Things to Do in Lee, Monterey, Tyringham — Bucket List

NOTE: As the state releases new guidelines, please practice social distancing guidelines and know that we try to keep these lists as updated as possible. Many sites and venues will not be opening for the summer so please call ahead before going. If you see a change please email kellym@macaronikid.com.

The Bidwell House Museum, set in the hills of Monterey, is an elegant Georgian saltbox originally built circa 1760 as a parsonage. Authentically restored, filled with antiques and surrounded by 192 acres of beautiful grounds and hiking trails, the museum tells the story of the early settlement of the Berkshires through guided tours of the home and programs throughout the season. The museum is open Thursday through Monday between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. from Memorial Day to October, with guided tours on the hour.  The gardens and grounds are open year round, free of charge.  

• Get festive at the annual Lee Founders Day Parade.
• Pitch a tent for a night or two; and explore the 16,500 acres of winding woodland trails that circle past lakes, reservoirs, marshlands, and geological formations at October Mountain State Forest, Becket/Lee/Lenox.
• Learn about the history of movie animation and the Berkshire's role in it, create your own stop-action film and browse the gift shop at Animagic, Lee. (FREE)
• Enjoy a day at the beach at Laurel Lake, Lee/Lenox, don't forget your fishing poles. (FREE)
• Bike, skateboard, and rollerblade the rails at the skate park at Lee Athletic Field, Lee. (FREE)
• Fish, hike or boat in and around Goose Pond Reservation, Lee/Tyringham. (FREE)
• Play a pickup game of soccer, football, baseball, or basketball at Lee High School, Lee (features tennis, softball, baseball, soccer and football fields). (FREE)
•  Hone little one's biking skills on the paved beautifully landscaped walkway at Lee Elementary School, Lee, making a stop at the playground where there are three state-of-the-art play areas for kids of all ages (behind the school). (FREE)

• Learn about a piece of local history at Bidwell House, Monterey, a 1750’s parsonage, authentically restored to tell the story of the earliest Berkshire settlers. (Kids under 6 FREE.)
• Sunbathe at the town beach or bring a canoe or kayak to the public boat launch, and enjoy a day of fun at Lake Garfield, Monterey, (FREE)
• Picnic at Lake Buel, Monterey/New Marlborough, a 2-mile long spring fed lake is home to Camp Half Moon and Kutsher’s Sports Academy. (FREE)
• The perfect day trip for families with kids of all ages! Bring your bathing suits and pack your lunch and sand toys. Beartown Mountain (Benedict Pond), Monterey.

• Schedule a visit to Tyringham Park, Tyringham, a gated play wonderland for parents and kids, with a giant play structure and multiple swinging and sliding options. (FREE)
• Walk through mountain meadows and follow the Loop Trail past ancient bedrock formations to the summit for panoramic views of the Tyringham Valley at Tyringham Cobble, Tyringham. Challenge little hikers to find “Rabbit Rock” and to create names for other unusually shapes rock formations.
• Take a family hike to the top of McLennan Reservation, Tyringham where you will be rewarded with sweeping views of Hale Pond and 600 acres of unspoiled forest and wetlands. (FREE)
• Follow the well-maintained half-mile trail to the ruins of the “Marble Palace,” the Georgian-style mansion destroyed by fire in 1952, whose Doric columns still stand surrounded by the majestic Ashintully Gardens, Tyringham — the 30-year labor of love of music composer John McLennan. (FREE)