Life in Western Massachusetts

Baystate Health is the premier provider of health care in the beautiful Pioneer Valley and Quabbin regions of Western Massachusetts.

 

Baystate Medical Center in Springfield and Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield are sited on one of the most picturesque stretches of the Connecticut River in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains known as the Pioneer Valley.

Baystate Mary Lane Hospital in Ware serves the Quabbin region. The nearby Quabbin Reservoir, one of the largest drinking-water reservoirs in the world, is a remarkable feat of engineering that hosts an impressive variety of lush scenery, wildlife, and excellent fishing.

Considered the "crossroads of New England," Western Massachusetts offers convenient access to a wide variety of outstanding features that make for a rich quality of life for Baystate Health staff:

 

Recreational

• Some of the best skiing on the East coast in Vermont, New Hampshire and the Berkshires.
• The great beaches of Cape Cod, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Maine.
• Fly fishing on some of the area's fine rivers and in the Quabbin Reservoir.
• Whitewater rafting, kayaking and canoeing and other water sports.
• Hiking and mountain climbing in the Berkshires and White Mountains.
• Concerts and sporting events at the MassMutual Center in Springfield and Mullins Center, Amherst.
• Excellent restaurants for all tastes and pocketbooks.

 

For the Whole Family

• Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
• Volleyball Hall of Fame
• Six Flags New England Theme Park
• Eastern States Exposition (Big E) of New England Heritage and Agriculture
• Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
• Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden
• Holyoke Children's Science Museum
• Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory and Gardens
• Bridge of Flowers, Shelburne Falls
• Bright Nights - New England's largest holiday lighting display

 

Educational

• Our region is home to the Five Colleges consortium of Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke and Smith Colleges and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst
• Other area colleges include American International College, Baypath, Elms, Greenfield Community College, Holyoke Community College, Springfield College, Springfield Technical Community College, Western New England College, and Westfield State.
• Private primary and secondary schools include Academy Hill, Bement, Deerfield Academy, Eaglebrook, Greenfield Center School, MacDuffie School, Northfield Mount Hermon, Smith College Campus School, Stoneleigh Burnham, Wilbraham & Monson Academy, and Williston Northampton.

 

Culture and the Arts

• Springfield Symphony Orchestra
• Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra
• Springfield City Stage and Majestic Theatre
• Springfield Quadrangle Library and Museums of art, history and science.
• Tanglewood - summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
• Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival
• Berkshire Theatre Festival
• Barrington Stage Company
• Shakespeare and Company
• Williamstown Theatre Festival
• Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield
• Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown
• Smith College Museum of Art
• Mead Art Museum, Amherst College
• Williams College Museum of Art
• Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MassMOCA)
• Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge
• National Yiddish Book Center
• Hallmark Museum of Contemporary Photography, Turners Falls
• Northampton art galleries
• Brimfield Antiques Markets

 

Historical

• Historic Deerfield
• Emily Dickinson Homestead, Amherst
• Old Sturbridge Village
• Arrowhead, Home of Herman Melville, Pittsfield
• Hancock Shaker Village
• The Mount, Edith Wharton's Estate and Gardens, Lenox
• Connecticut Valley Historical Museum
• Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum
• Crane Museum of Papermaking, Dalton

 

Central Location

Convenient access to medical centers, as well as recreational and cultural opportunities in:

• Boston (1 1/2 hours)
• Hartford (1/2 hour)
• New York City ( 2 1/2 hours)
• New Haven (1 hour)
  

Excellent transportation

• Springfield lies at the intersection of two major Interstate routes: the north-south I-91 and the east-west I-90 (Mass Pike).
• Bradley International Airport (25 minutes) is served by major airlines offering flights to anywhere in the USA.
• Springfield is served by Amtrak with service to Hartford, New Haven, and the main Eastern corridor lines from Boston to Washington.
• Frequent bus service to Boston, New York and Washington
  

In addition to being know for its distinguished arts community and first-class recreational features, Western Massachusetts is also recognized as a wonderful place in which to raise a family. From turn of the century farmhouses to historic brick townhouses and gracious suburban homes, housing choices are both abundant, diverse and affordable.

 

For more information about Western Massachusetts, we invite you to visit www.valleyvisitor.com.