A Town That's Always in Season: South Hadley, Mass.

South Hadley, Mass. is a relatively small town in Western Mass. and I've lived there with my parents and my younger sister since I was four years old. It's the home of the Tigers, the Village Commons, and Mount Holyoke College and is also one of the many towns that borders the Connecticut River.

For me, growing up in South Hadley was a great experience. I made some fantastic friends when I was really young, my parents became friends with their parents, and our families remain best friends to this day.

One of my favorite things about South Hadley is the Village Commons in the center of town. During the fall there's the Columbus Day Fair, and in the winter there's the Holiday Stroll, complete with warm apple cider, ice sculptures and santa on his sleigh. I always associate the Commons with the changing of the seasons, and because of this I enjoy walking around this part of South Hadley any time of the year. There are a bunch of cute shops and even more great restaurants, as well as the Tower Theaters, a small two-theater establishment that's a nice change from the standard huge cinema with stadium-style seating and 3-D offerings that we often see today.

Two of my favorite restaurants are Johnny's Bar and Grille and Tailgate Picnic. Tailgate has a ton of different deli and specialty sandwiches that are great for a quick lunch on the go. At Johnny's you can choose from a great variety of different options. The brie in puff pastry with raspberry sauce, sliced apples and garlic toast is the best appetizer they have. And I love the seared tuna salad. It has slices of seared rare ahi tuna that's crusted in black and white sesame seeds and it comes with edamame and a cold soba noodle salad. And look how pretty it is!

I graduated with a class of about 150 people, and by the time senior year rolled around, we were all pretty close. I think this is something that holds true to many of the South Hadley High graduating classes. Because it is such a small town, with a population of just over 17,000, I went to school with all of the same people growing up, which allowed me to make a lot of great friends.

South Hadley is also a great place to raise kids. I know that in my neighborhood, there were over a dozen kids that lived on my street and we were all within four years of eachother. In the summer we would play together all day and come back again after dinner for more.

The great thing about the area is that you get to experience all the seasons in one place. You can enjoy the warm summer months cruising on the Connecticut River, hike up to the Summit House in Hadley for a great foliage tour during the fall, and ski or snowboard at any of the various mountains in the area. During the summer, you can even take a cruise on the Lady Bea, South Hadley's resident cruise boat that brings people up and down the Connecticut River. If you're lucky, you'll catch a glimpse of the bald eagles that live in one of the trees on the shore, and you'll definitely learn a thing or two about the history of the river.

Overall, South Hadley has a great New England feel and is a nice small town to raise a family in. It's surrounded by colleges, right in the 5-college loop which makes for some great opportunities for South Hadley students. So whether you're looking to have a great meal or enjoy any one of the four seasons, South Hadley is definitely a place to consider visiting if you're in the area.

Photos courtesy of TripAdvisor.com, mtholyoke.edu, thevillagecommons.com, southhadley.org, Alex Tillotson (me)