Fun fact! Greenfield, MA, is home to a "gravity hill," a place where the layout of the surrounding land creates the optical illusion that a slight downhill slope appears to be a slight uphill slope. Got that? You can find this spectacle on Shelburne Road, right after the Route 2 bridge. A car in neutral at the bottom will appear to crawl uphill, a sight that will surely impress your visiting friends.
Greenfield, located in New England, stretches over 22 square miles and is located 90 miles from Boston, if you feel the need to be close to a major city. Greenfield is a picturesque town, a center of commerce and culture, with a vibrant downtown area that is full of great restaurants, shops and historical sights. Farms, industry and residential neighborhoods make up the rest of the town. Greenfield is lesser known than its popular artsy neighbors, Northampton and Amherst, but Greenfield is quickly coming out of its shell and showing everyone what it has to offer. New England weather is not for the faint of heart, but cold, snowy winters can be exciting, and you will learn to play the fun game of experimenting with exactly how many layers to wear for each five degree change in temperature. The hot, humid summers allow you to get better acquainted with the local splash holes, as well as with your friends who may have a larger pool than you do.
Greenfield Neighborhoods
Greenfield has a very local feel, with a small-town charm that makes it easy to want to get involved in the community. Various suburbs surround the downtown area, where you can find a varied selection of places to rent in Greenfield.
Hillside: Located conveniently next to downtown and is dotted with a multitude of single and multifamily homes built during the early 19th century. House rentals in this area are easy to find, and the neighborhood recently underwent a revitalization project designed to increase commerce and make improvements to the area's infrastructure.
Silver Street/Federal Street: If you are looking for something cozy, this area is a good location to find smaller places to live, such as a studio apartment for rent.
Downtown: Good for smaller rental homes as well and will place you smack dab in the center of the action. Downtown is certainly not lacking for culture or great food, and you can work on your farm-to-table dinner skills by frequenting the weekend farmer's market. When you get tired of all of that cooking, have someone else do it for you at one of the awesome brunch spots. Living in the downtown area will not cure your active night owl, but it will allow you to better entertain it, as The Arts Block has live music at least three nights a week.
Becoming One of the Locals
Energy Park is a great place to meet your neighbors and just hang out in the warmer months, especially to attend the Summer in the Park concert series, armed with a blanket, food and beverages. One of the park's main goals is to provide public education on issues related to sustainable energy. Walking through the park, you are bound to see several clean energy demonstrations underway, so get out there and learn. If more rugged hiking is your thing, Highland Park offers a network of trails to satisfy your secret daredevil, and for yet one more option for summer cooling, the Green River Swimming and Recreation Area is at your disposal, featuring a swimming area with a sand beach. If you close your eyes, you may think you were transported to a tropical paradise.
Do you have an inner poet or just want to hear other people's? Greenfield hosts the annual Word Festival, a poetry festival where poets read original and non-original works in various venues throughout the town. If you still need more poet-inspired activities, Poet's Seat Tower, located in Rocky Mountain Park, was named for the many poets who flocked to the spot to write their hearts out. You can do so, too, and then debut your masterpiece at next year's Word Festival.
Speaking of festivals, Greenfield hosts the Green River Festival, which combines music, local food and dancing in an annual summer event. If you are more visually inclined, the Brick and Mortar Video Festival turns the downtown area into a living, breathing video art installation every October.
Ever been to the grange? Greenfield has its very own Guiding Star Grange, which is a community space that holds events every weekend, including various live music performances and group dances. What better way to get to know your neighbors than by joining them in a contra dance.
Greenfield has all the makings to become your best friend, a place you can call home and mean it.
