A College Kid’s Guide to Amherst
Because Amherst College is home to only 1,800 students, you might think that the quaint town of Amherst, Massachusetts does not have much to offer. When I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to see that this was not the case at all—the liveliness of Pleasant Street is partially due to the fact that the town of Amherst is also home to University of Massachusetts Amherst, which hosts about 30,000 students. I will brag for a second and say that Amherst College borders the town directly, while the UMASS campus is slightly farther. Amherst has that quintessential college town feel that goes hand in hand with most massive universities, even though it’s home to an extremely small liberal arts school. Amherst has an abundance of quality restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and study spots.
Amherst
Antonio’s: The best pizza you will ever have outside of New York. Known for its unique toppings and their popular $1 “hot cheese” on Friday nights, some of my favorites from Antonio’s are the tortellini pesto, avocado quesadilla, and buffalo ranch. SO good.
Johnny’s Tavern: A great spot for the parents to take you out, but not too expensive that you could go with friends too. Amazing flatbreads, burgers, and fun drinks.
Black Sheep: Really fresh and exciting deli type sandwiches. Tons of options!!! I was on the lacrosse team at Amherst and always brought a Black Sheep sandwich on the bus before games.
Pita Pocket: Falafel and hummus done right. A great lunch grab and an in-expensive option! Plus, the guys that work there are so nice—they will always give you a free falafel or baklava.
Vera Cruz: Chips and guac, and flavored margaritas. Need I say more?!
Insomnia Cookies (if you know, you know) and fresh donuts at the incredible Glazed Donuts
Amherst Coffee: A great spot super close to campus that has some of my favorite coffee. The booths make it the perfect place to study or catch up with a friend. I never went after hours, but I heard it turns into a pretty cool cocktail bar at night—perfect for a first date!
Share Coffee: Another great spot with some really yummy brunch food as well. Their coffee is to die for; I even buy it in bulk online occasionally.
Inn on Boltwood: The college-owned Inn is less than a two-minute walk from campus and became one of my favorite places to spend time. Their library and lobby area is open to the public and my senior year I spent many nights holed up by the fire writing my thesis and drinking hot chocolate there. It also has some incredible brunch, dinner, and cocktails! Tell your parents to stay here when they are in the area.
AJ Hastings: The one and only Amherst College gear store, this cute place has Amherst apparel, school supplies, and good gifts for family or friends.
Amherst Books: The local bookstore where many Amherst students buy their books as well as attend poetry readings, open mic night, etc. Support locals!
If you’re looking for somewhere to go out at night off-campus, Amherst has a pretty large variety of bars for a small town. Check out McMurphy’s Tavern for a fun Irish pub (with free popcorn!), The Spoke for fun karaoke nights, and Club Lit (18+) for more of an exciting club-like scene.
Route 9
Home to a plethora of shopping centers, Route 9 has everything you could ever want or need. While Route 9 is technically in the neighboring town of Hadley, it provides Amherst students with access to every brand name store and chain under the sun. Most of the other NESCAC (New England Small College) schools I visited were in the middle of nowhere, which I found incredibly limiting. I wanted that rural college feel for sure, but knew I would need a Target within 50 miles. At Amherst, you can have both!
If you need groceries, Route 9 has Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Big-Y, and even Aldi. Some of the other places my friends and I frequented were Target, Walmart, and Marshall’s, all of which are heaven for college students. In terms of food, Route 9 has all the usuals like Chipotle, Starbucks, and Five Guys. If you like brunch food and don’t want to go too far, Stables is a must. It’s so cheap and has a great menu!
If you’re a coffee fanatic you have to go to Shelbourne Falls. My lacrosse team swore by this place. It’s definitely the best coffee in the area (try the Hazelnut cold brew), and has some delicious bagels and breakfast sandwiches. The Shelbourne staff are always so friendly, and the interior is super cute too.
Route 9 is also home to Esselon, an Amherst student favorite. This place has super fresh and somewhat unique food for both brunch and dinner. I love everything from their baked goods and coffee to their burgers and quesadillas!
Mission Cantina (not exactly on Route 9, but driving distance from campus) the best Mexican food in Western Mass., hands down. Incredible for chips and guac, margaritas, burritos and beyond.
Northampton
If Route 9 doesn’t feel “big-city” enough for you, check out Northampton. This hub is home to some of the best boutique shopping in the area, an array of delicious cafes and eateries, and an Amtrak train station which many Amherst students utilize to get to and from campus. Local Burger is a burger joint that offers a large selection of burgers and some of the best fries ever. Such a cool looking place inside too! Whenever I went to Northampton for a mid-day meal I could never decide between Jake’s and Sylvester’s; both are so good. Fun fact: Sylvester’s is named after Sylvester Graham, who invented the Graham cracker and grew up in the area.
The Great Outdoors
Not only is Amherst one of the best schools in the country, but it also happens to be in one of the most beautiful areas in the United States: Western New England. You can see The Holyoke Mountain Range from the Amherst campus. The mountains are home to some of the best hiking and views the area has to offer, only a short drive from campus. Some of my favorite hikes (especially in the fall) were Bare Mountain and Mount Nonotuck, but there are countless others worth checking out all within 15 minutes of Amherst College. At Amherst, it’s hard not to want to be outside all the time. In that same vein, if you’re visiting Amherst in the late spring or summer, be sure to check out Puffer’s Pond. It’s a super cool spot to hang out, swim, and simply take advantage of warm weather when it’s not snowy in Western Mass. Even closer to campus (steps away actually, on the border of the college) is the Norwottuck Rail Trail. Referred to as “the bike path” by students, this 11-mile paved path was formerly the Boston & Maine Railroad. It’s a super popular spot for students to walk, run, roller blade, and even cross-country ski. Plus, it’s beautiful every single month of the year! The fall foliage cannot be beat. Speaking of fall foliage, one of my favorite Amherst College events is called Farm Fest. This event is held annually on the school’s own farm called Book and Plow. The farm itself is always open to the public, and students can even work there. Fall Fest is held on a Sunday in September and consists of everything from live music to cider donuts, to locally brewed beer for 21+ students. It is truly one of the happiest and most special days of the year on campus and really makes you appreciate your surroundings.
As I said, you wouldn’t think that a town this small would have this much to offer, but I really believe that Amherst has every quality you could want in a college town. I was so grateful to call it my home for four years. Miss you 413!
