Travel & Navigation

Travel

Available here are driving directions to Amherst College. Available here are driving directions to UMass Amherst.

Public transportation options to Amherst, MA, including shuttle and limousine services, are listed here. 

For those traveling from outside of New England, the closest airport is Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Windsor Locks, CT. These are the airlines that service BDL.

The closest Amtrak station is in Northampton, serviced daily by the Vermonter Line (Washington, DC-New York-St.Albans, VT). Amtrak’s Lake Shore Limited (Boston-Albany-Chicago) stops daily in Springfield, MA (25 miles from Amherst). Amtrak’s Valley Flyer also connects New Haven and Northampton multiple times per day.

Peter Pan Bus Lines offers service to Amherst from points around New England. 

The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) buses, which travel on and between the Five College campuses, are ADA wheelchair accessible and equipped with ramps and restraints for anyone with a wheelchair/mobility device. Learn about PVTA bus routes, fares, schedules, and more (which will be operating on the Spring Break schedule).

Parking

Accessible parking:

Visitors to the Amherst College campus with any official state-issued Handicapped placards are permitted to park in any marked handicapped spot on campus without obtaining any additional permits from Amherst College. Additionally, participants can look to the Amherst campus accessibility map for specific accessible parking locations.

UMass Amherst provides a campus accessibility map indicating accessible parking.

For other drivers,

parking on the Amherst College campus is restricted between 8:30am and 4:30pm. There are municipal, metered spaces and lots in the center of Amherst, about ten to fifteen minutes from campus. Here is a map for Amherst town parking. After 4:30 PM (until 2:00 AM), visitors may park in any valid space on the Amherst College campus without a permit, and are encouraged to park in the Converse Lot or Alumni Lot, marked on this map of Amherst College campus parking lots. For more information on parking at Amherst College, contact Amherst College Police, (413) 542-2291. 

At UMass Amherst, all-day parking is available at the Campus Center Parking Garage. For more information on parking at UMass Amherst, call Parking Services, (413) 577-7275. Metered parking areas are located across the UMass campus and can be paid with coins or the ParkMobile app.

Conference Shuttle

Accommodations

MAP showing local hotels and Five College campuses.

Area hotels

(bolded hotels below are on the conference shuttle route; underlined hotels below have MAA discounts)

• Hotel UMass (on UMass Campus) 
  • Last day to make reservations for this block is February 18, 2026
  • To see rooms, amenities, and directions, visit this page.
  • To reserve online at MAA rate, this is the discount booking link for Hotel UMass ($204/night).
  • To reserve by phone, call Hotel UMass directly at (413) 549-6000 and refer to Medieval Academy of America.

• Inn on Boltwood Amherst (0.8 miles from UMass Campus)
  • Last day to make reservations for this block is February 4, 2026
  • To see rooms, amenities, and directions, visit this page.
  • To reserve at the MAA rate, call Inn on Boltwood directly at (413) 256-8200 and refer to Medieval Academy of America.
  • Discount rates: Queen $199/night, King $229/night, Two double beds $217/night.
• Courtyard by Marriott Hadley Amherst (2.9 miles from UMass Campus)
  • Last day to make reservations for this blocks is February 18, 2026
  • To see rooms, amenities, and directions, visit this page.
  • To reserve online at MAA rate, this is the discount booking link for Courtyard by Marriott Hadley ($169/night for Wed 3/18 and Thu 3/19, $179/night for Fri 3/20 and Sat 3/21).
  • To reserve by phone call, Courtyard by Marriott directly at (413) 256-5454 and refer to Medieval Academy of America.
• Comfort Inn & Suites Hadley (3.3 miles from UMass Campus)
  • Last day to make reservations for this blocks is February 18, 2026
  • To see rooms, amenities, and directions, visit this page.
  • To reserve online at MAA rate, this is the discount booking link for Comfort Inn & Suites Hadley ($159/night for Wed 3/18 and Thu 3/19, $169/night for Fri 3/20 and Sat 3/21).
  • To reserve by phone, call Comfort Inn & Suites directly at (413) 341-1556 and refer to Medieval Academy of America.
• Howard Johnson by Wyndham (3.2 miles from UMass Campus)
• Homewood Suites by Hilton Hadley Amherst (3.9 miles from UMass Campus)
  • Last day to make reservations for this room block is February 18, 2026
  • To see rooms, amenities, and directions, visit this page.
  • To reserve online at MAA rate, this is the discount booking link for Homewood Suites ($169/night).
  • To reserve by phone, call Homewood Suites, Hadley (413) 387-0583, use group code: 909
• TownePlace Suites by Hilton (4.3 miles from UMass Campus)
  • Last day to make reservations for this room block is February 19, 2026
  • To see rooms, amenities, and directions, visit this page.
  • To reserve online at MAA rate, this is the TownePlace Suites discount booking link for Wed 3/18 – Fri 3/20 ($139/night) and the discount booking link for Fri 3/20 – Sun 3/22 ($159/night).
• Hampton by Hilton, Hadley-Amherst (7.3 miles from UMass Campus)
  • Last day to make reservations for this room block is February 18, 2026
  • To see rooms, amenities, and directions, visit this page.
  • To reserve online at MAA rate, this is the discount booking link for Hampton Inn ($139/night).
  • To reserve by phone, call Hampton Inn Reservation Desk directly at (413) 586-4851, and use group code: 90-O
• Hotel Northampton (9.1 miles from UMass Campus)
• Fairfield Inn Northampton (10.7 miles from UMass Campus)
  

Area Inns/Bed & Breakfasts

• Amherst Inn
• The Black Walnut Inn, Amherst
• The Old Mill Inn, Hatfield

Physical Access on Campuses

• Amherst College has an Amherst campus accessibility map  indicating accessible parking and bathrooms as well as information about building access. 
  • Amherst College accessibility map indicating  accessible entrances 
  • Amherst College accessibility map indicating  elevator locations 
  • Amherst College accessibility map indicating gender-inclusive and wheelchair accessible restrooms 
• UMass Amherst has a UMass campus accessibility map indicating accessible parking and bathrooms as well as information about building access. Questions or comments about accessibility resources at UMass Amherst can be directed through this form for accessibility inquiries.
• All meeting venues are accessible to people with disabilities. All service animals are allowed and welcome. 
• If you may need other accommodations, please contact the organizers.

Meals & Restaurants

30 Boltwood at the Inn on Boltwood, Amherst MA
Fresh Side, Amherst MA
Iya, Amherst, MA
Black Sheep Deli, Amherst MA
Esselon Cafe, Hadley MA
Osaka, Northampton, MA
The Roost, Northampton, MA
Paul and Elizabeth’s, Northampton, MA
Northampton Brewery, Northampton, MA
India House, Northampton, MA

List of Sponsors

Five Colleges, Inc.
Amherst College English Department
Amherst College Lamont Fund
Amherst College Music Department
Mount Holyoke College English Department
Mount Holyoke College History Department
Mount Holyoke College Music Department
Mount Holyoke College Art History & Architectural Studies Department
Smith College Music Department
Smith College History Department
Smith College Sociology Department
Smith College Department of Classical Languages and Literatures
Smith College Spanish and Portuguese Department
Smith College Religion Department
Smith College Program in Medieval Studies
UMass College of Humanities and Fine Arts
UMass Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
UMass Department of English
UMass Music & Dance
UMass Gentzler Translation Center
UMass Office of the Provost
International Center of Medieval Art