Five of Massachusetts’ Best Lakesides Towns Are in Western MA

There is a lot to love about living in Massachusetts. From its iconic Cape Cod beaches to the bustling Boston metro area, to the peaceful hills of the Berkshires. Massachusetts truly has something for everyone.

Whether you were born and raised in Massachusetts or are a transplant to the best state in New England, you know all it has to offer.

Massachusetts boasts a strong economy, affordable living, excellent public schools, and an overall high quality of life. The state has been highlighted as one of the best states to live in the US several times, by publications like US News and World Reports, Niche, and CBS News.

So we know there are lots of great places to live in Massachusetts, but there is truly something special about a lake town, and we have plenty of those. While the Bay State is most synonymous with Cape Cod beaches, there are some stunning lakes across the state as well.

Recently, World Atlas looked at the best lake towns in Massachusetts and five of them are located in Berkshire County.

Best Lake Towns in Massachusetts

• Stockbridge

Located in Berkshire County, Stockbridge sits by the Housatonic River and is home to the Stockbridge Bowl. This 398-acre great pond is used year-round by swimmers, scullers, fishermen, water-skiers, kayakers, and powerboaters and its home to the paddle leg of the famous Josh Billings Runaground.

• Pittsfield

Also located in Berkshire County, the city of Pittsfield, balances natural scenery with modern comforts, thanks to its setting around two major lakes: Lake Onota and Lake Pontoosuc. The 617-acre Onota Lake, located entirely within the community, offers many recreational opportunities, including swimming, sailing, fishing, jet skiing, and water skiing, as well as serving as a venue for the celebrated summer musical event ‘Live on the Lake.’ Pontoosuc Lake, straddling the boundary between Pittsfield and Lanesborough, attracts many kayakers, boaters, and water skiers, with large crowds on summer weekends.

• Monterey

This small Berkshire town sits at the starting point of the Konkapot River in the southern most part of the county. Located in the midst of softly curving hills and thick woods, the town’s focal point is Lake Garfield, a B 275-acre crystal-clear lake with a public boat launch and a well-maintained beach, excellent for swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding, and fishing.

• Otis

Also located in the southern Berkshires, Otis is full of hills, lakes, forests, and community amenities. Central to Otis’s lakeside allure is the Otis Reservoir, a 1,065-acre water body known for boating, water skiing, snowmobiling, swimming, and both summer and winter fishing, thanks to a sizeable population of bass, yellow perch, catfish, trout, and tiger muskies.

• Great Barrington

Berkshire County's last great lakeside town is Great Barrington, and is home to the Lake Mansfield Recreation Area, which features a 29-acre pond and a juxtaposed 29-acre Conservation Forest with a quarter-mile smooth walking loop trail. A popular spot for friends and families, the Lake Mansfield Recreation Area has open fields for picnics, swimming access to Lake Mansfield, walking trails, fishing, and nature watching.