Western Massachusetts - Pitstops for Kids

August 11, 2014 By Amy Hagstrom

Flayvors Ice Cream at Cook Farm is made on-site, at a family dairy in Hadley, Massachusetts. Located in the heart of the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, the dairy and ice cream parlor are in good company; this region is well-known for its farm-to-fork efforts. What we love: driving up to the ice cream shop, families first see the actual barns and cows that contribute to their ice cream cones. You can even eat your cone or sundae sitting outside by the green pastures, in petting-distance of the cows.

When you arrive, a huge board on the front porch announces the regular and seasonal flavors. We couldn’t decide between a salted caramel and pretzel concoction or the limited batch of asparagus ice cream (we didn’t take a chance on it, but heard it’s quite good!). While we’ve seen as many flavor options at a few shops elsewhere, the originality of the flavor combinations can’t be beat at Flayvors!

You order inside at the big ice cream counter, and can take your shake, sundae, cone, or cup of ice cream outside, or eat inside in the combination dining room/country store. Before you head out, be sure to peek behind the counter to see the Emery Thompson ice cream making machines in the kitchen! We opted to take our cones outside, as it was a beautiful June day. The kids walked through the pasture to see the cows, and we sat at picnic tables nearby. The highway is adjacent, but far enough away that we didn’t worry about the young kids in our group.

Lunch is also served, if you want to make a full meal of it, and raw milk and meat can also be purchased directly from the farm. The immediate area is peppered with farm stands, U-pick fruit options, and the like, so it’s entirely possible to make a full day of the farm experience in Western Massachusetts. We think a trip to Flayvors is a nice stop after an afternoon of strawberry picking at local berry patches, or after swimming in nearby Mill Creek or the Deerfield River. On the day of our visit, we combined our trip with a morning at Retreat Farm in Brattleboro, Vermont. The distance was about an hour between stops, through scenic countryside.

Date last visited:

June 2014

Hours of operation:

Sunday to Saturday, 11 am to 9 pm

Directions:

Flayvors is located at 129 South Maple Street in Hadley.

Mount Tom Reservation and Ice Cream

Ready for the perfect summer outing in Western Massachusetts? Mount Tom Reservation is located between EastHampton and Mt. Holyoke, and offers fishing, hiking, picnicking, and a play area, plus skating and cross-country skiing in winter.

Mt. Tom:

Mt. Tom offers the best view of the Connecticut Valley, the Berkshire mountains, and the Pelham hills. It meanders over 2,161 acres at the top of Mt. Tom (rumored to be the inspiration behind Seuss’ Grinch mountain) and features 22 miles of trails.

We enjoyed the new, creative play area located in the center of the park. (Eying the tree canopy, we wouldn’t mind coming back in autumn someday, too!) The play area includes manmade ‘cliff’ and rock formations that lead to slides, swings, and the like. There’s also a large grass area adjacent and picnic areas nearby. Port-a-potties and a drinking fountain are on-site, as is a covered group area.

Mt. Tom is one of a network of Massachusetts reservations; you can pay $2 per car at the entrance, or buy a pass for all the state reservation properties.

Directions:

Head east on I-90 E. Take exit 4 for I-91 toward Holyoke/Springfield – 0.6 mi. Keep left at the fork, follow signs for I-91 and merge onto I-91 N – 3.9 mi. Take exit 17A to merge onto Easthampton Rd toward Holyoke – 0.5 mi. Turn left at Northampton St/US-5N – 4.0 mi. Turn left at Reservation Rd. Park will be on the left 0.7 mi.

Mt. Tom’s Ice Cream:

Mt. Tom’s Ice Cream offers homemade ice cream in a dizzying array of creative flavors, plus an old-fashioned candy shop (where candy can be purchased by the 1/4th pound). Located at at the base of Mt. Tom in EastHampton, this shop seems to be equally popular with families and singles, offering free wifi and located next to a trendy record/music store. It’s a definite stop before or after a trip to Mt. Tom to hike or play.

We opted for the salted caramel and Mexican chocolate varieties (it’s got a kick to it!) and they do offer ‘kiddie’ sized cones in addition to regular and large. Also on offer: gourmet coffees, shakes, malts, and sundaes. There is limited seating inside, but several small tables are also available outside, plus families can always take their ice cream across the way to sit by the pond.