Beyond Campus | Mount Holyoke College Student Experience Beyond Campus Beyond Campus Mount Holyoke is located in one of New England’s most beautiful and intellectually vibrant regions. Exploring our region We know you’ll love our campus. But we also know that, as a Mount Holyoke student, you’ll want to explore everything that’s around. There’s a lot to see and do, and here are just some of the ways you can expand your Mount Holyoke experience beyond the Gates and around the region. Resources Getting to nearby schools and cities Pioneer Valley is named one of the USA’s top 25 underrated travel destinations South Hadley South Hadley, Mount Holyoke’s home since 1837, features restaurants, coffee shops, the renowned Odyssey bookstore and plenty of New England charm. Meet our neighbors Explore the Connecticut River Valley Whatever sparks your interest outside of class, you’ll find it in western Massachusetts. Grab a bite to eat off campus, explore a nearby museum, go on a hike with friends or find a new favorite bookstore. Mount Holyoke College neither directly nor indirectly endorses any product or service listed. Please exercise all due caution when traveling to or participating in outdoor activities. Eat & Drink Frances Perk is Mount Holyoke College’s on-campus café, serving Indigo Coffee and organic, fair trade and kosher food and treats. IYA Sushi and Noodle Kitchen in the Village Commons Thirsty Mind Coffee & Wine Bar serves beverages and more just off campus at the Village Commons in South Hadley. Need a broader range of coffee options? EaterBoston has a whole guide to Northampton coffee shops Other popular restaurants in the Village Commons include Johnny’s Bar & Grille and Taproom Iya Sushi and Noodle Kitchen Tailgate Picnic and Batch Ice Cream. Take your partner on a fancy date at Food 101 Bar & Bistro Or go on an even fancier date at the James Beard Award–nominated Blue Heron Restaurant Another James Beard Award nominee is Daily Operation in Easthampton. Catch a ride with a friend to Master Chef in South Hadley for great Japanese and Korean food. Car access can also get you to nearby Northampton, where student favorites include Local Burger and Familiars Coffee & Tea . Top off your meal with a trip to Herrell's Ice Cream & Bakery and a dish of M&C's - Mount Holyoke's own ice cream flavor. Find your favorite slice at Antonio's Pizza in Amherst Ride the bus to Amherst to enjoy delicious Italian food at Pasta E Basta , authentic Mexican food at Mission Cantina , a slice of pizza at Antonio's or addictive baked goods at Insomnia Cookies . Don't forget to stop at Atkins Farm Country Market for some cider donuts, local produce or other baked goods to bring back to your room. Looking for a new restaurant favorite? Food-focused blogs such as Explore Western Mass and Eater Boston have lists for you. Experience culture A 2022 exhibit of work by vanessa german in the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum The Mount Holyoke College Art Museum right on campus has over 17,000 works of art and objects of material culture. Nearby Smith College also has its own art museum . Students at the Five Colleges — including Mount Holyoke College — have free admission. The Mount Holyoke College Botanic Garden on campus provides rich botanical resources and collaborative opportunities for academic departments, programs and centers across campus. Open to the public and home of the flower show, it is a popular place in the winter months. The Eric Carle Museum in Amherst is a popular choice when you want to remember your favorite childhood books. The Springfield Museums offer five different museums on the same campus featuring classical art, modern art, science, history and a museum dedicated to famous former Springfield resident Dr. Seuss. Belle of Amherst and Mount Holyoke alum Emily Dickinson has a museum dedicated to her life and work The Yiddish Book Center in Amherst is a one-of-a-kind resource for Jewish culture in Northampton, offering a wealth of books, classes and clubs. The entrance of the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum in Springfield Springfield Symphony Orchestra and Pioneer Valley Symphony both hold concerts multiple times a year. If you’re here over the summer, check out who’s performing at Tanglewood in the nearby Berkshires. Relive your childhood dream by seeing and touching real dinosaur footprints along the Connecticut River in Holyoke or at the Beneski Museum of Natural History (Amherst College). Enjoy the outdoors One of the walking trails on campus Join Mount Holyoke College’s Outing Club to meet other students who enjoy the outdoors as much as you do. Immerse yourself in the diversity of the plant world by exploring the Mount Holyoke College Botanic Garden ’s iconic Talcott Greenhouse and three acres of gardens in which thousands of plants from around the world are grown. Many Mount Holyoke students love to hike, and there are many great hiking options nearby. Mount Holyoke College has three walking trails right on campus. Mount Tom State Reservation in Holyoke has 22 miles of trails for all experience levels. Nearby Skinner State Park offers breathtaking views of the Connecticut River Valley and is the home of Mt. Holyoke, our Mountain Day destination. Mount Holyoke Range State Park offers more than 30 miles of blazed trails across a seven-mile mountain ridge line. Crowley’s Sales Barn & Stables in Agawam provides walk-in horseback trail rides six days a week. Need to go for a swim? The valley has tons of good swimming holes Bike trails stretch across the Connecticut River Valley. Thetravel.com offers a list of favorites Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club in Springfield Learn rowing, dragon boating and kayaking at the Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club in Springfield. Though not exactly the great outdoors, Central Rock Gym in Hadley is a good rainy-day substitute for rock climbing. It’s outside the Connecticut River Valley, but not by much. The Berkshires area of western Massachusetts has lots of great outdoor activities Mike’s Maze is a good spot for fall activities. Find a good read A collection of books in the Odyssey Bookshop in the Village Commons Mount Holyoke College’s Williston Memorial Library houses more than 800,000 books, and, as part of the Five College library system, students have access to many more. Gaylord Memorial Library is South Hadley’s local public library and part of the CW Mars Library network, a consortium of 140 libraries that stretches from the Berkshires to the MetroWest region of Massachusetts. Odyssey Bookshop , an independent bookstore in the nearby Village Commons, carries Mount Holyoke College–themed merchandise and books by our faculty, staff and alums, in addition to a wide selection of every genre you can think of. A display of books outside Raven's Books in nearby Northampton Amherst Books sells new and used tomes, just a short bus ride away. Other student favorites include Book Moon in Easthampton, the Montague Bookmill in Montague and Raven Used Books in Northampton. Find your next great read using this Book Lover’s Guide to Western MA Enjoy local entertainment Events including talks, conferences, concerts and performances are always taking place right on the Mount Holyoke College campus. Tower Theaters in the Village Commons in South Hadley Our partners in the Five College Consortium are also pretty happening. Check out what’s going on at the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Fine Arts Center , and take a look at their general events calendars, Smith College’s general events calendar, Hampshire College’s general events calendar and Amherst College’s general events calendar. Tower Theaters in the nearby Village Commons plays two cinematic attractions, with showings every afternoon. Other nearby movie theaters include Cinemarks in Hadley and West Springfield Gateway City Arts in Holyoke is a cultural center for events, entertainment, dining, art-making, teaching and learning. In nearby Northampton there’s the Academy of Music Theatre that books nationally known comedians, bands, performers and more. MGM Springfield has numerous opportunities for entertainment, including its own movie theater, bowling alley, concert venue, symphony hall, comedy club, indoor golf facility and several different restaurants and bars — not to mention the casino, if you’re feeling lucky. Many farmers markets thrive near Mount Holyoke College. Find your new favorite farmers market Yankee Candle has a huge outpost in nearby Deerfield, where you can learn about how candles are made, dip your own and buy any of their signature scents to freshen up your residence hall. Get your thrills on at nearby Six Flags New England Forest Park in Springfield is a great place to while away the day, with beautiful landscaping, an ice rink and Bright Nights, a huge drive-through light display in the wintertime and even its own zoo The Basketball Hall of Fame in nearby Springfield The Olde Hadley Flea Market is the place to find trinkets and treasures galore. Learn more than you ever thought there was to know about basketball at Springfield’s Basketball Hall of Fame , and stick around afterward to play on their huge, multi-hoop court. Never get bored with this exhaustive list of events and attractions at Visit Massachusetts Places to visit Enjoy a glimpse of some favorite destinations in South Hadley and the surrounding area. View Gallery The Village Commons across the street from campus has a variety of restaurants and shopping The Thirsty Mind Coffee and Wine Bar is located in the Village Commons Batch Ice Cream is in the Village Commons Atkins Farm in Amherst is a favorite destination for students - think apple cider donuts! The Beneski Museum of Natural History, located on the campus of Amherst College, showcases fossils and minerals collected locally and abroad Antonio's in Amherst is a fun spot for a quick slice of pizza Nearby Northampton is home to a large variety of shops and restaurants as well as Smith College. Enjoy a dish of M&Cs ice cream – Mount Holyoke's own flavor — at Herrell's in Northampton Northampton Brewing Company is one of western New England's original brewpubs The Academy of Music in Northampton books nationally known comedians, bands, performers and more The free bus service can take you to any of the Five Colleges and to shopping destinations in the area. The Basketball Hall of Fame is in nearby Springfield Get up close and personal with your favorite characters at the Dr. Seuss Memorial Sculpture Garden in Springfield Historic Deerfield offers tours of historic houses and museums that provide an understanding of New England's historic villages and countryside More in Beyond Campus Getting to Nearby Schools and Cities Mount Holyoke and the Community Quick links Visit Mount Holyoke Request Information Apply