Overview
Williamstown is a town in the Berkshires at the northwest corner of Massachusetts. It shares a border with New York and Vermont. It is a true college town, having hosted Williams College since 1793.
2 sights · 5 things to do · 19 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 12 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Williamstown
Williams College Museum of Art
Ste 2. One of the finest college art museums in the country with over 10,000 pieces, including a significant collection of Prendergast paintings, a Sol De Witt installation, and paintings by Hopper and Warhol in the perm…
Clark Art Institute
An excellent museum with over 30 paintings by Renoir and canvases by Monet and Pissarro in their collection. In 1950 Sterling and Francine Clark chartered the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute as a home for their…
Lansing Chapman Skating Rink at Williams College
Latham Street. Call for hours.
Williams College Tennis Courts
Lynde Lane. Call for reservations.
Williamstown Theatre Festival
Late Jun-Aug. The Williamstown Theatre Festival (WTF) is a renowned festival that presents around two hundred plays, both classic and new productions, every summer on its stages, in addition to readings, workshops, and o…
Taconic Golf Club
Apr 15-Nov 15. Semi-private, 18 holes. A beautiful golf course, particularly in autumn when the leaves change. Trivia: Jack Nicklaus shot his first hole-in-one at the national junior championships on the Taconic's 14th h…
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.
- ALB Albany International Airport, Albany — 30 mi away (major hub). Directions
- RUT Rutland - Southern Vermont Regional Airport, Rutland — 58 mi away. Directions
There is a bus direct from Port Authority (New York City) that takes about 5 hours, provided by Peter Pan Bus lines.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $46–$170 a night (typical $55), from 11 listed prices.
- Typical meal: about $9 per person at listed restaurants.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$70, mid-range ~$110, comfortable ~$280.
Options are grouped as Hotels, Motels in the Sleep guide ↓.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Williams College Museum of Art, Lansing Chapman Skating Rink at Williams College
- Lunch 1896 House Pub
- Afternoon Williamstown Theatre Festival, Waubeeka Golf Links
- Dinner Chef's Hat Restaurant
- Evening The Red Herring
Day 2
- Morning Clark Art Institute, Williams College Tennis Courts
- Lunch Chopstick's Restaurant
- Afternoon Taconic Golf Club
- Dinner Colonial Pizza
- Evening Waterstreet Grill
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
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
Williamstown is a lovely historic town that's well worth a visit. There are quite a few tasteful 18th-, 19th- and early 20th-century buildings, on and off campus.
Get in
- From the South or West: From I-87, take Exit 6; drive 45 minutes east on NY/MA Rt. 2 into Williamstown.
- From Taconic Parkway: Take NY Rt. 295 East to NY Rt. 22 North to NY Rt. 43 East (which becomes MA Rt. 43 North) to US Rt. 7 North into Williamstown.
- From the North (Vermont): Follow US Rt. 7 South to Williamstown.
- From the East (Boston): Take Mass. Pike (I-90) to Exit 2 (Lee); US Rt. 20 West. This will merge with US Rt. 7 North, which you follow into Williamstown.
There is a bus direct from Port Authority (New York City) that takes about 5 hours, provided by Peter Pan Bus lines.
Get around
Williamstown is a small town, and most locations are reachable on foot. For further trips to Vermont or neighboring North Adams, you're best off with a car, although local public transportation can get you around too. Buses run infrequently, so plan well. The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority webpage, with schedules, is at this link .
See
Aside from the following museums, you can enjoy walking around downtown Williamstown, looking at the outsides of buildings and walking into some of them, such as churches, if you visit when they are open.
See Williams College Museum of Art
Ste 2. One of the finest college art museums in the country with over 10,000 pieces, including a significant collection of Prendergast paintings, a Sol De Witt installation, and paintings by Hopper and Warhol in the permanent collection. WCMA's building was once the Williams College library and features a unique octagonal rotunda.
See Clark Art Institute
An excellent museum with over 30 paintings by Renoir and canvases by Monet and Pissarro in their collection. In 1950 Sterling and Francine Clark chartered the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute as a home for their extensive art collection. Opened to public in 1955, the Institute has built upon this extraordinary group of works to become one of the most beloved and respected art museums in the world, known for its intimate galleries and stunning natural environment. One of the few institutions in the United States that combines a public art museum with a complement of research and academic programs, including a major art history library, the Clark is now a leading international center for research and discussion on the nature of art and art history.
Do
- Hiking: Pine Cobble There are countless hikes in the Williamstown area, but one of the most popular is certainly Pine Cobble. The Williams Outing Club publishes the North Berkshire Trails guide, available at Water Street Books (26 Water Street, +1 413 458-8071), the local bookstore, for $12. A trail description of Pine Cobble is available here. The trail (estimated time: 1 hour) climbs a hill north of Williamstown overlooking the Purple Valley and arrives at an expanse of quartzite rock exposed by glaciers long ago.
Do Williamstown Theatre Festival
Late Jun-Aug. The Williamstown Theatre Festival (WTF) is a renowned festival that presents around two hundred plays, both classic and new productions, every summer on its stages, in addition to readings, workshops, and other special events. The festival was founded in 1954 and since then, a number of productions have gone to Broadway, Off-Broadway, and to theatres around the US. Roger Rees is WTF's artistic director, whom some television viewers may know as Lord John Marbury, the British Ambassador on the television show "The West Wing." Notable actors who have acted at WTF include Gwyneth Paltrow, Blythe Danner, Olympia Dukakis, Christopher Reeve, Marisa Tomei, Ron Rifkin, Richard Chamberlain, and Chris O'Donnell.
Golf
Do Taconic Golf Club
Apr 15-Nov 15. Semi-private, 18 holes. A beautiful golf course, particularly in autumn when the leaves change. Trivia: Jack Nicklaus shot his first hole-in-one at the national junior championships on the Taconic's 14th hole (a small stone marker indicates the spot). In winter, the golf course is a favorite local cross-country skiing location.
Eat
Eat 1896 House Pub
Rt. 7. Daily 5PM to close. Pub food.
Eat Chef's Hat Restaurant
Great breakfast place.
Eat Chopstick's Restaurant
Fine Japanese, Korean, Chinese.
Eat Coyote Flaco
Mexican/Spanish. Margaritas!
Eat Cozy Corner Restaurant
(Rte. 7). Seafood, Italian.
Eat Dining Halls
The dining halls at Williams College seem to be open to everybody. There are three dining halls: Driscoll, Whitmans (Paresky), and Mission. Follow the link for menus and hours. All except Whitmans are all-you-can-eat buffets. These cost $12 for dinner and $7 for lunch. At Whitmans you can buy different courses separately, but the most expensive will only be $12 as well. At night, there is a snackbar in Paresky, and every night except Sunday and Monday there is pizza in the basement for $7 (really good).
Eat Gala (formerly Yasmin's Restaurant)
Breakfast 7AM-10AM, lunch noon-2PM, dinner 5:30PM-9PM, Su brunch 10AM-2PM. Beautiful courtyard/garden setting. Gourmet cuisine and great wine list.
- Happy Star Chinese Restaurant, 240A Main St., M-Th 10:30AM-10:30PM; F Sa 10:30AM-11PM; Su 11AM-10:30PM.
Eat Mezze Bistro & Bar
Dinner daily 5PM. Excellent choice with imaginative offerings. $19-$24.
Eat Michael's Restaurant
(Route 2). Homemade Italian and Greek.
Eat Moonlight Diner & Grille
(Route 2). Su-W 7AM-10PM; Th until 11PM; F Sa until midnight. Breakfast all day.
Eat Pappa Charlie's Deli
Best sandwich place.
Eat Pera Mediterranean Bistro
This place provides excellent food made from fresh ingredients in generous portions, with good service, and refills tea without charge. The menu is really not as expensive as these prices make it seem, because main dishes include soup or a side salad and the separate salad plates are big for one person. The wine list also is quite inexpensive, with bottles between $19.50 and $49.00, quite a few of which are toward the low end of that range.
Eat Spice Root Modern Indian Cuisine
Lunch: Tu-Sa 11:30AM-2:30PM, Su noon-3PM; dinner: Su Tu-Th 5-10PM, F Sa 5-11PM. Fine Indian. Vegetarian available.
Eat Sushi Thai Garden
Lunch daily 11:30AM-10PM, dinner daily 5-10PM. Thai/Japanese.
Eat The Williams Inn
On the Green, Jct. Routes 2 & 7. Daily 7AM to 10PM;10PMbrunch 11:30AM - 2PM. À la carte. Also a Tavern with casual food. Has the Sunday brunch.
Drink
Drink The Red Herring
Open every day. Located underneath the movie theater in town, it's a cozy location to grab a beer after class. Dancing usually occurs on Thursdays, upstairs.
Drink Waterstreet Grill
see above under food. Much classier (and more expensive) than the Red Herring.
Sleep
Hotels
Stay Howard Johnson Express Inn
Jacuzzi Rooms, Business Center, Free wireless Internet Access, Free Breakfast, Outside Pool, Free Parking, TV with cable HBO, Near to Williams College.
Motels
Stay Howard Johnson Express Inn
Jacuzzi rooms, business center, free Wi-Fi, free breakfast, outside pool, free parking, TV with cable HBO. 37 rooms.
Stay Villager Motel
Go next
There is a Peter Pan bus to New York City on Sundays that costs $45. Buy tickets at the Williams Inn. Leaves at 4PM.
You can take the Berkshire Transport to Pittsfield (about 20 minutes south) for many more transportation options, including a train. The bus to New York City also stops in Pittsfield.
If you are a student at Williams then log onto WSO and check out the rideboard.
Nearby
North Adams
City / town · 12 listings · 5 mi away
Adams
City / town · 14 listings · 7 mi away
New Ashford
City / town · 11 listings · 8 mi away
Florida
City / town · 4 listings · 10 mi away
Cheshire
City / town · 37 listings · 11 mi away
Bennington
City / town · 21 listings · 12 mi away
Hancock
City / town · 25 listings · 13 mi away
Lanesborough
City / town · 30 listings · 14 mi away
My experience
Write about your trip here. Notes save automatically in this browser as you type; back them up from My journal.