Known during the Gilded Age as The Inland Newport, the Berkshire Hills in Massachusetts were a haven where families of the rich and powerful whiled away summers. Gardens were an important feature of many of these estates, and for couples together on family travel, their fragrant paths still make perfect places for a leisurely romantic stroll.
Naumkeag
It took 30 years to complete and decorate the shingle-style mansion of Naumkeag and create its famous gardens. Stroll through the beautiful Afternoon Garden and serene Chinese Garden, stop to smell the roses in the Rose Garden, enjoy the fragrance of the Evergreen Garden and savor the view from the Tree Peony Terrace.
Highlights of the estate include the Blue Steps, a magnificent series of deep blue pools with fountains, descending a hillside and flanked by curving stairs. Graceful white birch trees arch overhead — you’ll want a selfie-for-two with this charming scene as a background. Stay on to tour the 44-room mansion.
The Mount
Author Edith Wharton was a passionate gardener and designed the formal gardens situated below The Mount, her Lenox home. Descend into the sunken Italian Garden, surrounded by stone walls and planted all in green and white, then walk beneath the linden trees bordering the Lime Walk to find the French Flower Garden.
Brilliant annual flowers bloom around a pool, while surrounding borders are bright with delphiniums, phlox, lilies and dahlias. Climb the unusual Grass Steps to visit the house if you’re a fan of Wharton’s books, or stroll through the three-shaded grounds to admire the annually changing sculptures.
Berkshire Botanical Garden
Not part of a Gilded Age estate, Berkshire Botanical Garden was designed for education and inspiration, and its 24 acres showcase its plants and garden design. But its gardens are more than a horticultural museum; they are also a beautiful place to stroll and pause on a bench to admire the landscapes of artfully arranged trees, shrubs and the exuberant displays of flowers.
Read This Next
#WhereverFamily
Insta FeedTravel Tips
Sep 1, 2026TikTok Revolutionizes Travel Planning and Inspiration
With an estimated 1.9 billion users worldwide, TikTok influences nearly every part of our lives, from food to fashion. The app so profoundly changed the way we travel, it now describes itself as a “modern-day travel agency, itinerary planner, and travel blog rolled into one.” Using TikTok to plan travel is so popular, the app recently launched TikTok Go to make booking even easier.
Sponsored Content
Best of Both Worlds
Enjoy the best of both worlds when you fly with TAP Air Portugal thanks to the Portugal Stopover program. With the program, TAP passengers, whether traveling for business, leisure or both, can stop in Portugal for up to 10 days at no additional airfare on the way to their final destination. What does this mean for travelers wishing to explore by both land and sea? It means after flying to Portugal with TAP and experiencing the country in an entirely new way, travelers can then embark on scenic river and ocean cruises from Portugal’s port cities, or fly with TAP to another European destination.
Hotels
Sep 1, 2026Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa to Welcome Return of Elf on the Shelf This Holiday Season
The magic of Christmas quickly approaches as summer comes to a close, and families can experience the holiday season in a unique way this year.
Hotels
Sep 1, 2026This London Hotel Launches Little Londoners Family Package
Balance a city break in London with kid-friendly experiences at Sea Containers London, an upscale, riverside hotel. The property recently debuted the Little Londoners package, a thoughtfully designed offering that makes exploring London easier (and more fun) for both kids and parents.
Sponsored Content
GET TO KNOW TAP FORBIZ
Unlock flexible, refined business travel with TAP Air Portugal’s program, TAP FORBIZ. Developed for small, medium and large Companies, with options for corporate events, TAP FORBIZ offers exclusive advantages adapted to each type of business.
Europe
Aug 27, 20266 Geneva, Switzerland, Destinations for Family Travel
It’s time to start dreaming of your next family trip. Here’s some destination inspiration for you. Take a visual journey through Geneva, Switzerland, with us.
ShareThis