1. NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS
The Five Colleges region of the Pioneer Valley is the perfect weekend retreat, especially when fall foliage turns the rolling hills crimson and a bursting apple orchard seems always just around the bend. Start your tour biking on the 10-mile Norwottuck Rail Trail, which stretches east from Northampton to Belchertown. For a rush, pedal across the Connecticut River on a 1,400-foot-long bridge. Or simply stroll the expansive grounds of Amherst, Mount Holyoke, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Hampshire, or Smith – its landscaping was originally created by Frederick Law Olmsted, designer of Boston’s Emerald Necklace and New York’s Central Park. While you’re on campus, head to the Smith College Museum of Art (413-585-2760, http://www.smith.edu/artmuseum), where sculptures by Rodin, Calder, and minimalist Donald Judd share the galleries with paintings by Picasso, Cezanne, and Courbet.
