Not quite the bohemian haven its boosters would like you to believe, Northampton retains enough New England 'village' style to merit a visit. Look for classic small town architecture like the massive bank buildings that now house art galleries and restaurants. Every corner in downtown houses a boutique or eatery so there's plenty to keep folks busy for a day or so, but outside of downtown you'll quickly find industrial blah (Wal-Mart) and lots of residential styretches. Northampton is in part a college town, home to Smith College, a venerable liberal arts college which is a member of the region's five-college system. Expect a strong mix of collegiate fun and grey-haired hippy dreams.

The Northampton Peter Pan Bus Terminal occupies part of the first floor of a small brick building just one block from downtown. The terminal is in the rear of the building (just follow the sidewalk) next to the dispatch office of a taxi company. Although not the most obvious address in town, the neighborhood is safe and convenient, if you don't mind that one big hill between the station and the main road.

The station is nothing more than a glorified waiting room with vending machines, seats, and a ticket counter. Step off the bus, grab your bag from the driver and step through the station door. The ticket counter is to9 your right and vending machines are straight ahead. To hail a taxi walk next door (taxi dispatch office) and ask or call the number posted in their window. To board the bus either wait inside or, in better weather, sit in front of the station. All buses board directly in front of the station and you can't miss your bus.

Describe the neighborhood. Is there anything around, is it a neighborhood or a parking lot on the edge of town? Be subjective and objective: is the area scary? Is there obvious crime? Drug dealers, police cars with blaring sirens? Crackheads passed out on the street?

Don't expect a long layover in Northampton, they're uncommon. But if you're not careful and you try to travel from say Boston to Montreal you could end up with an overnight layover here. On a short layover just walk out to the street and peek around. Not much to see but iut's clean ans quiet. If you have an hour or so walk up the hill to Main Street and look around. This is downtown Northampton. The Smith College campus is about half a mile west of here. If you have a few hours just wander the shops on Main Street. Get a coffee and read a newspaper. Relax.

Give three or four sentences that describe the city, its location, reputation, interesting facts. Give one or two sentences describing the city subjectively. Does this place deserve a visit or is it just an unfortunate layover? What are the must see and do neighborhoods or activities in this city? What are the newspapers and which ones describe local events and nightlife? Describe the weather, when to come here and how to dress.

If the city is steeped in history (Boston, Philly, San Francisco) give a few paragraphs here, maybe one for each century. Otherwise, one paragraph to describe the founding of the city, its growth and regional importance is fine. There is no history test on this trip.

There's nothing like stepping off a bus into a city you've never seen before. The smells, sights and sounds can excite and frighten even the most intrepid traveler. To make the most of your time in any city, be it a day or a month, spend a few minutes learning the neighborhoods before you go. This will help you plan your trip and orient you to your surroundings. This section briefly describes the most popular and tourist-friendly neighborhoods in the city starting with the neighborhoods nearest the bus station and fanning out from there.

Describe the neighborhood nearest the bus station, the one that passengers would see if they stepped off the bus and walked a block or two. Use all of your senses: sights, sounds, smells, first impressions? And are your first impressions right or does this neighborhood surprise the visitor?

What's another nearby neighborhood that the passenger might see or visit within a few minutes of the bus station?

Tip: if you're writing about several neighborhoods (or places to eat etc) take some time between writing sessions. Take a day or at least a few hours. This prevents your writing from becoming repetitive or formulaic.

Give a few sentences about transportation in the city. Is there anything to walk to near the station? Are we relying on buses or taxis while we're in town? Sum it up subjectively but give objective examples in detail below.

Is this a walking city or is it LA?

You won't find any subways or commuter trains in Northampton but this small New England village offers an extensive bus network. Much of what you want is easily accessible by foot but when you need transit, look for a neaby bus stop. Most stops are marked by a white, rectangular sign emblazened with the PVTA logo and phrase Bus Stop. Some larger bus stops have bus shelters but few have seating. The buses are generally low-floor models but the PVTA keeps a supply of nasty older buses it tends to use in bad weather. Always use exact fare, drivers do not make change. Ever. Watch for dirty seats, many passengers think the bus is their living room and rest their dirty feet on the seats. It's not Calcutta, but it's not Singapore either. Good luck.

Nearby Greenfield's Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA) also runs a route through town but only a few times per day. Route 31 costs $1.50 each way, cash only, exact change required. If you need to get to Deerfield or Greenfield by bus plan carefully; it's a long walk between attractions, bus stops, and hotels.

Is this a city where we need a taxi? Is there some must see spot only accessible by taxi like a national park or secluded beach? Where do find a taxi, how much is it, and how can we save some money here?

Is this a city where we need a rental car? Is there some must see spot only accessible by rental car like a national park or secluded beach? Where do rent a car, how much is it, and how can we save some money here?

In a few sentences describe the best and cheapest places to sleep. Are hotels through the roof or surprisingly affordable off-season like Vegas Sunday - Thursday nights?

Can we sleep at the bus station unfettered or does it close or have surly guards? What about the airport or train station? Is there anywhere nearby to sleep safely and free?

If we use Priceline what neighborhoods/zones should we include in the search and what's a fair bidding price?

Most cities have a hostel or two. Describe a few decent options and tell us how to get there.

Hostel Name

Street
City, State ZIP Code
Telephone: 555 555 5555
Fax: 555 555 5555

Shared Dorms: $XX and up
Private Room: $XX and up

Add $X per person per night for non-members.

Directions:

Custom Directions

Some larger cities have YMCA's with housing. These can be dodgy and might house the city's homeless population. Give details.

YMCA Name

Street
City, State ZIP Code
Telephone: 555 555 5555
Fax: 555 555 5555

Shared Dorms: $XX and up
Private Room: $XX and up

Directions:

Custom Directions

Perhaps the best way to travel the country (and the world), couch surfing is a post-modern concept that shows exactly how useful the Internet can be. Travelers register on-line and search the cities where they want to stay. Members offer the opportunity to host visitors (on their couch, floor, spare room) and describe themselves and their availability in an on-line profile. Then users contact each other, discuss plans, preferences and availability and decide whether to commit to an overnight or extended stay. Both parties have the option to refuse an offer without explanation and with no hurt feelings. The service advertises nearly one million users around the world so if you're ready for an adventure and can plan ahead, consider couch surfing. Interested travelers should visit couchsurfing.com and wikipedia.org to learn more.

By now everyone in the world uses Craigslist so you're probably familiar with the site. It's an on-line bulletin board where users freely post ads for everything from used toothbrushes for sale to erotic adventures. In between you can search for paid vacation and short-term rentals under housing. It means planning ahead and you might have to send a deposit to the advertiser. Most users are honest and intrepid travelers can find an affordable, safe, clean place to stay for a few nights. But if you're going to do this why not try couch surfing first? It's free so if you get to the house and don't like what you see you can leave. You also have the option to chat with your host before you ever leave home and couchsurfing.com offers some degree of reassurance with its referral and verification system. So search the Craigslist postings, but keep couch surfing in the back of your mind.

Most cities offer an eclectic menu of restaurants but some cities are best divided into dining areas by neighborhood. Think about the food options in the city. Pick a few cheap eats, a couple mid-range choices and one exotic option. Try to include places that are either MUST SEE or out of the way and easily missed but deserve a visit. Be creative.

Style (Neighborhood) $

Name
Street
City, State ZIP Code

Telephone: 555 555 5555

Hours:

Describe the restaurant, the clientele, the workers, the food, the neighborhood and the overall experience.

Directions…

Custom Directions

Include a chart like this at the end of your Where to Eat section but update it to reflect local pricing.

Is this city compact and are services easy to find? Describe it in a few sentences.

Does the bus station have lockers? How about a nearby train station or airport? Is there a hotel nearby that can hold our bags?

These can be hard to find and the restrooms at bus stations can be absolutely gross. Give us some tips on where to go, and do we need to bring a handful of quarters?

What's a good souvenir for the city? Where do we buy postcards and key chains? In New York City every corner shop sells postcards but in Tampa where do you go?

Where do we mail our postcards or just buy stamps? In some cities there's a post office on every corner, but in other places you have to drive into the woods to find one. Tell us where to go.

Consider a chart like this one:

Where, when, and how much? Is wi-fi available? Are libraries open to the traveling public?

Some cities have densely populated neighborhoods that surround the bus station and downtown and thus we're likely to find a grocery store nearby. In other cities you have to hunt and peck but if you look around you'll likely find something near the bus station (think Cleveland). Tell us where to find a nearby grocery store, describe it and the neighborhood as well as the style of food, quality and pricing. How do we get there?

Some cities have densely populated neighborhoods that surround the bus station and downtown and thus we're likely to find a laundry service nearby. In other cities you have to hunt and peck but if you look around you'll likely find something near the bus station (think San Francisco). Tell us where to find a nearby laundromat, describe it and the neighborhood as well as the costs, hours, and times to avoid it. How do we get there?

Hopefully you never need medical care while you're on the road, and if you do we hope that you have medical insurance. In the United States you are guaranteed medical treatment at any hospital's emergency room (ER) regardless of your ability pay even if you are not insured. But each state determines how much care uninsured patients get.

What are the best options for medical care in the city? Think price, accessibility, and care. Are we better off going to an ER or are walk-in clinics the best option? Tell us where to go and how to get there!

NEIGHBORHOOD

Hospital or clinic
Street
City, State ZIP Code

Telephone: 555 555 5555
TDD Phone: 555 555 5555

Directions!

Custom Directions

Describe the city's activities and lifestyle in general. Is it a beach city with a hopping nightlife (Miami) or a quiet college town with some great bookstores? Give us an overview of what to expect and then describe a few free and inexpensive options below.

Place or Activity

Name of place
Street
Telephone: 555 555 5555
Hours:

Description, be creative but objective

Directions

Custom Directions

Same as above but these cost a few dollars each.

Money is no object here. Passengers might not partake in this adventure but tell us about it anyway. Maybe it's worth checking out even if we can't afford it.

If you only have one day in town consider this:

Describe in great detail exactly where to go fore folks who have a day in town, maybe just a few hours. Give us directions from the bus station and phone numbers and price guides. What's the perfect one-day trip?

Introduce a few suggested daytrips here. These spots might not be in town but they should be easy to get to in a day.

Be specific. Where are we going and why? What do we do when we get there and how do we get there? How is this different from the city or neighborhood with the bus station? Really sell this place but make sure it's worth the trip. If it's as good as you say it is then this part should be easy.

Briefly describe how to get in and out of the city. Is the airport far away (Denver)? Are there no trains (Phoenix)? Then describe the airport, trains, and boats in great detail below. This part really matters.

Where's the station? What are the common destinations from here and how often do the trains run? Ten times a day or every other day? Can I find discounts on-line (Chicago!) or is this a pricey train destination (Boston!). How do we get there and what's the station like?

Where's the airport? Is there more than one? What are the common destinations from here and how often do the flights leave? Can I find discounts on-line last minute or am I out of luck? How do we get there and what's the airport like?

To learn about a nearby city please select from the list below.

AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
DEERFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
GREENFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT