In a New England winter there's nothing more restorative than breathing tropical air, if even for an hour. The Lyman Conservatory at Smith College Botanic Garden (15 College Lane, 413-585-2740, www.smith.edu/garden ) provides that very opportunity. The greenhouses at the conservatory's core were built more than a century ago to offer plant sciences to Smith students, who continue to use the complex for that purpose. (Admission is free, but the institution welcomes donations.) Smith's 125-acre campus is a gem in itself, designed in the 1890s to double as an arboretum by none other than Frederick Law Olmsted. If the snow has yet to fly, Look Memorial Park (300 North Main St., Route 9, Florence, 413-584-5457, lookpark.org ) in the village of Florence, about two miles west of downtown, is a great spot for a stroll or a playground outing.
Paradise found
Rich arts scene and funky shopping in a college town true to its past
Come evening, take in a play or a movie at America's sixth oldest theater and the only one municipally owned, the Academy of Music (274 Main St., 413-584-8435, academyofmusictheatre.com ). December's lineup includes performances of "The Nutcracker" as well as films and regional talent.
Anyone who has ever wanted to dig a tunnel and furnish it will find heaven at the Tunnel Bar (Strong Avenue and Pearl Street, 413-586-5366, unionstationrestaurant.com ), an actual tunnel through the railroad bridge below Union Station. Patrons savor the bar's oversize martinis ($8) in leather armchairs. Not for the claustrophobic. The Toasted Owl Tavern (21 Main St., 413-585-5088, toastedowl.com ) is a sports bar with a classy atmosphere: brick walls, Mission light fixtures, a glorious arched front window, and dark woodwork.
Nightclub cool comes and goes, but Pearl Street (10 Pearl St., 413-584-7771, iheg.com/pearl_street_main.asp ) stays perennially popular with college kids and other rock fans, thanks to ever-hip and danceable live music. Divas (492 Pleasant St., Route 5, 413-586-8161, divasofnoho.com ) is a gay and lesbian/Goth hotspot, housing three bars under one roof. Known for cheap beer and great DJs.
For jazz, blues, and folk, the Calvin Theatre and Performing Arts Center (19 King St., 413-584-1444, iheg.com/calvin_theater_main.asp ) features national headliners such as Mary Chapin Carpenter, Ziggy Marley, and Doc Watson. The more intimate Iron Horse Music Hall (20 Center St., 413-584-0610, iheg.com/iron_horse_main.asp ; see Page D7 for more), keeps alive the small-stage scene with faves like Room Full of Blues, Chris Smither, and Jonathan Edwards .
Northampton has little in the way of lodging downtown, although several chain hotels are within a few minutes' drive. Expand the drive to 20 minutes and a world of choices opens up (valleyvisitor.com). Fans of country bed-and-breakfasts can find plenty of scenic spots in the surrounding villages (hidden-hills.com ). In town, the premier place to stay is the Hotel Northampton, smack in the city center (36 King St., 413-584-3100, hotelnorthampton.com, doubles $180-$190 a night December weekends ). This sprawling Colonial Revival grand dame, established in 1927, has been crowned a National Trust Historic Hotel .
Next closest are the Autumn Inn (259 Elm St., 413-584-7660, doubles $99 a night in December ), about a mile northwest of town on Route 9, near the Smith campus, and the Best Western (117 Conz St., Route 5, 413-586-1500, bestwestern.com, doubles $99 a night in December ), about a quarter-mile south of Main Street.