Wait, where’s Great Barrington? When Great Barrington was named #1 in Smithsonian magazine’s “20 Best Small Towns of America” in 2012, it was still under the radar, a place whispered about with reverential wonder. Now it’s fast becoming the choice of many homebuyers looking in Berkshire County.
Great Barrington is located south of Interstate 90 via Route 7, making it an easy reach from New York State or eastern Massachusetts. From Boston, it’s a two-and-a-half hour drive. From New York City, Great Barrington is reachable in under 3 hours. Here are five reasons why you should buy a home in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
A Wide Variety of Properties for Sale
“Location, location, location” is the mantra of many realtors, but in Great Barrington our agents can add “variety, variety, variety.”
Great Barrington is a 257-year old city, which means it’s seen its fair share of building booms and architecture trends. In other words, it offers potential homebuyers a wide variety of properties to choose from. There are large Victorians with views of the Housatonic River, reasonably priced split-levels around Christian Hill Road, country estates with stables, four-bedroom Colonials, energy-efficient contemporaries, riverfront properties, and condos.
Easy to Reach from Boston and New York
Cape Cod, the Hamptons, the Hudson Valley, and Connecticut have long been the areas Bostonians and New Yorkers look to when in search of second homes.
But Berkshire County—roughly equidistant from Boston and New York—is gaining traction as a real estate market. The area is quiet and less built-up than Cape Cod or the Hamptons. Homebuyers are betting on the Berkshires, renovating the farmhouses and 19th-century homes they always wanted, all while staying close to relatives in the Northeast.
Beautiful Ways to Stay Active
The summit of Monument Mountain rewards the hiker with views of Mount Greylock and the New York Catskills.
With hiking trails, bike paths, ski hills, and more bucolic pastures than the English Cotswolds, the Berkshires is a nature lover’s paradise.
Turn left down a country road and you’ll find Monument Mountain, a boulder-strewn climb with stunning vistas. Turn right, and you’re face to face with the Appalachian Trail. (Massachusetts is home to 90 of the Appalachian Trail’s 2,175 miles).
Finally, don’t miss the Great Barrington Berkshire Bike Route. It starts at the historic Town Hall, lasts 14.6 miles, and passes the W.E.B Du Bois Homestead Site, Simon’s Rock College of Bard, and the Great Barrington Housatonic River Walk.
Unique Ways to Stay Culturally Plugged In
BroadwayWorld called Barrington Stage Company’s 2019 summer production of Into the Woods “a triumph.” Photo: Stephen Sorokoff, Barrington Stage Company
Great Barrington’s arts scene is thriving. The Barrington Stage Company, the Berkshire International Film Festival, and the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center are just a few of the city’s cultural attractions.
Residents also have easy access to Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and Shakespeare & Company in nearby Lenox.
Top Community Services and Amenities
For a small town, Great Barrington has big-city services and amenities. Billed as the “tastiest small town in New England,” Great Barrington’s Main Street is nicknamed Restaurant Row. Things are just as food-focused on the outskirts of town, where the Bistro Box, an artisanal roadside burger joint, is a local favorite.
Meanwhile, the shopping in Great Barrington is French country meets gentleman farmer, with numerous stores selling handcrafted goods and apparel.
When it comes to health care services, Berkshire Healthcare is an award-winning provider. In addition to health care, it provides the region with hospice services, senior housing, and specialized and support services.
“Monument Mountain” by Tom Walsh is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
