Thrillist.com Loves Deerfield

Thrillist usually concerns itself with famous places and stars and lists, but this list was of the best Small Towns in Massachusetts.  Deerfield is number 8!

Why it’s so great: Feeling a hankering for small-town living? Head west of Boston for two hours, and soon enough you’ll be daydreaming/day-drooling over a Main Street so picturesque that it puts Norman Rockwell paintings to shame.

The historic district is actually an outdoor museum populated by 18th-century homes, many hosting live art, and cooking demonstrations. Foodies can poke around the Cooks’ Garden, which grows veggies and herbs used in on-site culinary classes. The renowned Deerfield Inn, built in 1881, was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Irene back in 2011, but a full restoration beckons you back to the renowned B&B.

Yes, the town plays host to a couple of private boarding schools, but you can suffer a few privileged teens for a setting this picturesque. It’s great year-round, but in the summer, you must go tubing down the Deerfield River!

Must-eat foods: Champney’s for beer-braised short ribs and, if it’s a cold evening, a fireside drink; Berkshire Brewing for taproom drafts.

Despite the website’s apparent love of our villages, they used a photo of Sunderland, MA in their story. Oh well, thanks for recognizing Deerfield as one of the Best Small Towns in Massachusetts.