Several locations in town were used in the film The Cider House Rules.
Once the playground of the well-heeled from the Victorian and Industrial eras, Lenox has had a long love affair with artists and celebrities—from authors Nathaniel Hawthorn and Catharine Sedgwick to actress Fanny Kemble and musician James Taylor. It’s been the cultural heart of the Berkshires for centuries, which makes it one of the county’s most-visited towns. Postcard-pretty and cosmopolitan-minded, Lenox is chock-full of sites for hiking, biking, shopping, antiquing, art, golfing, lodging, and dining.
The summer “cottage” of novelist Edith Wharton, The Mount is now both a museum and a learning center, featuring talks by a host of well-regarded authors. Don’t miss the impeccably restored gardens.
Owned by the Massachusetts Audubon Society, this nature preserve features hiking trails, exhibits, and great spots for watching beavers, owls, and other wild creatures.
Professional live theater, including both Shakespeare’s works and other classic and contemporary plays. It’s is also home to an impressive actor training and theater-in-education program.
The summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Tanglewood is an event in itself. Locals and tourists alike flock here in the summer, picnics in hand (or on wagons; Berkshire residents are serious about their picnics) to listen to everything from Beethoven symphonies to John Williams’ film scores and the jazzy stylings of Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga.
