The Berkshires | Photo Credit ©Find. Eat. Drink.
Summer in the Berkshires is typically the area’s high season, but 2020 is not going to be your usual summer season. The majority of the venues that stage live performances have canceled the whole season. But this doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all the region has to offer, even if you are self-isolating in your own home. All you need is a computer to enjoy a virtual weekend in the Berkshires.
Stay
Photograph courtesy of The Inn at Kenmore Hall
The Inn at Kenmore Hall
You can tour every room in this five-room Georgian manor house with their 3D camera tool that lets you wander around the bedrooms, hallways, kitchen, and dining room. Don’t miss the vintage finds like Paul McCobb dressers, Eames lounge chair, Persian rugs, as well as the giant soaking tub in Room 3.
www.theinnatkenmorehall.com/virtual-3d-tour
Local Artisanal Food & Drink
Photograph courtesy of Bola Granola
Bola Granola
Crafted in the Berkshires by chef Michèle Miller, who launched BOLA in 2008. This savory and sweet granola is made with oats, almonds, and pumpkin seeds. You can buy regular, gluten-free, or sugar-free online and have them delivered to your door.
Berkshire Mountain Bakery
While home-baking soared in popularity this spring, Berkshire Mountain Bakery’s sweet and savory options can be shipped right to your door via UPS. The Bread & Chocolate loaf is so good it might not even make it to your bread box, especially when you toast it and add a little butter. Don’t miss out on making sandwiches with their mini Ciabattas.
Hosta Hill at the Great Barrington Farmers Market | Photo Credit ©Find. Eat. Drink.
Hosta Hill
Abe Hunrichs and Maddie Elling create fermented vegetables (a range of krauts and kimchi) and hot sauces. If you are making a sandwich with Berkshire Mountain Bakery bread, these make a perfect accompaniment. You can also spice up your cocktail hour with some Krautonic flavors.
Six Depot | Photo Credit ©Find. Eat. Drink.
Six Depot Coffee
Wake up every morning and smell the coffee from the Berkshires. Hand-roasted in West Stockbridge, they source high quality beans from ethical and sustainable farmers around the world. You can buy their beans online for delivery.
Hike
Photo Credit ©Find. Eat. Drink.
The Berkshire High Road
This video highlights a continuous network of trails linking towns throughout the Berkshires. The best part of hiking via video is you completely avoid getting ticks.
www.landkeepers.org/thehighroad
Dance
Jacobs Pillow
This center for dance performances and classes is the oldest internationally acclaimed summer dance festival in the United States. For the first time, they have shut down their entire season, but you can watch videos of past performances.
danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/#playlist
Yoga
Photograph courtesy of Kripalu Center for Yoga
Kripalu Center for Yoga
Yogis from around the world make the pilgrimage to the Berkshires to study at this health and yoga retreat that opened nearly fifty year ago. They are temporarily closed, due to the pandemic, but you can take classes online.
Art
MASS MoCA | Photo Credit ©Find. Eat. Drink.
MASS MoCA
The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art is known for their contemporary visual and performing arts. In normal times, you can wander through more than 250,000 square feet of renovated warehouse space to experience their exhibitions. These are not normal times, but they are offering “art breaks” throughout the day on their Instagram account.
Photograph courtesy of the Norman Rockwell Museum
Norman Rockwell Museum
Take a 360 degree video tour of Norman Rockwell's Stockbridge Studio by Stephanie Plunkett, Deputy Director and Chief Curator of Norman Rockwell Museum.
Music
Tanglewood
Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, has cancelled all their summer programming. You can enjoy their online program, The BSO at Home, which includes performances, lessons, and behind-the-scenes conversations with musicians.
