    • •MASS MoCA's galleries fill a former factory complex, with room for very large installations.
    • •The Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, about 6 miles west, has an Impressionist collection and 140 acres of trails.
    • •North Adams has restaurants and bars around the museum, along with The Porches Inn and TOURISTS.

    What Makes This Area Interesting

    • •MASS MoCA: the museum campus covers an entire city block of 19th-century factory buildings; check the current exhibitions before visiting, as the program shifts significantly.
    • •Clark Art Institute: Williamstown, about 6 miles west; Impressionist paintings, Old Master drawings, reflecting pools and 140 acres of trails.
    • •Mount Greylock: the highest point in Massachusetts; trailheads accessible from North Adams via Notch Road; the Appalachian Trail crosses the summit.
    • •Natural Bridge State Park: North Adams; a natural marble arch carved by glacial meltwater; open seasonally.

    Explore Nearby Towns

    WilliamstownPittsfield
    Boutique Hotels in the BerkshiresWalkable Hotels in Lenox, Stockbridge & North Adams

    Frequently Asked

    MASS MoCA is open year-round, so North Adams works in any season. Summer has the fullest program. Fall foliage in the northern Berkshires peaks in early to mid-October, and Mount Greylock is close by. Winter is quiet, but the museum stays open.

    About 3 hours from the George Washington Bridge via the Taconic Parkway and Route 2 east. From Boston, roughly 3 hours via Route 2 west. Albany is about 1 hour west.

    Yes. They are about 6 miles apart on Route 2, and a full day can cover both, with 2 to 3 hours at each. Many visitors prefer to give each its own day.
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