bernadettelynn

Any low budget ideas for a 5 day car trip around the new england states? Would like to see fall foliage at it finest, sample some good fresh seafood and include a day at Martha's vinyard. We like to be on the move and can cover a lot of ground. We like to be out doors and walk a fair amount. Just need a clean, friendly place to lay down for the night, nothing too expensive. Any help? Thanks much! Bernadettelynn

Ackislander

Where can you stay: If you are on a budget you will be limited at this time of year to chain and mom-and-pop motels. Quaint B&B's and Romantic Inns are in their prime season at this time and have prime prices.

If you are a AAA member, get their New England guidebook to see choices that will be acceptable.

Where should you go: The scenery, particularly the leaves, will be very different depending on what time of month you go. In early October, the color is all up north, so going to Connecticut would not give you much color. Later in the month, vice versa.

dfrostnh

Assuming your are flying in and renting a car. Pick Boston or Manchester NH airport, whichever is cheapest, both are less than 45 minutes to Portsmouth NH. Get fresh seafood in Portsmouth. Take a harbor or inland rivers cruise.
Drive to NH's White Mountains but do this mid-week, preferably week before Columbus Day. Stay in Littleton NH area, have breakfast at the diner. Drive to Great Vermont Corn Maze in Danville.
Head south thru VT. Spend the night wherever it's cheapest. There are some local motels that don't advertise well that might be your best bet but foliage season is definitely prime time. Get reservations now.
Head to Brattleboro VT then across to Keene than Rt 101 to Nashua. Nice drive. Stop in towns that interest you. Peterborough is very artsy with a lovely downtown.
From Nashua head to best place to take ferry to Martha's Vineyard. I've never been but it might be better and cheaper to do without a car and just as a day trip. If you don't have your heart set on MV, maybe skip it. 5 days is not a lot of time.

bernadettelynn

Thanks for the ideas. We will be flying into Boston and planning to head north around the 5th of october. We will be sure to take in the white mtns. Are you familiar with drives that include a few covered bridges? Thanks again. Bernadettelynn

djkbooks

You can easily find the locations of covered bridges, along with recommended scenic drives, with web searches and by checking the tourism pages for the individual states.

The 5th could be a bit early for colorful foliage. The foliage starts in the far northeast and moves south and west, so you'd want to plan your itinerary likewise.

Highly recommend booking accommodations forthwith. Some, but not all, may have minimum stay requirements. For even basic places, rates are highest during fall foliage season.

Vttraveler

The first week in October is considered peak foliage time in northern Vt.
If you go to Danville, Vt as dhfrostnh recommends, you could continue west on Route 2 to Montpelier, the state capitol then take rte 89 to Route 91 south. near Montpelier is a famous cluster of covered bridges in Northfield. There are also others in the Northeast Kingdom nearer to Danville
http://www.vtliving.com/coveredbridges/index.shtml

I think Martha's Vineyard will be hard for you to fit in. You could get a taste of the New England coast on Cape Ann, north of Boston.

bernadettelynn

Thanks for the ideas on the drive and the routes. We do plan to head NE our 1st day or so then followed by heading SW for the color. Booking flights at this time is nessesary for us, so it's a guess as to when the leaves will be at their peak. We did speak to a b&b owner from NH while on vacation in St.Martin, who told us it can be anytime after the 1st, however it is usually a week or 2 later. Is that what all of you have experienced? We could change our flights a couple of days later including columbus day. Thanks again for the help. Bernadettelynn

dfrostnh

Columbus Day weekend is usually the peak color in the Concord NH area, earlier in the mountains and northern VT. But color spans a long period. Cold temperatures at night seem to bring it on but warm temps during the day help it linger. Swamp maples will turn red as early as Sept then lose their leaves before the rest get really colorful. Towards the end it will be mostly golden from beeches and maybe darker reddish brown of oaks. There is a new variety of maples that is being planted in office parks in the Concord NH area that doesn't color until very late when other leaves are gone. Color is also affected by elevation so early on there will be colorful patches in colder areas but still green in others.
In other words, you should be able to find some good color the first week of October in the north but Boston will still be quite green and by the end of your trip the color might be starting in Boston. By mid-October color is usually over in our area but peaking in southern New England. Keep in mind the largest volume of tourists and day trippers will be Columbus Day weekend and it might be harder to get reservations.

Vttraveler

Here is a map that shows the foliage colors at different dates in New England. Obviously this changes a lot from year to year.
http://www.yankeefoliage.com/peakmap/

Once you actually arrive, there are updated internet reports and a foliage hotline in Vermont and I think other states, too.

I think the dates you have chosen will work for seeing good color in the northern areas, and as noted in the last post, it is good to avoid Columbus Day weekend if possible.

emalloy

Pick up a Roomsaver magazine at the first welcome center/visitor center you come to for discount motel/hotel coupons. This will show where there are places to stay even if you can't use the coupon when you are there.

bernadettelynn

Hey thanks, I will follow up on your thoughts and do more research on your suggestions. Sure appreciate your time. Bernadettelynn

lilaki

bkmk