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Where to go leaf peeping in New England
Discover the best drives, hikes, and getaways in the region during fall foliage season.
There’s nothing like fall in New England.
“I think it connects people with the natural world,” said Jim Salge, foliage expert for Yankee magazine.
New England foliage is famous, of course. But some destinations are especially stunning, say the experts. Ahead, discover recommended hikes, drives, and getaways across New England during the fall season.
Massachusetts
The Berkshires was named among the 10 best places to see fall colors in the U.S. by USA Today, which noted its fall foliage parade that’s been running for nearly seven decades.
The Berkshires town of Lenox was named among the 55 best fall towns in the U.S. for foliage by Country Living and one of the 25 best places to spot fall foliage in America by Reader’s Digest. Reader’s Digest wrote “Travelers flock to the Berkshire town of Lenox for its blend of heritage and natural beauty. Starting in late September, the landscape is ablaze with red, yellow, and green.” Also, USA Today called Blantyre, a Tudor mansion estate, a great fall getaway.
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For quieter leaf peeping, Men’s Journal named Groton among the 10 best fall foliage destinations to avoid crowds. Foliage enthusiasts should head over to Groton Town Forest Loop Trail or Barncroft Castle atop Gibbet Hill, advised the publication.
The Essex Coastal Scenic Byway, a 90-mile roadway connecting 14 coastal communities from Lynn to Salisbury, was named one of the best fall foliage trips in the U.S. by Fodor’s Travel. “Stunning displays of fall color greet visitors driving along the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway, but it’s the journey through coastal communities and porches prettified with pumpkins that sets the backdrop for this memorable drive,” the site wrote.
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Another “incredible” scenic drive worth taking in the fall is the Calvin Coolidge Memorial Bridge in Northampton, which Architectural Digest named among the 21 best places in North America to see autumn leaves.
The Skyline Trail at Blue Hills Reservation was named among the best fall hiking trails in America by Conde Nast Traveler. “The three-mile Skyline Trail loop winds up to Great Blue Hill, the highest coastal peak on the Atlantic south of Maine,” the publication wrote.
For more fall foliage destinations, check out where to go leaf peeping in Boston and across Massachusetts.
Maine
Bar Harbor was named among the 55 best fall towns in the U.S. for foliage by Country Living and among the 20 breathtaking places to see fall foliage by OprahDaily.com. In Bar Harbor, travelers can join kayaking and boat tours and choose from 125 miles of trails at Acadia National Park, according to the site. While in Acadia, travelers can explore Park Loop Road, named among the 21 best places in North America to see autumn leaves by Architectural Digest.
Camden and Kennebunkport were also named on the Country Living list. Camden is great for exploring Camden Hills State Park, cruises from Camden Harbor, and the view from the Camden Snow Bowl lift, according to OprahDaily.com, which named it among 20 breathtaking places to see fall foliage.
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Kennebunkport makes a great fall getaway, USA Today wrote, because it offers excursions such as lobster fishing and “some of the country’s most striking color changes.”
New Hampshire
Bretton Woods visitors can see panoramic views of the foliage in the White Mountains by going on a gondola ride or canopy zipline excursion, according to Priceline, which named Bretton, N.H. among the best places for leaf peeping in the U.S. What’s more, OprahDaily.com named the destination among 20 breathtaking places to see fall foliage and USA Today called Omni Mount Washington Resort a great fall getaway.
Lisbon is a small mountain town that is great for a fall escape, Fodor’s Travel wrote. Travelers who stay at Rustic Log Cabins along Salmon Hole Brook find an “authentic way to experience some time away from crowds,” the publication wrote.
The White Mountains was just named among the 10 best places to see fall colors in the U.S. by USA Today. About the White Mountains, the top-ranked New England spot, USA Today wrote, “Whether travelers are looking to spend a weekend in a tiny mountain town or wind through the White Mountains on one of many scenic fall itineraries, this New Hampshire spot draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each fall. The views are unparalleled from the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway, as well as the Kancamagus Highway, a National Scenic Byway.” The Kancamagus Highway was named among the 21 best places in North America to see autumn leaves by Architectural Digest.
Vermont
Those seeking scenic drives will find plenty in Vermont. US Route 5A in Westmore, Route 100 in Windham County, and Pike Hill Road and Vermont 25 in Orange County all offer amazing views, according to Architectural Digest, which named them among the 21 best places in North America to see autumn leaves.
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Killington visitors can ride the gondola during the fall season for “a true bird’s eye view of the brilliant leaves below,” wrote OprahDaily.com, which named it among 20 breathtaking places to see fall foliage.
Manchester was named one of the best small towns for a fall getaway by Travel + Leisure. The publication called it a “quintessential autumn destination,” writing, in part: “Set between the Taconic and Green Mountain Ranges, the area is perfect for hiking along leafy trails to look for waterfalls and stunning views. Restaurants, shops, boutique hotels, inns, and historic buildings attract visitors to its downtown, recently updated but still maintaining its welcoming atmosphere with new benches, landscaping, and vintage-style streetlights.” OprahDaily.com also named Manchester among 20 breathtaking places to see fall foliage.
Stowe was named one of the best leaf peeping destinations in the U.S., according to Priceline, as well as one of the 10 best places to see fall colors in the U.S. by USA Today. Stowe offers guided tours, leaf peeping activities, and “really puts on a show,” wrote USA Today. Also, The Lodge at Spruce Creek is a great fall getaway, according to the publication. Discover what it is like in Stowe during peak foliage.
Need more ideas? Boston.com readers shared eight unforgettable destinations in Vermont during the fall.
Connecticut
Kent and Mystic were both named among the 55 best fall towns in the U.S. for foliage by Country Living. Kent has “old-fashioned charm” and pretty views at Macedonia Brook State Park, wrote the publication, and in Mystic families will find plenty of fall activities such as pumpkin carving and parades. They can also get a bird’s eye view of the foliage by zip lining at TreeTrails Adventure Park.
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Litchfield is a “bucolic” destination where visitors are treated to “postcard-worthy” covered bridges and colorful hikes on the Appalachian Trail, wrote OprahDaily.com, which named it among 20 breathtaking places to see fall foliage. Meanwhile, Middlefield‘s Lyman Orchards is the best apple orchard in America, according to USA Today readers.
Winvian Farm in Morris was named a favorite escape by Oprah Daily and a great fall getaway by USA Today. It offers guests 18 themed cottages in the woods (including a helicopter and treehouse), and they experience a “truly special autumn retreat.”
The 165-foot Heublein Tower in Simsbury, which sits at the top of Talcott Mountain State Park, is one of the best lesser-known leaf peeping spots in New England, according to the Associated Press, which noted it has “spectacular views that on a clear day extend north to the Berkshires in Massachusetts and south to Long Island Sound.”
Rhode Island
Bristol and Charlestown were named among the 55 best fall towns in the U.S. for foliage by Country Living. Visitors in Bristol are treated to colorful leaves among historic architecture, wrote the magazine, while those in Charlestown can view great color in the trees at Burlingame State Park and Ninigret Park.
Newport has “plenty of fall splendor,” USA Today wrote, writing that “the fall season in this quintessential nautical town boasts impressive fall foliage.” Over in Cumberland, leaf peepers can enjoy the colors along the Blackstone River Bikeway along the Blackstone River.
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On Benefit Street in Providence, which the Associated Press called one of the best lesser-known leaf peeping spots in New England, “hundred-year-old elms and other mature trees provide a canopy of spectacular color over brick sidewalks.” The scenic mile-long street is full of historic churches as well as Colonial, Federal, and Greek Revival-style homes.
We’d love to know: Do you have a favorite place to go leaf peeping in New England? Share your thoughts in the form below or send us an email at [email protected]. Your response may be used in an upcoming Boston.com article and/or social media channels.
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