Plan Now for Fall Foliage Trips to New England

Traveling along New England byways amid the glorious colors of maple and birch trees is a fall adventure with something to please everyone in the family. Now is the time to lock into rooms at your favorite country inn or resort for your late September or early October trip. This is the busiest season for lodgings and rooms fill fast.

Before lodging, of course, you need to choose a destination. Do you hope to see long vistas of mountainsides awash in fall glory? Or do you prefer driving along country roads through tunnels of red and gold leaves and into picturesque villages? New England offers both, and these are some top foliage-viewing regions.

White Mountains, New Hampshire
Follow I-93 directly into the heart of the tallest peaks in the Northeast. The highway narrows into two lanes to pass between the mountains that form Franconia Notch, or leave I-93 in Lincoln to cross the spine of the mountain range on the Kancamagus Highway. Don’t expect a throughway — this winding two-lane road is really the “high way,” climbing over the spine of the White Mountain Range. Turning north at its end brings you into North Conway and on to Mount Washington, the highest peak. For views from the top, you’ll find aerial rides at Loon Mountain, Mount Washington Cog Railway and Cannon Mount Aerial Tramway, all exciting White Mountains adventures for kids.

Northern Green Mountains, Vermont
I-89 diverges from I-93 to lead into the Green Mountain, taking you close to Stowe; follow Route 100 past Ben & Jerry’s Factory for an ice cream stop. Better known as Vermont’s ski capital, Stowe is an idyllic New England Town with abundant tourist amenities. You can drive or ride to the summit of Mt. Mansfield, Vermont’s highest, or drive through autumn forests over Smugglers’ Notch. Follow nearly any road for foliage-painted scenes of villages, covered bridges and valley farms.

Bike or walk along the Stowe Recreation Path, a level and paved 5.3-mile trail from the center of the village to the base of Mount Mansfield. Kids will want to stop at Percy Farm Corn Maze along the way, or you can stop farther on for a horse-drawn carriage ride at Genle Giants.

Monadnock Region, New Hampshire
For post-card villages, rolling landscapes and gentle pastoral scenes wrapped in red and orange, it’s hard to beat southwestern New Hampshire. At its heart, Mount Monadnock rises alone with its rocky summit appearing as a surprise backdrop to roadside views. Choose nearly any road near Keene, Jaffrey or Dublin and you’re likely to see it, or for the best views and a lovely fall drive, follow Route 123 between Marlborough and Jaffrey. The most scenic villages to look for are Hancock, Harrisville and Jaffrey Center. North of Keene, Route 12 follows the Connecticut River, with long views across the valley to Vermont. Stop in Walpole for its post-card perfect common and main street lined by distinguished buildings.

The Berkshires, Massachusetts
Farther south in New England, The Berkshires, in western Massachusetts, offer miles of scenic roads, and fall finery lasts a little later there than in the northern mountains. Don’t overlook Cape Cod in fall, with its swaths of red cranberry bogs and colored foliage set against the blue of Cape Cod Bay.