MDKitchens

We plan to spend about 5-6 days in Vermont and NH the second week of October. I want to go ahead and book a place to stay but not sure in which town. We will fly into Burlington (more flight options than Manchester) and renting a car. We want to see fall foliage, mountains, waterfalls and stay somewhere quaint, but don't want to be too rural without good meal options. Woodstock seems fairly central. From reading and watching videos, though, it is almost impossible to eat in a restaurant in Woodstock without reservations. What would be a another good option? We would like our travel into NH to include the Kancamangus Highway, but apparently need to plan that for a weekday and not weekend. Will foliage be past peak in Stowe at that time of year?

gardendiva

The color changes will depend on the weather. We were there the second week in October several years ago and the leaves were beautiful but most were already falling. Unfortunately, at that time of year you will need reservations in almost every town. We ate dinner earlier than most and we almost always had to wait at least an hour. We stayed at a timeshare in Smuggler's Notch so many nights we ate there.

HappyTrvlr

October is “high season” in VT and NH due to the magnificent fall colors. Reservations are critical! My in- laws used to book their hotel a year advance as they were leaving VT after seeing the leaves.
Woodstock is beautiful ; it was restored by Laurence Rockefeller.
If you have interest in staying there, book it immediately!

Christina

Everybody wants to stay in Woodstock, and it's a small place, that's the problem. I presume you are aware of all the flood damage around there? Not sure what it will be like, maybe ok in October. Some of the worst was in Ludlow which isn't very far from Woodstock. In fact, that central area is where the worst flooding occurred, aside from Montpelier. They didn't even have drinking water in Woodstock a couple days ago, a week after the worst of it. Of course I'm sure they will but that place was really damaged.

The problem is these towns are really small. So they aren't going to have tons of restaurant options, except for the ones like Woodstock that are really in demand. To be honest, I'm not sure that you can do what you want, stay in a really pretty village with great restaurant options where you don't have to reserve in peak season. I mean I just don't know that that exists, maybe someone else knows of a place.

So other than the restaurant criteria (and not needing reservations), I think Warren in the Mad River Valley is cute I also think Chester is a real cute town a bit farther south and closer to I91. I don't think Stowe got as much flooding, but they did have some, and that's not as central as you may want. It's really popular, also, though.

I usually stay in Waterbury to go skiing and that's a possibility as it isn't quite as in-demand as Stowe, Woodstock, etc. The town itself isn't as scenic, no, but it's a good location and has a few decent restaurants. Again, I don't know about the not wanting to reserve thing but chances might be better there than Woodstock or Stowe. Stowe is bigger though, I don't reserve there in ski season, but leaf peeping season is even worse, I think. I know hotel costs are higher. In fact, just north of Waterbury on route 100 on the way to Stowe is a terrific Thai restaurant I like in a small mall sort of (not really a mall, a few stores). You wouldn't have to reserve there but it is nothing fancy for sure (Thai Smile).

I don't stay in inns and B&Bs, don't care for them, so can't help you on the quaint lodging thing, if that's what you mean. If you mean town, Waterbury is NOT quaint.

dfrostnh

Just be aware there is also a Woodstock NH.
i think second week is going to be past peak for NH's White Mountains.
i like VT's farmland along Lake Champlain with colorful hills in the distance. There is an avid photographer with a website name of Jeff Foliage that might help you choose routes.
the Norwich Inn north of Woodstock is nice with a good restaurant across the road. Simon Pierce restaurant in Queechee suffered a lot of damage so agree with Christine to check areas for damage.
The DeLorme Atlas and Gazetteer for each state gives location of waterfalls.
For an interstate I89 is pretty scenic. I93 goong north from Manchester NH gets more scenic as you get further north eventually going thru western side of White Mountains. If you get an early start from I93 area to take Kanc east to Conway area you could return further south thru Tamworth and end up in Meredith with several good restaurants. You would be on Lake Winnipasaukee. This is only an hour north of Concord NH so I would look for quaint lodging anywhere between Concord and the mountains. The mountains would be an easy day trip.

More convenient to VT and I89 would be New London NH, a beautiful college town. Nearby Winslow state park offers a short drive to mear the top of Mt Kearsarge and nice views looking toward Lake Sunapee. We like the Refinery in nearby Andover and usually eat at 5pm before it gets crowded. Breakfast and lunch at Blackwater Junction which is small so avoid popular hours.

MDKitchens

Thanks for all the helpful replies. Yes, I am aware of the flooding. And we will probably stay in an AirBNB that I will book this weekend, which is why I am trying to pin down a good area. So we would have the option of picking something up and eating at our AirBNB. Fast food, however, is completely out. I would rather eat food from a gas station than McDonald's. Last year, we were in the Catskill/Hudson River Valley area of NY and made a day trip into Bennington a week earlier than we will be traveling this year. The foliage was pretty, but not at peak. So maybe we should stay more in the southern area of VT and hit it at peak. It seems some of the more picturesque towns are in southern VT anyway.

Michael

Chester is a nice town. From there you can take the train ride to and from Ludlow.

Christina

Vermont is a pretty rural state, there really aren't a lot of fast food restaurants in these small towns. There are some in Burlington, of course. I stay in Brattleboro sometimes as I have relatives there and there are a couple fast food there, also. It may be second in population to Burlington. I don't think Waterbury has any, nor Stowe. Bennington has a couple due to the college, probably. In any case, it doesn't matter as you wouldn't have to eat in one if you didn't want to. I never eat in those, either. Lots of these towns have restaurants where you could order something to pick up for takeout, for example, if you can't get a reservation to sit for dinner.

Manchester isn't a small town in the south, and Bennington isn't central and isn't the same anyway due to the college. I'm not sure where you are thinking but route 30 west from Brattleboro is a very scenic road. Route 7 south from Manchester to Bennington is pretty scenic, also. I don't like Dover or Wilmington, that latter is tacky tourist. Chester is south of Woodstock, as mentioned, but I don't think of it as in the south part of the state. I think Grafton, Dorset and Newfane are attractive small towns.

dfrostnh

I remember a friend who had a vacation home in northern NH omce saying that overnight color had dramatically changed but that was north of the White Mountains. It's really pretty much a gradual change that can vary with a short drive to a higher elevation or a change in the kinds of trees in the area. That's why driving is fun and for us in NH there are days and days of nice color.
if you are locked into second week of October then I would stay further south. Keene NH is close to Brattleboro VT and has a lot of good restaurants. Should you choose the Woodstock VT area you would be pretty close to a gas station in West Lebanon NH which has Chinese food!

J62

Second week of Oct you may want to consider also the Berkshires in MA. The foliage there can be spectacular with all the sugar maples. It's lower elevation than the mountains of VT, and beautiful rolling hills.

suze

Brattleboro VT is nice. And the flooding is not as bad there and more central and northern areas. It's right at the south east corner of the state, so easy to drive into New Hampshire or Massachusetts from there. (I used to live there and keep in touch with friends who are there.)

Vttraveler

Since earlier posts mentioned the July flooding in VT, I thought I would post this link to current tourist information about the Montpelier area.
https://montpelieralive.com/flood-20...cid=8be9792db9
You may find it useful as you drive from Burlington.

I realize you have probably already booked a place to stay farther south. I hope you enjoy your visit and see good foliage.