Overview
Great Barrington is a pleasant town in the Berkshire region of Massachusetts.
3 sights · 4 things to do · 8 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 6 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Great Barrington
First Congregational Church of Great Barrington
Historic church, built in 1833 from locally quarried limestone, including limestone recovered from the previous church building that burned down a year earlier. Designed by architect William C. Brocklesby, the church bui…
W.E.B. Du Bois Boyhood Homesite
A National Historic Landmark, the homesite commemorates where civil righs activist W.E.B. Du Bois lived for his first five years of life. Du Bois was the leader of the Niagara Movement, a group of African-American activi…
Appalachian Trail
The 2,200-mile hiking trail passes near Great Barrington.
Monument Mountain
This mountain, 1,739 feet (530 m) tall at its highest point, is popular with mountain-climbers of all levels of skill and experience.
Bernay Fine Art
River Walk
A walking trail that follows the Housatonic River between Cottage Street and Bridge Street.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 84°F; winter lows dip to about 16°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jul and Jun. (climate data from nearby Albany)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- BDL Bradley International Airport, Hartford — 39 mi away (major hub). Directions
- ALB Albany International Airport, Albany — 44 mi away (major hub). Directions
From points south and north, take US Route 7 North and South, respectively. For points east and west, take I-90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike), which is a few miles north of town, and Exit 2 (from the east) or B3 (from the west).
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Typical meal: about $11 per person at listed restaurants.
See the Sleep guide ↓ for places to stay.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Bernay Fine Art, First Congregational Church of Great Barrington, River Walk
- Lunch Prairie Whale
- Afternoon W.E.B. Du Bois Boyhood Homesite, Monument Mountain
- Dinner Baba Louie's Organic Sourdough Pizza Company
- Evening Fuel Coffee Shop
Day 2
- Morning Appalachian Trail
- Lunch Koi
- Afternoon Ski Butternut
- Dinner Shiro Sushi and Hibachi
- Evening Barrington Brewery & Restaurant
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Great Barrington has a wide variety of dining options despite the town's small size. Although the restaurants skew towards the pricey farm-to-table end of the spectrum, there are options to satisfy any price point.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Great Barrington was home to 7,200 people in 2020, and it does not feel like a tiny town at all, as it has a row of buildings around a half a mile long on Main St. (US Highway 7) and a few side streets, including a couple of nice churches. Great Barrington also has a claim to fame as the childhood home of the famous civil rights leader, W.E.B. Du Bois.
Get in
By car
From points south and north, take US Route 7 North and South, respectively. For points east and west, take I-90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike), which is a few miles north of town, and Exit 2 (from the east) or B3 (from the west).
By bus
Regular service on the routes up and down Route 7 from New York City to Vermont.
By train
There was once a passenger train to Great Barrington, as witness the name "Railroad St." However, it has been a long time since it was operational. The closest passenger train stops, nowadays, are in New York State and not worth going to for access to Great Barrington.
By plane
Albany International Airport is a 60-minute drive away. Hartford-Springfield Bradley International Airport is an 80-minute drive away.
Get around
<mapframe latitude="42.19583" longitude="-73.36194" zoom="12" width="400" height="300" align="right" />You can get around the downtown area fairly easily on foot. To go further than that, you will need a car or at least a bicycle.
See
See First Congregational Church of Great Barrington
Historic church, built in 1833 from locally quarried limestone, including limestone recovered from the previous church building that burned down a year earlier. Designed by architect William C. Brocklesby, the church building has a longitudinal nave with walls are supported by buttresses and a slate roof. On the top of the church's 116-foot (35-m) tower is a pyramidal roof. The manse and carriage barn were added in 1884.
See W.E.B. Du Bois Boyhood Homesite
A National Historic Landmark, the homesite commemorates where civil righs activist W.E.B. Du Bois lived for his first five years of life. Du Bois was the leader of the Niagara Movement, a group of African-American activists who advocated for full equal rights for black folks. Du Bois opposed ideas such as the Atlanta Compromise that would give partial civil rights to black individuals with the promise of more to come. Du Bois owned the house on this site between 1928 and 1954. The house was torn down afterwards. There is a self-guided tour available from dawn to dusk.
Do
Buy
Great Barrington is home to a successful local currency experiment. The local currency is called BerkShares. You can use BerkShares at hundreds of stores and businesses throughout the Berkshires. Using Berkshares helps local businesses and community residents by increasing the local money supply. Visitors and shoppers benefit as Berkshares can be purchased at several local banks for 90% of face value and redeemed at full value at local merchants. Berkshares banknotes are beautiful notes featuring images of local artists and historical figures.
Shop Yellow House Books
Small used and rare book seller with an eclectic selection of books crammed into the first floor of an old house.
Eat
Great Barrington has a wide variety of dining options despite the town's small size. Although the restaurants skew towards the pricey farm-to-table end of the spectrum, there are options to satisfy any price point.
Budget
Eat Great Barrington Bagel Company
Old standby for fresh bagels and coffee. Also offers a variety of sandwiches.
Eat SoCo Creamery (formerly Bev's Homemade Ice Cream)
Excellent ice-cream, pies and cookies. Also offers a few vegan sorbet options and some meal items like soup and sandwiches.
Mid-range
Eat Baba Louie's Organic Sourdough Pizza Company
Very good thin-crust pizza with a wide variety of specialty toppings.
Splurge
Eat Aroma
This small restaurant serves amazing Indian Food. Try the chicken tikka masala or any of the korma dishes.
Eat Bizen
Japanese and vegetarian.
Eat Prairie Whale
Farm-to-table restaurant with an ever changing menu. Prairie Whale is very busy on weekends so be prepared for a wait. Fortunately, the bar here has an expertly curated and has an original cocktail menu and local beers so you can always order a few drinks while you wait. The food is pricey, but you can eat here for a reasonable amount of money if you don't insist on ordering an entree for everyone.
Eat Shiro Sushi and Hibachi
Somewhat expensive, but the food is quite good and the chefs put on a great show while preparing your meal if you order hibachi dishes.
Drink
Drink Barrington Brewery & Restaurant
Drink Fuel Coffee Shop
Funky downtown coffee shop with good espresso drinks and food options.
Sleep
Go next
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