Eating and Shopping in Northampton are my 2 favorite things to do, so here are some suggestions:
Dining is the most obvious place to start.The trouble is figuring out where to go with so many choices...Eastside Grille or Spoleto's fine dining choices. Eastside's specialty is seafood, and Spoleto's is traditional Italian. Fitzwilly's and The Northampton Brewery are great casual places with pub menus. The Northampton Brewery's outdoor dining is great in the summer. Throughout the town there are many more opportunities try cuisine from around the world. In the morning don't miss Sylvester's. This restaurant is the original building where the Graham Cracker was invented! But beyond that trivia, Sylvester's offers the best breakfast menu I have ever encountered! The home baked goods are fabulous..... and the homefries with the works are to die for!!!!
Shopping is as great as the dining in Northampton! Thornes Marketplace is a fun place to explore. This multifloor building has a variety of shops which offer a multitude of gifts, clothes and household items. Faces on Main Street is an eclectic shop and yet another example of how Northampton has something for everyone!
Quick Tips:
Come to Northampton with an open mind, ready to spend a leisurely day enjoying the many opportunities to be with all kinds of people. Northampton is a city of liberal diversity. Everyone who visits Northampton can feel that they will be accepted. It is a place where you can feel open to love who you love, be who you are, and live life the way you think it should be lived, as long as it does not have a negative impact on others. There are many demonstrations and opportunities for people to voice their opinions....so don't be suprised by what may happen as you visit. My suggestion is to spend the day, explore, eat, drink, and be yourself.....and enjoy one of the best places in the Pioneer Valley. Then go home, tell your friends, and plan to come back!Best Way To Get Around:
Walking is definitely the best way to get around Northampton. This allows the visitors to really enjoy shopping in the downtown and having the opportunity to meet the people and enjoy the street entertainment that happens daily. The streets are lively day and night, and there is an aura of safety throughout the city. Driving into Northampton visitors can take route 91 to route 5 which will go right into the downtown. There are many public parking lots, and a parking garage. If the visitor would like to take a bus to any of the area towns, or to another part of Northampton, the PVTA (public bus system) stops regularly throughout the downtown area.