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General Information: Overview: Local Amenities

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The Zen Peacemakers headquarter's and Maezumi Institute's location in the Pioneer Valley makes it a great place to visit for both city and country lovers. Home to the Five Colleges, Hampshire, Amherst, the University of Massachusetts, Smith and Mount Holyoke the area is enriched with an enormous offering of both spiritual and mundane delights.

Only minutes away...

New England Peace Pagoda and Japanese gardens, just down the road. The Montague Bookmill, is a used bookstore and cafe housed in a gristmill from the 1800s with a spectacular perch over a waterfall. The Leverett Village Coop (and small cafè) is a great place to hang out. Butterfly lovers might like the Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory and history lovers will enjoy Historic Deerfield.

20-30 minutes away...

Amherst: Home to Emily Dickinson House, Amherst is also where you will find Hampshire College which houses the National Yiddish Book Center and The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. The University of Massachusetts offers a slate of cultural events including Bright Moments Jazz Festival in the summer. It's worth a visit to Amherst College's Pratt Museum of Natural History to see their great collection of dinosaur skeletons as well as the Mead Art Museum which houses more than 14,000 pieces of art.

Northampton: With a well-earned reputation as one of the best "small art cities in America" (locals claim that Northampton is home to more artists, writers, and musicians per square foot than any other community between Soho and Montreal) this city is home to dozens of great restaurants, coffeehouses, jewelry and clothing stores, galleries and bookstores. Musicians from everywhere come to the Calvin Theater, Academy for the Arts, Iron Horse and Pearl Street. Film lovers can check out Pleasant Street Theater, the Academy or if you are lucky, the Northampton independent Film Festival. Arts lovers can time their visits to the twice-yearly Paradise Arts Festival or visit the recently renovated Smith College Museum of Art.

Shelburne Falls is also a great little town with great architecture and wonderful restaurants. It's the home of the geological phenomenon known as Glacial Potholes and the wonderful Bridge of Flowers.

For great day trips...

Venture out to the nearby Berkshires to the internationally known Tanglewood Music Festival. (Kripalu is right next door) and Jacob's Pillow, for music and dance respectively. Mass MOCA in North Adams is the largest center for contemporary arts in the United States.

For outdoor lovers...

Bring your bicycle because Montague has some of the area's best bicycle riding trails in the area. Or try the Norwottock Bike Trail that links Amherst and Northampton. Hikers will be in heaven with the Robert Frost trail running right through the HOOP campus. Other nearby trails include Mount Metacomet-Monadnock Trail, Mount Sugarloaf both of which run right nearby. Water lovers should check out Puffers Pond for swimming. The Deerfield River has tubing and whitewater rafting. (Check out Zoar Outdoor and Crab Apple for more information.) You can also put your kayak or canoe into the nearby Connecticut River.

For more info, pick up a copy of The Valley Advocate.


177 Ripley Road | Montague, MA 01351 | Phone: (413) 367-2080 | 2007 Zen Peacemakers