The former artists’ colony and summer haven to wealthy aristocrats remains a popular tourist destination for New Yorkers and New Englanders looking for culture and year-round relaxation.

Gilded Age Glamour

Ventfort Hall
BY & COPYRIGHT: Ventfort Hall

During America’s famed Gilded Age of the late nineteenth century, affluent industrialists immodestly showcased their wealth by building ostentatious estates to enjoy their “social seasons” in places like Lenox, Massachusetts and Newport, Rhode Island.

Learn all about Lenox’s summer “cottages” at Ventfort Hall. Once a mansion built for Sarah Morgan, sister of famed American financier J.P. Morgan, the historic property now operates as The Museum of the Gilded Age.

Through the museum’s exhibits, lectures, and performances, you’ll find out more about the Berkshire enclave’s resume of residents with last names like Astor, Carnegie, and Vanderbilt.   Now a historic site, the grounds, gardens, and interior of authoress Edith Wharton’s former home are also open for daily tours.

Arts & Music

Enjoy live music at Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and venue for the likes of James Taylor, Yo-Yo Ma, and the annual jazz festival.

Shakespeare & Co Performs!
BY & COPYRIGHT: Shakespeare & Co

In September, the Tanglewood Wine & Food Classic attracts foodies from all over.   Experience the joy of live theatre at Shakespeare & Co.   Thespians in training and those just brushing up on their skills have been flocking to the theater’s respected Center for Actor Training for the past thirty years.

Stay at the Spa

It’s no surprise Canyon Ranch, one of the world’s most-lauded health resort and spas, calls Lenox home.   The all-inclusive property incorporates healthy cuisine, outdoor activities, luxurious lodging, and a 100,000 square foot spa complex.   The nearby 380-acre, Cranwell Resort & Golf Club offers ninety-six guest rooms and suites, three restaurants, an 18-hole golf course, a glass-enclosed indoor pool, and a giant spa complex and fitness center. Insider tip: on select Sundays you can receive twenty percent off your room rate.

Another opportunity for pampering can be found at the Garden Gables Inn, located close to Lenox Village. Inside the lush rooms find private Jacuzzi baths, spa robes, and Wi-Fi while enjoying the inn’s complimentary snacks, beverages, and gourmet breakfast buffet.

Lenox Village Dining

If you need a night off from your resort’s excessive catering, head to Lenox Village for a number of dining options.

A Glimpse Inside the Norman Rockwell Museum
BY: Art Evans. COPYRIGHT: Norman Rockwell Museum

At Alta Restaurant and Wine Bar, the menu focuses on the local and the organic and boasts a wine list of over twenty-four vintages by the glass.   On Lenox’s main drag, Church Street, enjoy everything from Cornish Game Hen to Lobster Rolls at the American bistro, Firefly.

At the pasta bar Nudel, you can dine on farm fresh local food from all over Berkshire County.

Lenox and Beyond

At the Pleasant Valley Sanctuary, take a walk on seven miles of hiking trails winding along the slopes of Lenox Mountain.   In winter, cross-country skiers love the many trails.

Acclaimed American illustrator Norman Rockwell called nearby Stockbridge home during his later years, leaving behind the Norman Rockwell Museum, dedicated to the preservation, study and spirit of his life and art.

Lenox is located in Massachusetts’ beautiful Berkshire Mountains, about two and a half hours from Boston and three from New York City.

ONE would like to thank the copyright holders in the photographs that accompany this article for kindly allowing their use.