More Than Leaves: New England’s Best Fall Foliage Activities

New England is justifiably famous for its fall color, which makes every road so beautiful that even being stuck in traffic on I-93 can seem a little less trying this time of year. For residents, however, it’s easy to fall into the rut of visiting the same places year after year. The best way to take in this vibrant landscape and make the most of autumn is to seek out an overlooked vista, a hidden gem, or a new adventure. So we scouted out enough of them in all six New England states to fill every weekend until the snow falls, and more.

Famous for its all-day breakfast and its maple syrup ribs, Parker’s Maple Barn (800-832-2308), in Mason, New Hampshire (boyhood home of the original Uncle Sam), features plump pancakes that taste like pumpkin bread just out of the oven: not too heavy and not too sweet. Grab a few maple-glazed doughnuts, if available, before heading off to pick your own apples at Mason’s Birchwood Orchard (603-878-0542, 206 Old Turnpike Road), then continue another 45 minutes along Route 124 to check out the striking scenery around Mount Monadnock.

When Vermont’s Route 100 is jammed with cars and Stowe’s restaurants are packed with people, you can be blissfully working off your workday stress with all sorts of athletics at Craftsbury Outdoor Center (802-586-7767) in sleepy Craftsbury, about 45 minutes farther north. The center offers hiking and running trails, biking, and yoga, but its most appealing options are sculling, canoeing, and kayaking, because they let you see the trees’ blazing oranges and reds reflected in the mirror of Great Hosmer Pond. Lodging starts at $99 a night.

Urban AdvenTours guides cyclists on a foliage tour around Boston’s fabled Emerald Necklace – which should be filled with ambers and rubies by autumn – and through lush enclaves like Jamaica Plain, the Esplanade, and Arnold Arboretum.

800.979.3370, $50

Litchfield, Connecticut, about an hour west of Hartford, is a small town with a sophisticated side; it’s got densely forested rolling hills and picturesque church spires, as well as restaurants and shops to please every taste. Just outside of town on Route 202 is Mount Tom State Park , where you can find harder hikes but not prettier ones than the 1-mile loop about 100 feet from the ranger’s booth near the top of the mountain. The hike’s most interesting feature is a 34-foot rook-style fire tower at the 1,300-foot mountain’s summit, which can be reached by car and offers unobstructed views for miles around.

Built by actor William Gillette in 1919 to resemble a medieval German fortress, Gillette Castle (860-526-2336) in East Haddam, Connecticut, is full of nooks, crannies, and gadgetry. There’s so much to see you might almost forget to take in the dramatic panorama of the Connecticut River below. After your tour, treat yourself to a fancy meal and more river views at Gelston House, just 10 minutes farther north (860-873-1411). Gillette Castle is open through Columbus Day, but the grounds are free and open year-round.

For the best of all worlds – fall foliage, rolling farmland, sparkling water views, and a tasty tipple or two – pick up the Coastal Wine Trail beginning in Westerly, Rhode Island, and drive some or all of its 170 miles, stopping for a few sips along the way. There are eight wineries in all. Langworthy Farm Winery (401-322-7791), Newport Vineyards (401-848-5161), Greenvale Vineyards (401-847-3777), and Sakonnet Vineyards (800-919-4637) all offer tours and tastings of five or six wines for $15. But the views? Priceless.

See the foliage at tree level on a new three-hour zip-line tour – the first in Massachusetts – offered by Zoar Outdoor (800-532-7483) in Charlemont, 20 miles southeast of North Adams. The tour consists of nine zip lines – the longest almost 700 feet – two 50-foot sky bridges, and three rappels, starting at $79 per person.

Fall is an ideal time for white-water rafting in The Forks, Maine, with warmer, higher water and blazing colors atop the deep rockwalled Kennebec River Gorge. Northern Outdoors outfitters (800-765-7238) offers single-day rafting trips.

On Columbus Day weekend, Northampton – one of New England’s most striking cities in fall – hosts the Paradise City Arts Festival (800-511-9725, $13 adults), with nearly 300 artists and crafters selling everything from jewelry to pottery to paintings. After some shopping and a natural-foods dinner at Paul and Elizabeth’s in town (413-584-4832), check out the scene at the famous Iron Horse Music Hall (413-584-0610). The next day, stop by Smith College’s art museum (413-585-2760, $5 adults) and its Botanic Garden (413-585-2740, free).

Surely one of the most energizing ways to take in the incredible sights of Vermont’s Mad River Valley is from 3,000 feet up, circling as silently as a hawk. Everyone gets a cockpit view from Sugarbush Soaring’s two-seat gliders (802-496-2290, rates start at $99 for 15 minutes; call about availability); you’ll see Mount Abraham, Lincoln Peak, and pass over the quainter-than-quaint towns of Waitsfield, Warren and Blueberry Lake. Afterward, stop by the Warren Store (802-496-3864) and have a Pestopalooza sandwich and a home-baked eclair on the deck, which overlooks the Mad River.

At 780 feet, it’s only about half the height of Acadia National Park’s Cadillac Mountain, its better-known neighbor to the northeast, but Mount Battie, in Camden Hills State Park, Maine, has the advantages of smaller crowds and less fog through which to check out its amazing 360-degree views. Drive to the summit or hike it in 45 minutes to an hour – either way, you’ll be treated to the warm jewel tones of the foliage against the cool blues of Penobscot Bay on one side and inland lakes on the other. You can see Rockland, Camden, Isle au Haut, and, oh yeah, Cadillac Mountain – which may be even more impressive from afar.

Trail rides through the crisp fall air at Stepping Stone Ranch (401-397-3725) in West Greenwich, Rhode Island, are hard to beat. Options start at 30 minutes but can go as long as three hours. The area features deer, migratory birds, and other critters. After returning to the barn, enjoy a home-cooked meal and beer or wine (bring your own) around the campfire. Call for reservations and to ask about other options.

Despite its rustic name, Migis Lodge, in South Casco, Maine (207-655-4524), could hardly be cushier. In September, when kids go back to school, the 120-acre property with 4,000 feet of Sebago Lake frontage is almost exclusively given over to couples seeking to escape. There are activities such as sailing, canoeing, and tennis, as well as miles of easy walks and hikes with leaves falling all around. Dining is a rather formal affair; afterward, you’ll return to find the stone hearth of your cabin all prepared for a fire. Fall prices for couples start at $200 per person per day and include all meals and most activities.

New Hampshire’s White Mountains are known for the opulent foliage that blankets their many layers of peaks, and the best place to see all those bright colors is from the often-overlooked Cannon Mountain aerial tramway at Franconia Notch State Park . Each car holds 80 people and climbs up the 4,180-foot summit in about 10 minutes. After your trip, hike over to the Flume Gorge for a below-the-trees view, then spend the night in nearby Whitefield or Littleton. Both are good central locations for exploring the many hip and lovely towns and waterways nestled amid the mountains.(603-823-8800, $15 round-trip)

We admit, there’s not a lot to do in Charlotte, Vermont, about 20 minutes south of Burlington. But it’s worth the trip to catch a ride from Lake Champlain Ferries over to Essex, New York, in Adirondack State Park. The ride across Lake Champlain (www.ferries.com) is about 20 minutes each way and offers unparalleled views of both the Adirondacks and the Green Mountains. Take a stroll around the town, many of whose buildings predate the Civil War, before heading back across the lake. (802-864-9804, $8.50 round-trip for foot passengers)