Victoria & Roland
Things To Do
Notch 8 Grille
This is the steak and chop house located within Union Station; the same complex as the wedding. The semi-casual atmosphere with fine dining menu and service is the epitome of comfort. If you love steak, oysters, or a nice glass of wine, this is the place for you.
The Tunnel Bar
As the name would suggest, it's a bar in a tunnel. But not just any bar... a semi-famous martini bar. Built in the late 1800s, this was formerly a pedestrian walkway underneath the railroad tracks that run through Northampton. The tunnel was turned into one of the coolest places to sip a cocktail in the 1990s. It has been featured in publications like onlyinyourstate.com, Phantom Gourmet, and listed on BuzzFeed as one of the 19 bars that you should drink at before you die. If you're not a drinker, there's several Mocktail / Non-alcoholic menu offerings. If you're not feeling social, just walk through the tunnel to check it out because it's worth at least SEEING. You might even catch a glimpse of the bride-to-be in her natural habitat.
The Botanic Garden of Smith College
Gorgeous botanic garden located in Northampton. Tori's Nana Elizabeth was an R.N. at Smith College and she used to take her there as a little girl to sit on the swing at Paradise Pond, located across the street.
Look Memorial Park
Take a 1-mile ride around the park on the steamer train (fond memories from childhood), explore the large pond on the pedal boats, play tennis, pickleball, mini golf and check out the small zoo featuring fallow deer, peacocks, chickens, pygmy goats, barred owls and more! There is also a paved walking path which consists of 1.2 miles of gorgeous scenery including a picturesque covered bridge.
Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
Go hard in the paint at the Basketball Hall of Fame - walk the halls that honor the best ballers, such as Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul Jabar, Michael Jordan, Sheryl Swoopes, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neil, Lisa Leslie, Steve Nash, Cheryl Miller, Wilt Chamberlain, Patrick Ewing and more...
Gigantic
If you love an expertly crafted cocktail, and don't mind paying a premium price for it, this is a MUST. They have an impressive menu of rare & vintage spirits (think Chartreuse from the 1960s, or Old Overholt Rye from the 40s). Their drinks are out of this world. The ambiance is very ecclectic but cozy and warm. Don't miss out on the opportunity to use their restroom - it's a major part of the experience....trust us. They don't really serve much food here, so eat before - We recommend Kisara (Japanese & Korean restaurant, a few doors down).
Thornes Marketplace
Thornes Marketplace is a cozy, quirky, artsy, fun place to get a shopping mall experience while supporting local small businesses. You will find the things you didn't even know you were looking for. There's a great mix of stores and restaurants inside Thornes - you'll find a cafe, homemade ice cream (Herrell's), candy store, shoe store, everything-under-the-sun-store (Cedar Chest), Creperie, Book Store, Arcade (but not, like, the regular kind), Provisions - a wine, beer, cheese kind of store, jewelry store, Blue Marble sells my favorite greeting cards with quilled paper designs, theres a bunch more...if you feel overwhelmed from all the amazing shopping options, you can pop into Backstop seated chair massage.... just check it out. You won't be sorry.
Tandem Bagel Company
Their bagels are phenomenal. Honestly, a plain bagel with plain cream cheese is enough, but the possibilities are just about endless. There's a wide variety of bagels, flavored cream cheeses, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, pizza bagels, soups, salads, smoothies, coffee, tea, etc. If you're looking for a quick bite for breakfast or lunch, we highly recommend it. They have locations in Northampton, Florence, Easthampton and Hadley so you'll never be too far away from the tastiest bagel you've ever had. *Tori recommends the Savory breakfast sandwich - Egg, Tomato, Mozzarella and Pesto Mayo*