On a road trip from New York to Boston, many travellers would tend to take in Cape Cod, Rhode Island and Newport, but there's a lot to be said for striking inland, rather than following the coastline. The ideal area to head for between the two cities is The Berkshires, a beautiful wooded area of Western Massachusetts and Connecticut, and with a car hire in the USA, The Berkshires are within a few hours of New York City.
Assuming a starting point in or around Manhattan, drive north to join Interstate 87 (I-87), as the New York State Thruway, 5 miles or so north of Yonkers. Continue north on I-87, and this takes you through a number of state forests, following broadly the route of the Hudson River as it climbs away from the coast. Shortly after Kingston, music fans of a certain age may want to head west and explore Woodstock, which gave its name to the iconic music festival of 1969. The actual site of the festival, however, is found at Bethel, just off highway 17, and around 10 miles to the south of Woodstock itself.
A few miles south of Albany, head east on highway 90, the Massachusetts Turnpike, and within 10 miles, you'll cross into Massachusetts itself, and be in the heart of The Berkshires. There are plenty of small hotels, inns, motels and guest houses in the towns and villages along the way, and an overnight stop or two will give you ample opportunities to explore the area. An ideal first stop would be Stockbridge, just south of the turnpike. The painter and illustrator, Norman Rockwell, was born in Stockbridge, and the Norman Rockwell Museum holds the world's largest collection of Rockwell's work, along with other fine examples of American illustrations and artworks. The museum is on Glendale Road, to the west of the town, and just south of the Berkshire Botanical Gardens.
The performing arts are well represented in the area, and Tanglewood, near Lenox, is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and venue of the Tanglewood Music Center. Classical, jazz and popular concerts are presented at Tanglewood from June through to September, and the wooded location can be a welcome change from the standard city concert hall environment. Tanglewood is a part-covered, part-open-air venue, and patrons can relax on the lawn and enjoy their own picnic as they enjoy the music. A good selection of other music festivals run throughout the summer at other locations, including those at New Marlborough, Norfolk, and Worthington. For more information visit https://www.borneos.id site.
There are ample opportunities to shop whilst passing through The Berkshires, with all manner of outlets, ranging from up-to-date outlet malls and designer stores, such as those at South Lee, through to antique and craft shops, sometimes found in partnership with other visitor attractions, such as the Hancock Shaker Village.
From The Berkshires, follow the turnpike toward the coast, and you'll pass through a number of state forests, deeply-wooded areas, and a number of satellite towns, before arriving at Boston. As is the case with many major American cities, Boston is home to visual arts, music and theatre, as well as having a variety of other attractions. Its coastal location plays a significant part in the pursuits on offer, such as yachting, deep-sea fishing, and whale watching, and in defining the cuisine for many of its restaurants and fine dining establishments, where seafood is often at the heart of the menu.
