uklisa

My husband and I are planning a three-week trip to the US in October next year, primarily to take in the fall foilage but with a few days in Boston and a side trip to the North Shore.
We thought we'd start off in Vermont in the first week in October, travelling through New Hampshire, Massachusetts and ending in Connecticut. We've picked this itinerary based on guidance from our Fodors New England guide. Is this recommended, or are we perhaps missing out on some gems. Should we dart off into Maine before leaving Vermont?
We thought about two weeks for this part of the trip with the final week spent in Boston and the North Shore - Salem, Marblehead, Gloucester, Rockport etc. We would then fly out of Boston and back to the UK.
We love natural beauty and small town charm and are also fond of coastal locations.
It's the very early stages of our holiday planning and we would appreciate any guidance on must-see towns and sights.
We are also still considering whether we should stay in B&Bs or rent accommodation through VRBO/Home and Away because we understand B&Bs can be terribly expensive at this time of the year.
Thank you,
Lisa

Dianedancer

B&Bs will be expensive at that time of the year - because it's so beautiful and popular. But you can get cheaper, chain motels. I'm not an expert, but whatever you do, it will be worthwhile.

330east

For what it's worth we have had good luck in Rutland, VT and its environs the weekend of Columbus Day, Oct 12. We stayed at the Holiday Inn several times. One never knows the condition of the leaves during any specific day but if necessary you can drive north or south depending where the best colors are.

uklisa

Thank you for all this information, it is much appreciated. We would like to have some "charming B&B/inn" experiences if anyone has any recommendations please? What should we expect to pay please?

dfrostnh

Foliage was a bit late this year and lasted longer. We didn't get cold nights as early as usual. I would start in northern NH first since color is going to start in the mountains. Although I prefer travel on secondary roads, if you travel north on I93 from Boston you will see some good scenery, improving the further north you go. I93 goes right through the White Mountains. But, I93 got re-routed years ago. The original route I293 takes you along the Merrimack River on the opposite side of the river from Manchester NH's beautiful old mill buildings. Not quaint but a big part of history. This is a curvy stretch but the one I prefer. I293 and I93 join up again north of Manchester.

NH is skinny at its northern tip. Just above the White Mountains you can cross over into VT and then it would be your choice of where to go next. You can get an idea of suggested New England drives on Yankee Magazine's website.

We have started using air b&b which my husband much prefers if we can get a studio or small apartment. So far, the locations have been very rural which he also prefers. But, I also highly recommend the Norwich Inn in Norwich VT, a quaint town, where some fodorites have gathered for baking classes at King Arthur Flour. The air B&B place near Barre VT was under $100/night in summer. Breakfast was included. If you aren't tied to a particular location, you can let a good choice of lodgings help determine your route. The one in Maine we stayed at recently was not near the coast and 45 minutes away from the event we wanted to attend but the price and having a small apartment made up for the somewhat inconvenient location. There wasn't a lot of choice since the event is in a tiny town.

If you want to fit in a coastal visit, from VT you can head over to Portsmouth NH for an inland rivers foliage cruise. There's a parking garage within walking distance of the dock. Portsmouth NH is a beautiful small city with a beautiful historic area Strawbery Banke. Favorite drive is to take Rt 1B thru New Castle. You could then get on I95 for a fast trip to Boston or other north shore places. I kind of like Rt 1 but it is slow and can have a lot of traffic.

If you like wine, Hermit Woods Winery in Meredith NH sponsors a wine tour/tasting. Meredith is a beautiful, busy town on Lake Winnipesaukee. You need two days to find all the locations so we opted to skip the furthest ones. This kind of tour gets you off the beaten path to some nice country roads and was fun to do. But one of the prettiest small towns in NH is a bit further north and east, Center Sandwich NH. Plan a meal at the Corner House Tavern if you can. I like the roads in this area because it's a combination of mountain and open field views and interesting houses. I believe it was settled very early in American history thanks to the search for king's masts.

uklisa

Dfrostnh this is so helpful. Thank you so much for your detailed response. We really appreciate it. Lisa

Dianedancer

uklisa - If you want to know the prices of B&Bs just look them up. Type in B&Bs for dates right now (so you'll get an idea of what they will be like next year), in Southern Vermont or Northern Connecticut. \

Examples: http://www.bbonline.com/united-state...ermont-region/

http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/vermont.html

Sara

If you can fit it in, I'd definitely recommend a couple of days on the Maine coast before heading south. While Mount Desert Island and Acadia NP are spectacular, you might not want to drive that far northeast. The Boothbay region is beautiful, there's lots to see and do there (including the excellent Coastal Maine Botanic Garden). If you want a charming inn, the Five Gables Inn in East Boothbay has it in spades. I've stayed there several times over the past few years, and it's wonderful! They have delicious breakfasts, homemade cookies and tea in the afternoon, and they serve port and sherry in the evening in front of the fireplace. Our rooms have been lovely, and the beds very comfortable. Expect to pay between $175 and $200 a night. Here's their web site: http://www.fivegablesinn.com

Camden is another beautiful town along the coast you could consider; it's where most of the windjammers that offer cruises along the Maine Coast are based. You can drive to the top of nearby Mount Batty for a spectacular view of the town,, harbor, and ocean. Enjoy beautiful New England!

dwdvagamundo

bookmarking

rncheryl

Bookmarking; a trip I would love to do. I so miss the midwest fall colors

celfan

If foliage is high on your list you may have to look for it on the fly. It is difficult to pinpoint when it will start and when the peak colors will occur. With a few exceptions it works it's way south. I live in Northern Vermont and some years the colors are on the way out during the first week of October while last year they barely started in early October. Nobody really understands what the trees are thinking and it's a science no one has solved.

When our relatives from the midwest come out for foliage, I drive right past the Vermont mountain exits and head straight for Franconia State Park in New Hampshire, specifically the Flume Gorge. Don't even bother googling pictures because they don't come close to the actual beauty. This is always near the top of everyone's list of favorite places on the trip. I always wait for a perfect blue sky day, but I realize not everyone has that luxury. We always eat at Polly's Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill, not that far from the Gorge. It can be very crowded, but I understand they recently added more space. Hopefully they have retained the charm.

Actually, my favorite part of New England is the Berkshire region on the far western side of Massachusetts. More rolling hills than mountains. but a great area for foliage if you arrive during an early foliage year. You may not be able to fit it into your schedule, but I love the area from Lenox, through Stockbridge and Great Barrington, to Northern Connecticut.

Hope you have a wonderful trip

uklisa

Thank you very much for all the help. There is so much on our wishlist, it's a little overwhelming.