Savoy sits high on the Hoosac plateau in northwestern Massachusetts, a town of fewer than 700 people that feels like it was built around its forest rather than the other way around. Settled in the late 1700s and named (the story goes) for the Alpine region of France, it is best known today for Savoy Mountain State Forest, an 11,000-acre sweep of spruce, beaver bogs, ponds, and tumbling waterfalls left behind by old farms reclaimed by woods.

This is a destination for people who want to slow down. There are no crowds to fight and no big resorts, just back roads, swimming ponds, and a handful of trailheads that lead to places like Tannery Falls and Balanced Rock. Because Savoy itself has limited services, most visitors base in the lively mill town of North Adams or polished Williamstown just down the hill, both ten to twenty minutes away and home to the region's best food, coffee, and the world-class MASS MoCA contemporary art museum.

Early July is the sweet spot here: warm days in the high 70s to low 80s, cool evenings that can dip into the 50s up on the plateau, and ponds finally warm enough for a swim. Pack layers, a swimsuit, bug spray for the bogs, and sturdy shoes for rooty trails. You will want a car, since this is rural country with no transit to speak of, and the rewards are quiet trails, roadside overlooks on the Mohawk Trail, and small-town restaurants where you quickly feel like a regular.