Curated Experiences

Winter Experiences

Hit the Slopes
There are great ski mountains just a short drive from Briarcliff, so pack your gear and hit the slopes! We can provide you with conditions updates and suggest lift ticket options to make your ski trip as easy as possible. Then you can head back to warm up in front of our lobby’s cozy pellet stove. Our favorite local mountains are Ski Butternut and Otis Ridge, and both offer rental equipment. Berkshire County is a fun and convenient ski destination so take full advantage while you’re here!

Tubing
With 200 tubes, 14 lanes, and a Magic Carpet lift to bring you to the top, tubing at Butternut is a great family activity. Butternut provides snow-making services so the tubing hill always has good coverage for a fast, fun trip down the mountain. Hold on tight!

Horseback Riding
Horseback is the perfect way to experience The Berkshires at any time of year, so take a scenic trail ride through the county’s rolling hills. Quality time on a horse is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and to relieve stress. Berkshire Horseworks offers flexible options including private rides, small group rides, and even couple’s rides with wine and cheese!

The Norman Rockwell Museum
The Norman Rockwell Museum is a must-see anytime you visit The Berkshires! The Museum houses the largest collection of Rockwell’s legendary paintings. Some even depict scenes of local sites and residents! Rotating exhibitions by an eclectic group of contemporary artists keep things fresh and exciting, so there’s always something new to see.

Cross-Country Skiing
Hilltop Orchards is a perfect winter destination for outdoor activity. Their network of cross-country ski and snowshoe trails is groomed and tracked regularly, so the terrain is excellent for skiers of any ability. And when you’re finished, pop inside for a hot chocolate or cider, or maybe a glass of wine from Hilltop’s own Furnace Brook Winery.

Summer Experiences

Aerial Adventure Park at Ramblewild
See the forest for the trees on this high-flying canopy adventure! Ramblewild’s Tree-to-Tree Park is the premier aerial adventure park in the Berkshires, set on 10+ dedicated acres in the middle of over 1,400 acres of pristine New England forest. The park is divided by a ravine, which is connected via a 200-foot suspension bridge high above the stream below.

The focal point is a 15 ft. high central platform – the starting point for eight aerial obstacle courses. Courses meander from tree to tree at various heights throughout the forest and include elements like high wires, zip lines, balancing logs, rope ladders, cargo nets, suspended bridges, and more. Four of the eight courses cross over the ravine via zip lines that will keep you over 100 feet above the bottom!

April to October. Adults: $69, Children: $59 (18 and under) for a three-hour session
Ages 7+, at least 55″ tall, 265 lbs. maximum
RLI guests will receive a 10% discount by booking through this link or call and use booking code RED LION

Whitewater Rafting at Zoar Gap
Make a splash on this exhilarating whitewater rafting excursion! The ten-mile trip on Zoar Gap begins at Fife Brook Dam in Florida, Massachusetts. Rapids such as Microwave, Freight Train, and Pinball allow you to hone your skills in preparation for the exciting Class III whitewater of Zoar Gap. Below the Gap, you’ll pull over in a state forest for a delicious picnic-style lunch with homemade salads, sandwiches, and cookies. After lunch there are opportunities to swim or simply relax as you raft back to basecamp where hot showers and a slide show of the day’s adventure await.

Season: April to October, with departures at 10:30am, 11:30am and 12:30pm
Ages: 7 and up
Full-day excursion: $60-$104 and half-day: $65-89

Zip Line Canopy Tour
You’re off! As you pick up speed, the forest canopy opens up before you and you feel the exhilaration of the wind whipping by your face. While you’re watching your friends come zipping in behind you, check out the views out over the Deerfield River Valley and the northern Berkshires, the forest around you and that feeling of adventure you’ve just rekindled!

A 10-minute 4×4 ride brings you half a mile and 500 feet vertically uphill to the start of the course where a short hike leads to the first take-off platform. The first zip is slow and short to give you a chance to get acclimated to flying through the trees. The second zip leads to a spectacular view of the Deerfield River Valley and the northern Berkshires as you perch over the edge of the ridge on a 100+ year old pine tree. As you travel down the course, the zips get longer and faster.

The average tour takes 3 hours including registration and the 4 x 4 ride to the top of the course.
$79 per person weekdays, $95 per person weekends, ages 10+
https://www.zoaroutdoor.com/deerfield-zipline.htm

Nathan Crafts
Spend an hour getting crafty with our arts and crafts guru, Nathan. Nathan will provide all of the materials and instruction you need to create your very own Red Lion plush keepsake. He will explain the techniques and help hone your crafts skills to make you a real pro. And at the end of your experience you will have a unique memento that you made yourself! Custom crafts experiences of varying lengths and styles are also available. All ages, $85 for a one-hour crafts experience.

Dan Bellow Pottery
The Berkshires are a creative haven for a wide variety of craftsmen and artisans. This experience connects you with local potter Dan Bellow, who runs a production studio and is a teacher for the Berkshire Waldorf High School. These two-hour experiences take place in his Great Barrington studio, where you will learn about clay and the many ways to use it, the perfection of form, and the art and science of firing glazes in the kiln. He will show you a variety of finished products and techniques and then help you create your own. At the conclusion of the experience you will leave an unfinished piece for him to fire during his next kiln session, which he will send to you to keep! Dan holds a workshop class Thursdays 6-8pm, $50 per person. Custom experiences available as well.

Smartphone Photo
Need to understand your smartphone or tablet’s photographic, editing, posting capabilities? Local photographer Thad Kubis teaches a clinic that will expand your photographic capabilities and improve your “creative eye” using your iPhone or Android smartphone or tablet.

This interactive, 2-hour session will explain the basic and some advanced functions allowing you to fully use your smartphone or tablet camera to start creating beautiful images. Editing, storing and posting your creative visions will be also de-mystified. Depending on the weather we will apply the lessons learned while we walk around the Red Lion Inn.

Bring your, iPhone or Android smartphone or tablet to the session and gain control of these camera systems and start taking better photographs and having photographic fun!

$100 for 1-2 people and $50 per person after that, maximum of 6

Float Trip
Not a fisherman? You can still enjoy a lazy day on the river. Berkshire Rivers Fly Fishing offers float trips (also called drift trips) to non-fishermen. Enjoy the beauty of the Berkshires landcape from a riverboat viewpoint during any season (perfect for leaf-peepers” in the colorful autumn). Bring a book, some binoculars or – even better – a camera!

$300 for 4-6 hours of peaceful adventure for two guests

Winter pricing: $125 per person for a 2-3 hour trip

Fly Fishing
Are you an angler looking to get out on the water? Berkshire Rivers Fly Fishing will float you down a beautiful section of river, where you will catch fish and gorgeous Berkshire mountain views for hours any time of year.

Details
Fly fishing float trips generally take 4-8 hours. They are strictly “catch and release.” They are available by reservation for any time of year (winter, spring, summer or fall) and can accommodate two guests per boat.

Cost
Single-guest trip – $350
Two-person trip – $450

Canyon Ranch Spa Day
“At our Lenox spa, each day is a celebration of mind, body and you.”

A world-class spa experience awaits you at Canyon Ranch. One of the premier wellness destinations in the US, Canyon Ranch has something to offer everyone, in a picture-perfect Berkshires setting. Their spa and gym facilities are unmatched and their trainers can’t be beat! As a guest of Briarcliff, you’ll receive an exclusive 10% discount on any services booked between 9am-3pm, along with access to the spa before and after your treatment. Step into a world of pure relaxation where you can discover your best self, with an unforgettable day at Canyon Ranch.