During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, some of New England's wealthiest families made Lenox their summer playground. They built massive 50-room "summer cottages" with spectacular mountain views. With the decline of the families' fortunes, many of the grand homes built in Lenox were sold, razed or lost to fires. One of those homes that is still standing is Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edith Wharton's home, The Mont (edithwharton.org). It is now a museum that showcases the author's life and accomplishments.
The arts have always fueled tourism in the Berkshires. Tanglewood (bso.org), the Boston Symphony Orchestra's (BSO) summer home in Lenox, hosts the Tanglewood Music Festival and the Tanglewood Jazz Festival. Besides the BSO and the Boston Pops, the nation's top classical, choral, chamber, jazz and contemporary musicians also perform each season. Shakespeare & Company (shakespeare.org), a nationally known theater center, produces a year-round schedule of performances of Shakespeare and new works by emerging playwrights. The Frelinghuysen Morris House & Studio (frelinghuysen.org) has a collection of 20th century art, including works by Pablo Picasso and Juan Gris.
Lenox is the geographical center of Berkshire County and mountains, lakes, rivers and streams surround the town on all sides. In town, visitors can hike the nature trails at the Audubon Society's (massaudubon.org) wildlife sanctuary or in the forest at Kennedy Park. During the winter, cross-country skiers take over the trails. Just west of Lenox is October Mountain State Park, with lakes for canoeing, kayaking and fishing. Benedict Pond, a popular spot for swimming and fishing, is about 10 miles south of Lenox in Beartown State Forest. Mount Greylock, the highest peak in Massachusetts, is about 14 miles north of Lenox in the town of Lanesborough.
Lodging in Lenox ranges from five-star resorts to economy hotel chains. The Cranwell Resort, Spa and Golf Club (cranwell.com), the former home of a member of the Vanderbilt family, offers a private golf course, tennis courts and three gourmet restaurants. Guests at Blantyre (blantyre.com), another former grand home, enjoy the resort's private ice skating rink and its five-course gourmet dinners served in an elegant dining room. Visitors can also find rooms in one of the many old Lenox farmhouses or homes that have been converted into inns and bed-and-breakfast establishments. The Gateways Inn (gatewaysinn.com), the Rookwood Inn (rookwoodinn.com) and the Brook Farm Inn (brookfarm.com) each offer about a dozen rooms, all richly decorated with art and antiques.
Lenox has many gourmet restaurants and bistros. Visitors can also find family-style restaurants, pizza shops and bakeries with more moderately priced menus. Downtown businesses cater to boutique shoppers with a taste for designer clothing, hand-crafted gifts and home furnishings. Bargain hunters can shop at Lee's Premium Outlets (premiumoutlets.com), just a few miles west of Lenox. The Museum Facsimiles Factory Outlet Store (museumoutlets.com) in Pittsfield carries frames and framed art as well as prints, letterpress greeting cards and Berkshire artisans' work.
