15 Best Things to Do in South Hadley (MA)
Located on the east bank of the Connecticut River, South Hadley is best known for being home to the historic Mount Holyoke College. Founded in 1837, this prestigious women’s liberal arts college has perhaps the finest campus in New England. Magnificent brick architecture, fall foliage, mosaic gardens, and sights like the exceptional Mount Holyoke College Museum of Art and the Skinner Museum, a fascinating curiosity cabinet housed in an ancient church, are worth enjoying. To the north of South Hadley is the Trapprock Ridge of the Holyoke Mountains. Two state parks are easily accessible for hiking and bluff views. 1. Lady Bea Boat Rides From Memorial Day weekend to Columbus Day, travel along the mighty Connecticut River aboard this cruise ship docked at Brunel’s Marina in South Hadley. This is a family business and Lady Bea is named after her early 20th century matriarch. In season, cruises depart at 1:00, 4:00, and 6:00 pm Thursday through Sunday, with additional departures at 7:00 pm on sunny days in midsummer. Listen to a fun and engaging narration full of historical tidbits as you travel upstream to Northampton and back, enjoying spectacular scenery along the way. Lady Bea is also available for private charters, parties, and corporate outings and has a fully stocked bar serving drinks and snacks. 2. McCray’s Farm For nearly half a century, this local dairy has welcomed the public to a variety of activities and events. In the fall, the best part is taking a hay wagon ride to the pumpkin fields and star gazing after dark. Since its inception in 1991, this haunted hay wagon with a haunted park has been one of the most popular Halloween attractions in western Massachusetts every weekend in October. McCray’s Farm also has a mini golf course, a children’s playground, and a petting zoo where you can feed sheep, cows, ducks, and goats. As for the food, there are plenty of ice cream flavors and sandwiches ranging from burgers to melts to wraps to hot dogs. 3. Skinner Museum Silk magnate Joseph Allen Skinner (1862-1946) was a principal patron of Mount Holyoke College and bequeathed a very diverse collection after his death. The work is kept at Mount He’s Holyoke University Museum of Art, displayed as a cabinet of traditional curiosities in the memorable setting of the old First Congregational Church (1846) in Prescott, Massachusetts. Every square inch of available space is filled with Native American artifacts, marine-related items, rare books and documents, minerals and fossils, 19th-century memorabilia, fine glassware, pottery, historic lighting, and marine ethnography. It is filled with items such as 4. Tower Theaters A two-screen movie theater, open since 1989, is housed in a pretty gabled building on the Village Commons. Tower Theaters is a boutique hotel, but the auditorium has ample space and large, comfortable seating. Being a small business, service is a big improvement over corporate complexes, with lots of nice touches like freshly baked popcorn and refills on most drinks. You can usually see Hollywood premieres, indie movies, and sometimes cult and classic movies here. 5. Odyssey Bookshop A must-stop at the Village Commons is the independent bookstore, which opened in 1963. The Odyssey Bookshop is the exclusive retailer of Mount Holyoke University textbooks, but there’s also a top-notch children’s section on the ground floor that’s a must-see for parents. If you live in South Hadley, you can take advantage of the Booklover program for frequent shopping and discounts. One of the notable things about this store is that it has a very busy calendar of events. Several authors appear each week in book readings, question-and-answer sessions, and book signings. 6. Mount Holyoke Range State Park If Skinner State Park whets your appetite for cinematic scenery and unique rock formations, explore the eastern half of the range at Mt Holyoke Range State Park. There are more than 3,700 acres of wilderness here, followed by the Metacomet Monadnock Trail, which stretches along the ridge for miles. If you’re hiking east to the highest point in the range, Mount Norwotuck (1,106 feet), the Notch Visitor Center is a great place to pit and get your bearings. Away from the ledges, the park offers miles of hiking trails through forests and wetlands, and some of the best mountain biking in the area along the Serpentine and roller-coaster trails. 7. Ledges Golf Club Located near the eastern bank of the Connecticut River, this 18-hole public course is set in beautiful and varied scenery. Some are open-and-link style holes that incorporate natural wetlands, while others pass through undulating mature forests. The course has a number of elevated tees and greens offering great views of the surrounding hills. He can choose from 4 sets of tees to suit his skill level. Aside from the woods, the main obstacle is his 78 bunkers, which are known to be tough on even the most experienced players. Amenities include a driving range, a short game area, an accessible clubhouse, a golf shop, and a sunset grill to relax after a round. 8. ValleyBike Share Over the past decade, the City of South Hadley has put a lot of effort into improving its infrastructure to make it safer for motorcycle travelers. The city is already characterized by relatively low car traffic. You may have noticed that US 116 and US 202 have designated minor curb bike lanes along Morgan Street and Lyman Street. With this in mind, South Hadley is Pioneer Valley’s first bike-sharing program, with police stations and stations in town. Pay per ride or become a member and enjoy unlimited 45-minute rides daily, monthly, or yearly. 9. Buttery Brook Park South Hadley’s largest public park is located south of the city, about three miles from downtown. Situated along the creek of the same name that meanders through the park’s vast open fields, the property was chartered by the city in the late 1950s and used by the fire department until the 1990s. A great summer attraction for