Why Everyone In Massachusetts Should Visit This One Tiny Town

Though Becket has fewer than 2,000 residents, this town feels vibrant and interesting. If you’re looking for arts, culture and a healthy dose of nature, this is the small town day trip for you. With so few locals, you’ll feel like you have the whole place to yourself.

Becket is some to the 1841 Keystone Arches, a series of absolutely stunning stone bridges and arches that once formed part of the Western Railroad of Massachusetts. They were the first stone arch railroad bridges built in America. You can hike along the Westfield River and see these charming structures for yourself.

Becket is also home to the incredible Jacob’s Pillow dance center and school. Becket and Jacob’s Pillow was called a "hub and mecca of dancing" by TIME magazine, and the center is home to America’s longest-running dance festival.

This amazing open-air stage is situated in a grove of towering trees overlooking the lush mountains and forests of the Berkshires. Performances here have an otherworldly aspect, and many world-class acts roll into town to perform at this utterly unique venue.

Of course, you can't stop in Becket without checking out the Historical Quarry and Forest, part of the Becket Land Trust. Opened in the 1850s as a large granite quarry, this area has been preserved as a sort of living natural museum filled with the industrial remnants of that early mining period. Walking through the woods here will lead you to uncover structures like an abandoned blacksmith shop, a standing derrick, and an experimental air-drill testing tunnel. In addition, there are countless old vintage vehicles and machines quietly rusting amongst the trees. As long as you do no harm to these historical treasures, you are free to explore and even climb over these abandoned finds.

Becket also shines in the autumn. The town’s trees erupt in a show of gold, scarlet and orange that rivals any other foliage display in New England. Taking a cruise through the town or along the beautiful country roads that encircle the community will reward you with shows-topping views all year round, but the experience is something special in the fall.