My Five Favorite Things to do Around Amherst

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If you’ve watched Gilmore Girls, Amherst gives me the same energy as Stars Hollow on the show — a cute small town away from the big city lights, filled with local shops and small businesses, all just trying to make the best of their day.

While it took me some time to get adjusted to this kind of lifestyle, there’s so many spots around Amherst that I grew to love. From aesthetic coffee shops to the farmers market, there’s a lot to explore and experience in Amherst, and here are my top five things to do.

5. Share Coffee 

I’m a BIG coffee drinker. From a nitro cold brew to start my day and an iced mocha right after dinner, I basically can’t live without it. 

Take good coffee and make it aesthetic, you get Share Coffee! Although a bit on the pricier end, I love the vibes of the café — with all the minimalist interiors, it makes for a great study spot!

They also do pretty latte art (as pictured above) and have good bakery items to go with them as well (I devour their chocolate chip cookies).

Definitely give Share Roasters a try, you might even find me studying there!

4. Amherst Farmers Market 

Although not open this time of the year, Amherst Farmers Market is one of my favorite places to support local farmers and small businesses. Last year, they were open from April to November, and will most likely follow the same dates this year as well, so watch out for that!

Open every Saturday, the market boasts a variety of items for purchase. From vegetables to baked goods, and even flowers and home decorations, the farmers market is such a fun place to meet these vendors and support them, and get some great sustainable produce to use! 

I love the desserts there — a personal favorite being the crème brûlée from CremeBru.LA. Check them out the next time you go!

3. The Emily Dickinson Museum 

I remember before moving here, every time I looked up “Things to do in Amherst,” the Emily Dickinson museum would be the first thing to show up on whatever article I could find. 

Near Amherst College, the museum is famous for being the birthplace and home of nineteenth-century poet Emily Dickinson!

Open to the public in limited capacity, visitors can purchase tickets and take a guided tour of the estate and learn more about the poet and her life while living in Amherst. 

You can also tour the grounds of the estate — which I’m personally fascinated by. It's such a pretty landscape and definitely a must-visit if you’re living in Amherst. 

2. Puffers Pond 

Puffer's Pond just has such a calming vibe to it. The water is so serene and peaceful, and with the sky and the trees it makes for such a beautiful scene, regardless of the season.

I personally haven’t done any of these, but I know there’s some water activities and hiking you can do (kayaking, rafting, fishing, etc). Side note: the UMass Outing Club is a great point of contact if you’re interested in such activities.

I had SO many pictures at Puffer's Pond but of course, I lost them all when switching phones (insert sad face emoji). Make sure to visit the pond at least once during your time here — it's a pretty fun trip if you’re looking for something to do.

1.  Antonio’s Pizza + Insomnia Cookies

If late night eats are your thing, then Antonio's Pizza and Insomnia Cookies are your two late-night staples. First, go to Antonio’s Pizza and get yourself two slices of pizza (I get a cheese and a honey mustard chicken). Antonio’s is almost always busy, so be prepared for the line.

Once you get your pizza and demolish it, head down the street and go over the corner to Insomnia Cookies, where, as the name suggests, you will get yourself a cookie. My favorite? Chocolate Chunk, you can never go wrong with a classic. 

I’m a night owl, so this routine is a regular one for me. When I first found out about Antonio’s, people kept trying to convince me that it's the best pizza in America. While that’s debatable, I’m a passionate advocate for their honey mustard chicken, and you can never go wrong with Insomnia Cookies. From all-nighters to post-exam blues, this routine has been the backbone of my Amherst journey, and from my completely objective opinion, it's something you must try as well. 

So those are my five favorite spots/things to do around Amherst! I’m sure there’s people who disagree with me (there’s a controversial take here, try figuring out which one it is) but this is how I like to spend my time around here! 

How do you like to spend your time in Amherst? communications [at] honors [dot] umass [dot] edu (We'd love to hear all about it!)