<p>“a half-way decent public transit system, COSTCO, a decent mall, good restaurants (love the Breadboard), the Shakespeare Festival … Williamstown, as nice as it may be, does not have all of this! "</p>
<p>Williamstown is not exactly a desolate wasteland, either: Williams students enjoy a free shuttle to shopping and entertainment in the neighboring city of North Adams; nearby Walmarts and a Target (between 10 and 25 minutes away in North Adams, Lanesboro, and Pittsfield) as well as the Berkshire Mall; several good restaurants, many within walking distance in the Spring St./Water St. area; the Williamstown Jazz, Film, and Theatre festivals; several excellent museums and galleries in W’town and North Adams; and the many additional cultural attractions of the Berkshires. The quaint, artsy town of Bennington, VT is about 20 minutes north; 50 minutes west, Albany, NY offers additional cultural and commercial venues. (For parents, two great shopping outlets [inexpensive prices] lie 40 minutes north [Manchester, VT] and south [Lee, MA].)</p>