Amherst is home Amherst College and the University of Massachusetts. On the surface, Amherst seems like a typical college town, but look closer. The town of Amherst, Massachusetts is also home to permanent residents, and the town is lively and active even during “wintersession,” spring break and summer vacation.
There are some obvious places to visit in Amherst, like the fabulous restaurants Amherst has to offer and the top independent bookstores. There are also some other local favorites that you should visit on a trip to Amherst.
Amherst, MA: Drink It In, Eat it Up
A common activity in Amherst is to study, read and congregate in a coffeehouse. One of the most popular coffeehouses is Rao’s Cofee Roasting Company Cafe. More than a coffeehouse, Rao’s is also a coffee roaster that sells its Africa, South American, and Indoneasian beans wholesale and retail. Rao’s is located on Kellogg Street, behind North Pleasant Street.
Another Amherst favorite is the The Black Sheep Deli. The Black Sheep Deli has been dishing out all-butter bake goods, specialty sandwiches, hot and cold beverages and vegetarian dishes since 1986. They also cater and recently expanded their menu to include fresh and hot entrees to eat in or take out. The Black Sheep is located on 9 Main Street, Amherst, MA 01002.
When you’re looking for a place to stop for lunch, or shop for fresh, local produce, visit Atkins Farms Country Market. Atkins has grown over the years from a large fruit and vegetable market that also baked the most delectable strawberry rhubarb pies to a full-fledged fresh food market. Find everything from local in-season produce, freshly baked pies and baked goods, a full deli and sandwich menu, an extensive meat department, maple products and more. Atkins Farms Country Market is located on 1150 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002.
Off the Beaten Path in Amherst, MA
The Amherst College Museum of Natural History, formerly called the Pratt Museum of Natural History, has had a brand new home since December of 2005. The 1,700 individual specimens are arranged on three floors of exhibits. Items on display include “displays on vertebrate evolution and extinction,” the world’s largest collection of dinosaur tracks, skulls of a Triceratops and a T-rex, as well as free-standing fossil skeletons of a mastodon, a mammoth and a saber-toothed cat.
This natural history museum is a great resource in Amherst that can be enjoyed by the archaeologically curious. Children will be enthralled by the finds at the is local gem. Admission to the Amherst College Museum of Natural History is free. The museum is located on the Amherst College Campus in downtown Amherst. During the week, park in the town garage, which is within walking distance of the museum. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, 11am to 4pm. For more info, call the museum at (413) 542-2165.
The Mullins Center at the University of Massachusetts is best known for UMass hockey games, UMass men’s and women’sbasketball games, and its live performances which range from The Producers to Bob Dylan. Did you also know they offer public skating daily on their Olympic-sized rink? There is fee for skating and skate rentals, unless you are a current UMass undergrad.
The UMass, Amherst campus is no stranger to public sculpture. With the creation of The Sunwheel, UMass takes public sculpture to the level of Stonehenge. The Sunwheel is a circle of large standing stones that arranged to line up with the “horizon of the rising and setting Sun” during equinoxes and solstices. In addition to bringing astronomy to an interactive level. the Sunwheel stands as a “compelling symbol of the connection between our modern society and our past” (UMass). The Sunwheel is on the outskirts of the UMass campus on Rocky Hill Road, near Alumni Stadium.
With a diverse menu for any palette, rich roasted coffee and cafes that urge you to linger, the opportunity to observe dinosaur bones in a free museum and explore a bit of astronomy, you should visit the town of Amherst to experience the well-known venues as well as those that are lesser-known. Who knows what other surprises await you?
