Museum quality

Town boasts Mass MOCA and a countryside of pristine beauty

MASS MoCA is one of the nation's largest centers for contemporary visual arts. (Mark Wilson/Globe Staff)

NORTH ADAMS
DISTANCE FROM BOSTON: 140 miles
POPULATION: 13,842
WEBSITES: www.northadams-ma.gov, www.berkshirechamber.com
ODD FACT: The turn-of-the-last-century Kimball Building on Main Street was built on steel pilings atop a quicksand pit.

North Adams is tucked in the rolling hills of the northern Berkshires, close to where Massachusetts intersects with Vermont and New York. Often called the "City of Steeples," for the seven churches clustered within a block of a central square, the town was a prosperous manufacturing and railroad center in the 19th and 20th centuries. Many mills, commercial buildings, and historic homes remain, some restored or transformed for 21st-century usage, most notably the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. Though the museum has attracted new galleries, restaurants, artist studios, and shops to the area, the place retains its small-town charm. The surrounding wooded, pastoral countryside is filled with places to hike, bike, and explore.

You could easily spend a day at MASS MoCA (1040 Mass MoCA Way, 413-662-2111, www.massmoca.org), one of the largest centers for contemporary visual and performing arts in the country. Housed in the former Sprague Electric Co. plant, which itself originally housed a 13-acre, 19th-century, textile-mill complex, the campus includes enormous galleries with changing exhibitions, a bookstore, restaurants, and shops. The performing arts schedule includes music, theater, dance, film and video, dance parties, and cabaret. If you're visiting with children, check out Kidspace at MASS MoCA (413-664-4481, extension 8131, www.massmoca.org/kidspace), an interactive gallery on the third floor. If that isn't enough art for one visit, take advantage of the once-a-year open studios at the Eclipse Mill Artist Lofts (243 Union St., 413-664-9101, www.eclipse mill.com), part of the North Adams Open Studios weekend, Oct. 18-19. The Eclipse Mill, a four-story former textile plant, is home to potters, painters, musicians, ceramicists, and other artists. If you miss the big weekend, its first-floor gallery is open weekends noon-5 p.m.

Gramercy Bistro (24 Marshall St., 413-663-5300, www.gramercybistro.com, entrees $18-$26, dinner only), which has been open since 2001, is a local favorite. Chef/owner Alexander Smith offers creative American fare that focuses on organic, farm-raised meats and locally grown produce, such as seared sea scallops with fire-roasted poblano sauce and Berkshire pork chops with caramelized onions. Around the corner, Kate and Matt Schilling recently opened The Hub (55 Main St., 413-662-2500, dinners 10.95-$19.95) a casual place for tasty and affordable breakfast (on weekends), lunch, and dinner. The all-homemade menu includes omelets, soups, salads, quesadillas, burgers, meat loaf and roasted half-chicken. Eddie and Valerie Ceccherini's restaurant, Red Sauce (139 Ashland St., 413-662-2200, www.redsauceristo rante.com, entrees $12.95-$23.95), brings their family's Boston North End dining traditions to the Berkshires with dishes like baked ravioli, chicken parmigiana, and seafood fra diavlo. If you're craving sushi, head to Jae's Inn Restaurant (1111 South State St., 413-664-0100, www.jaesinn.com, dinner entrees $16.95-$18.95), which serves the same creative Asian cuisine as in its Boston locations.

The area surrounding North Adams is a hiker's heaven. Nearby Mount Greylock was the first state park in Massachusetts. Although the road system at Mount Greylock State Reservation (Visitor Center, 30 Rockwell Road, Lanesborough, 413-499-4262, www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/mtGreylock) is closed for renovations until sometime in 2009, the hiking trails remain open. Kids love the Natural Bridge State Park (McCauley Road, off Route 8, 413-663-6392, 413-663-8469 off-season, www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/nbdg.htm), a 48-acre park with a naturally formed white marble arch, man-made marble dam, and an abandoned marble quarry. History buffs will enjoy the restored railroad freight yard at Western Gateway Heritage State Park (115 State St., Building 4, 413-663-6312, www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/wghp.htm). Exhibits focus on the history of North Adams, local railroading, and digging the Hoosac Tunnel. Also in this location you'll find both the North Adams Historical Society and the Museum of History and Science (Building 5A, 413-664-4700, www.geo cities.com/northadamshistory).

There weren't many options for nighttime entertainment until The Alley opened in early September (23 Eagle St., 413-662-2223). A bar and nightclub located on a small downtown street, there's a limited menu of soups, sandwiches, and other bar foods. On weekends, the club upstairs will have a changing schedule of comedy, live jazz, and open mike nights starting in November. For more active nightlife, knock down some ten pins at Mount Greylock Bowl, (41 Roberts Drive, 413-663-3761). The snack bar serves things like cheeseburgers and fries, and there's also a full bar.

If you're traveling with kids (or are kids at heart) don't miss Persnickety Toys (13 Eagle St., 413-662-2990) where the shelves are jam-packed with games, puzzles, science and craft kits, jewelry, puppets, books, and more. Farther down the street, Dragonflii (43 Eagle St., 413-663-4274) sells original, hand-printed California clothes for young women at affordable prices. Poke around Papyri Books (45 Eagle St., 413-662-2099, www.papyribooks .net) for new and used tomes while enjoying a changing exhibition of work by local artists. Moulton's General Store (77 Main St., 413-664-7770) is an old-fashioned delight, and includes I Got Goodies (www.igotgood ies.com), a mouth-watering selection of handmade chocolates, bonbons, truffles, and other temptations. Over on the MASS MoCA complex, Hudson's (1112 Mass MoCA Way, 413-664-6530, www.northadamsantiques .com/HUDSONS) features a salon-type display of local artist works as well as antiques, jewelry, Persian rugs, and collectibles.

In downtown North Adams, The Porches Inn (231 River St., 413-664-0400, www.porches.com, in-season: $179-$425, off-season: $130-$325) offers refined retro-granny accommodations in renovated Victorian-era row houses. Located directly behind MASS MoCA, amenities include a year-round outdoor pool, sauna, fitness center, and hot tub. Holiday Inn Berkshires (40 Main St., 413-663-6500, www.holidayinn.com, $130-$160) is your basic reliable chain hotel. A short drive west toward Williamstown, Blackinton Manor (1391 Massachusetts Ave., 800-795-8613, 413-663-5795, www.blackinton-manor.com, in-season $129-$225, off-season $115-$175) is a five-room B&B in an elegant, restored 19th-century mansion. Weekend breakfasts include hot offerings like omelets or cinnamon French toast. Heading south, Jae's Inn (See Fuel. In-season $135-$160, off-season $95-$125) has a spa, fitness center, and sushi restaurant.