This Is The Most Charming Small Town In MA, New Report Says

MASSACHUSETTS — A new report in the travel magazine Afar has named the most charming small towns across the nation — and North Adams is its pick for Massachusetts.

The magazine called North Adams — a former factory town in the Berkshires — an "art-filled corner of the state that stays true to its industrial roots."

But, according to the magazine, "the town’s output is decidedly more creative" these days.

North Adams boasts one of the largest contemporary art museums in the country, Mass MoCA, and is also less than a 15-minute drive from the Clark Art Institute and the Williams College Museum of Art.

"Continuing the postindustrial theme is Greylock Works, a former cotton-spinning mill that now houses a locally sourced restaurant called the Break Room, Berkshire Cider Project, and a Distillery at Greylock Works, which makes gins with locally foraged botanicals like black birch and wild berries," the report continued.

Other towns listed in the report include Hudson in New York, North Adams in Massachusetts, New Hope in Pennsylvania, and Los Olivos in California.

For the list, Afar said it defined a small town as a place with around 25,000 people or fewer. The pick for each state was chosen based on a unique attraction or characteristic to draw in visitors – whether it’s “singular streets or spectacular outdoor adventure opportunities,” according to Afar.

For example, the standout Maine small town, Belfast, was chosen for its “palpable hippie-meets-hipster energy,” while Waterbury, Vermont, got a nod for being the home of the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream factory.

Meanwhile, ski towns (and ski-town "vibes") made several appearances on the list — including Whitefish in Montana and Leadville in Colorado, while Wyoming, Georgia, and South Carolina all featured towns with deep histories: Cody, Dahlonega, and Beaufort, respectively.

Looking to pick up a delicious block of cheese? The list has you covered there, too, suggesting a visit to Harman’s Cheese and Country Store in Sugar Hill, New Hampshire, for its “beloved” white cheddar.

Read the full report in Afar.