Road Trip Idea #6: Socially Distant Shopping!

You’ve been cooped up for months and are looking for a great location for a road trip. You want a destination close to home – check. You want someplace where you can do some fun outdoor activities – check. You’d love to check out some one-of-a-kind attractions safely – check. While you’re there, you’d love to do some shopping but with social distancing – check. Western Mass has a variety of shopping options for every type of shopper:

Holyoke Mall at Ingleside: one of the largest shopping malls in New England with plenty of space for social distancing. Wear your mask and browse the shops including Macy’s, Banana Republic, Target, Loft and so much more. Click here to view their safe shopper guidelines. Holyoke Mall also has a sister-property, Hampshire Mall offering over 30 specialty shops, eateries, roller skating, laser tag and more just up the road in Hadley.

Longmeadow Shops: this charming outdoor walking mall features a variety of national and local retailers along with restaurants and services for visitors and locals. The shops are just minutes from downtown Springfield in the picturesque town of Longmeadow.

Lee Premium Outlets: just a 30 minute drive from Holyoke, Lee Premium Outlets has all your favorite brands at up to 65% off. This open-air outlet center includes favorites like Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, Kate Spade NY and more.

The Village Commons: this cluster of shops and eateries is spread over beautifully landscaped grounds in South Hadley. The eclectic mix of small businesses includes retail, restaurants, offices and two first-run movie theatres are located directly opposite Mt. Holyoke College.

Yankee Candle Village: more than a candle store, Yankee Candle Village is one of New England’s favorite day trip destinations for the entire family. Not only will you find over 200 new, classic and limited-edition fragrances but you can also personalize candles to capture cherished memories in wax, catch snowflakes indoors at the Bavarian Village, shop for toys, gifts, home décor, and kitchen and garden items, and celebrate Christmas every day.

In addition to these great shopping destinations, you’ll find country stores like the Williamsburg General Store and Old Deerfield Country Store; farm fresh markets like Randall’s Farm and Atkins Farms Country Market. We even have a wine, spirits, beer and specialty food super-store, Table & Vine, in West Springfield.