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Transforming a school visit into a getaway weekend

 BOSTON – August 20, 2014 – Not only does Massachusetts offer some of the top universities in the country, it is also home to some of the top college towns. Anyone who has been to college knows that sometimes scoping out the college town is as important as choosing the college. Whether it is hiking through the Berkshires in Williamstown, rock climbing in Worcester or seeing a midnight movie at a 100-year-old theater in Somerville, each Massachusetts college town has something to offer, making those college visits that much more appealing. And well, after the fifth college tour, everyone needs to have a little fun.

Williams College ~ Williamstown, MA

The scenic views of the Berkshires are what make this college town so memorable, especially in the fall when leaf peeping is prevalent. Hiking and running on the trails through the Berkshires are popular, as is taking advantage of the arts. The Williams College Museum of Art and the Clark Art Institute feature pieces from all over the globe. Mass MoCa, The Museum of Contemporary Art, is just 15 minutes away in North Adams and houses one of the most notable contemporary art collections in North America.

Amherst College and University of Massachusetts Amherst ~ Amherst, MA

For the culture buff, downtown Amherst has a plethora of museums themed around literature, language and art. The Emily Dickinson Museum features the poet’s home and her brother’s home, The Evergreens. The first Yiddish museum and the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (The Very Hungry Caterpillar) also reside in Amherst. Don’t miss the Mead Art Museum for Mexican ceramics and Tibetan scroll paintings, and Beneski Museum of Natural History. The University Museum of Contemporary Art at University of Massachusetts will exhibit a new gift of six Warhol prints in January 2015.

College of the Holy Cross ~ Worcester, MA

A day spent in Worcester takes many directions, beginning at the EcoTarium – Museum of Science and Nature, a unique indoor-outdoor museum offering a chance to walk through the treetops, take a thrilling multimedia journey through the galaxy at a digital planetarium, meet wildlife, and stroll nature trails.  Next, head to the Worcester Art Museum to see a 35,000-piece collection of paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, prints and new media. Then work up a sweat and challenge your strength at Central Rock Climbing Center, an enormous indoor rock climbing gym. Afterwards, take in a little history by marveling at the Bancroft Tower, a 56-foot high natural stone and granite tower, which resembles a miniature feudal castle. The last stop is Salisbury Mansion, Worcester’s only historic house museum, considered one of the best-documented historic house museums in New England.

Smith College ~ Northampton, MA

Northampton is the perfect mix of funky and charming because of its boutiques and cafes, drawing in tourists and students alike. The Smith College Museum of Art has been named one of the top museums at a liberal arts college, equipped with artist-designed bathrooms. On the second Fridays of every month, galleries open their doors after hours for Arts Night Out.  The 127-acre campus of Smith College includes an arboretum and gardens like a Japanese Garden, Rock Garden and Woodland Garden, to name a few. These make up The Botanic Garden of Smith College.

Tufts University  ~ Medford and Somerville, MA

Somerville, known as the hipster capital of the Boston area, has become a major hub for new restaurants, while still maintaining its retro theater, candlepin bowling alley and old Portuguese eateries. The Somerville Theater is a movie theater and concert venue built in 1914 designed for vaudeville and opera. Today, it shows both old and new movies, while serving beer, wine and ice cream sundaes. Sarma Restaurant is a popular destination for its menu of modern Turkish tapas and notable cocktail program. Sacco’s Bowl Haven , a candlepin bowling alley, opened in 1939 and now it is adjoined to Flatbread pizza, a 16-year-old pizza joint that began in Amesbury, MA. Taza Chocolate also resides in Somerville, offering public tours and free tastes of Mexican-style dark chocolate. Over in Medford, hike around the picturesque reservoir of the Middlesex Fells Reservation.

For more information on colleges in Massachusetts visit https://www.massvacation.com/explore/colleges/ .

About MOTT:

The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) is the state agency dedicated to promoting Massachusetts as a leisure-travel destination. An integral part of the state’s economy, tourism generates close to $1 billion in state and local taxes and $16.9 billion in travel related expenditures, supporting 124,700 in-state jobs. massvacation.com

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For more information, contact:

Annie Moloney, Director of Communications

Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism

617 – 973-8531

[email protected]

or

Molly Kravitz, Public Relations Manager

Connelly Partners

Mobile # 317-919-5252 ~ Office # 617-521-5431

[email protected]