Planning your trip to literary Northeast

THE BEST WAY TO BOSTON

From LAX, American, United, JetBlue and Virgin America offer nonstop service to Boston. American and Southwest offer direct service (stop, no change of plane), and AirTran, United, Southwest, American, US Airways, Continental, JetBlue and Delta offer connecting service (change of plane). Restricted round-trip fares begin at $378. Massachusetts’ Berkshire Hills are a three- to four-hour drive from Boston or New York City.

WHERE TO STAY

Near Steepletop:

Inn at Green River, 9 Nobletown Road, Hillsdale, N.Y.; (518) 325-7248, https://www.iagr.com, is a beautifully decorated farmhouse in a valley. Doubles from $149 in September and October, including breakfast.

Inn at Richmond, 802 Route 41, Richmond, Mass.; (413) 698-2566, https://www.innatrichmond.com, is a graceful 18th century country house surrounded by a horse farm. Doubles from $210 during the week, $250 on weekends, May to October, including breakfast.

Shaker Mill Inn, 2 Oak St., West Stockbridge, Mass.; (877) 385-2484, https://www.shakermillinn.com, is a charming lodging place near Shaker Mill Tavern. Large rooms, from $99 to $249, depending on the season.

Near The Mount:

Brook Farm, 15 Hawthorne St., Lenox; (800) 285-7638, https://www.brookfarminn.com, and Birchwood, 7 Hubbard St., Lenox; (800) 524-1646, https://www.birchwood-inn.com, are charming, more modestly priced B&B inns. Birchwood, from $175; Brook Farm, from $149; both include breakfast.

Emily Dickson Museum

Amherst Inn, 257 Main St., (413) 253-5000, https://www.allenhouse.com, is a nine-bedroom Victorian B&B across the street from the Dickinson Homestead. Doubles from about $115, including breakfast.

Lord Jeffery Inn, 30 Boltwood Ave., (800) 742-0358, https://www.lordjefferyinn.com, is a handsome, old-fashioned hotel run by Amherst College, scheduled to re-open this fall after a three-year renovation.

WHERE TO EAT

A few miles east of Millay’s Steepletop, miniscule West Stockbridge, Mass., has excellent dining choices, including the casual Shaker Mill Tavern, 5 Albany Road, (413) 232-8565; French gourmet Rouge, 3 Center St., (413) 232-4111; Caffe Pomo d’Oro, 6 Deport St., (413) 232-4616, for breakfast and lunch; and Truc Orient Express, 1 Harris St., (413) 232-4202, for Vietnamese.

Lenox has some of the best restaurants in western Massachusetts, including Nudel, 37 Church St., (413) 551-7183, a small spot with an open kitchen serving inventive seasonal cuisine, especially pasta; and Zinc, 56 Church St., (413) 637-8800, for stylish ambience and French bistro fare.