Attack the ski slopes or brush up on local history in this tiny New England village, which makes a perfect base for exploring the Berkshires.
Hancock is a small, charming village with varied outdoor activities. The area’s Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort really comes alive during winter. Find terrain for all ability levels of skiing and snowboarding at this self-contained resort. Visit in summer for a wealth of hiking and biking trails.
Tour the village, one of several New England settlements founded by the Shakers in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The Shakers were a Christian sect who traveled from England to the New World, seeking the freedom to live according to their utopian ideals and practices of communal living, celibacy and confession of sins.
Learn more about New England heritage at the Hancock Shaker Village, a living-history museum housed in original Shaker settlement buildings dating back to the 1780s. In the nearby town of Pittsfield, find art history at the Norman Rockwell Museum and the Berkshire Museum. Reach other small Berkshire towns of Lenox and North Adams easily by car.
Outside of ski season, make the 30-minute drive to Mount Greylock State Reservation to hike the acres of trails. Climb Mount Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts at 3,491 feet (1,064 metres) and stop at the Massachusetts Veterans War Memorial Tower. The Pittsfield State Forest is approximately a 15-mile (24-kilometre) drive from Hancock. Hikers here are rewarded with panoramic views over the valley below.
Back in town, stop at the Ioka Valley Farm to enjoy a weekend pancake brunch with maple syrup in spring, which is maple sugaring season in the Berkshires. At other times of year the 600-acre (240-hectare) farm offers everything from pick-your-own Halloween pumpkins to a petting farm. In the village itself, pick up fresh vegetables and other produce at seasonal farm stands.
Hancock, about 30 miles (48 kilometres) north of Great Barrington, is best reached by car. Stay in Hancock accommodation ranging from large resorts to smaller family-run inns and hotels. Wherever you stay, the beautiful Berkshires countryside will be right on your doorstep.
