If you have to grow up, go to college, or get a job in a small town in New England, Amherst is a wonderful one to choose.

Some of its best features include:

A density of cultural attractions far greater than a non-college town of its diminutive size could support; excellent new and used bookstores, and independent record stores; reasonable proximity to several large cities (NYC and Boston), and very close proximity to a couple of other cute little college and peri-college towns (such as Northampton, its similar but slightly larger, less villagey and vaguely more urbane neighbor across the Connecticut, and a thoroughly charming place); a freewheeling, slightly-smug worldly-liberal atmosphere that is nicely tempered by the town’s close proximity to generations of old-school New England rednecks; historic village aspects, and beautiful fall foliage. It’s also got very good public schools, good public transit for somewhere so small, and better restaurants than most towns under 30,000 people.

I grew up there, still have friends and family there, and always look forward to opportunities to return to the area. But unless you’ve got roots, like I do, or you’re coming for an academic conference, to go to school, or maaaaybe to visit Emily’s house or grave (where generations of sullen professors’ children have left offerings of wildflowers and/or smoked weed, given the graveyard’s proximity to the high school and gothic appeal), I have a hard time thinking of the Amherst area as a tourist attraction or a place to visit. It’s a very pleasant, reasonably wealthy, highly educated, and quite small town a couple of hours west of Boston. If that’s the kind of place you like to go on vacation, great! But it seems more like the kind of place you’re thinking about moving to or going to school in, which I, as a former townie, endorse.