Hi Everyone,

My girlfriend and I live in NYC. I want to take her to the Berkshires for her b-day. First, is Oct 20-21nd too late for folliage?

Also, does anyone have any recommendations (maybe Lenox, Stockbridge, etc)? we will want to go hiking, exploring, eating, etc, etc. Any hlep would be grealty appreciated!

Thanks,
Matt

I can not rave enough about The Birchwood Inn in Lenox. For the ultimate romantic dinner travel past Great Barrington for dinner @ The Old Mill on the Green. Ask Ellen(the innkeeper @ Birchwood) about this place.

I can't really answer about the dates and the foliage. We travelled to the Berkshires for the 3rd week in Ocotber during the dismal foliage season of 2005.
I think you should be ok with your dates if it hasn't rained buckets.

The Inn at Stockbridge
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...achusetts.html

There are lots of websites that track leaf changing. I think it's probably too early to anticipate what area will be at peak on that weekend. Here's an article with info
http://gonewengland.about.com/cs/fal...iagecentrl.htm

FWIW, and it might not be much, when we came back from dropping our daughter in Amherst, along the MASS PIKE and then the NY Throughway, we were already seeing patches of color. That was the 6th of this month. Seemed awfully early to us. But, then, I don't really know what's "normal" for that area. Her first two years, we took her back a week or two earlier.

From last year
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...1&tid=34654485

Oct 20 will be a bit late for the height of color. There will still be some leaves on the trees--if there hasn't been a major storm. My Dad was SO considerate, , his birthday was October 10 and I'd go home every year for it once I was grown and gone. That is the height of fall color, give or take a few days. The further down South County you are the better, but it's also flatter there and far less picturesque.

Caph there's a section of the Mass Pike between Springfield and Lee that is extremely high...the first of the color can be seen there and I'll bet that's where you were...close to Becket. Pretty drive, isn't it...at least that section.

Matt you'll be in better shape as far as inns and B&Bs because that will be past peak. Rates will be coming down and availability coming up. Wish I could help you with places to stay, but because I'm from there, I don't have much experience staying. We did stay at Red Lion Inn after my parents were gone...something I'd always wanted to do, but I was a little disappointed in the actual experience. Still, I do love porch sittin there!

Don't worry too much about the leaves...you'll still have fun. Be sure to visit Bash Bish Falls and hiking on Greylock is always wonderful. Get lost on the secondary roads outside Stockbridge and Lenox. There are some beautiful drives after you get off route 7 and away from all the congestion. The grounds at Tanglewood were normally open when I went back up to visit and although there will be nothing going on, the grounds themselves are worth a visit and it's a nice drive around that area.

Enjoy the birthday...and here's to many more (together? )

Those dates are usually fabulous along the Hudson in Rhinebeck and Hudson ( the town) etc ...the Berkshires should be a little more advanced but all those leaves will be on the ground and it will be wonderful! ( can you hear the homesickness in my voice?
Look into the Inn at the Mill in South Egremont..we tried for Sept of this year and could not find an opening..just be aware, prices don't drop til after Oct..
I agree with OO on Bash Bish Falls! for good hiking.. Great Barrington has tons of great restaurants and a good cinema showing foreign movies ( in case you hit a rainy day)
Just wandering the towns, like Stockbridge and Lenox can be fun..a nice place in Lenox to eat is Bistro Zinc..

That time is generally the peak here in Southern CT, so I'd think the foliage would be past the peak or even down by then there, especially if it looks like it's already changing.

If you hike Bish Bash, know that there are two entrances. One is in New York, and is a short walk along the river to the falls. The other is about a mile up the road in Mass. Haven't done that, but have read it's a very steep climb and I think not good footing.

If you're looking for a hike near the Lenox area, I recommend Tyringham Cobble (past Mass Pike in Lee). It's about an hour's hike, and has lovely views for most of it.

I have also done Monument Mountain in Gt. Barrington, where you hike through the woods the whole way to reach the summit and have a vista of the area. This is a longer hike.

But, personally, I preferred Tyringham because you get views almost the whole time, and it is a more intimate picture of the local farmlands. Tyringham Road is also a great road to drive on.

check out berkshirehiking.com. for ideas, too.

This is a wonderful area!

It's a short walk from the Mass. parking lot, up a rocky slope to the lookout at the top of Bash Bish. There isn't an actual trail to this vista point, you do have to scramble up the rocks. But the views of the Hudson Valley and Catskills is fantastic!

Sunsets over the Catskills are beautiful, but I wouldn't recommend the Bash Bish viewing site - you would have to scramble down in the dark. But just to the north of this area (in NY) is a road called Sunset something Road, can't remember the exact name, but you can see the great sunsets from there.

You can hear the falls -- but it is a tough walk down the trail to the bottom where you can see the falls. Even tougher to climb back up!

It's a very pretty ride to take Mt. Riga Road from Lakeville, CT north into into Mt. Washington, Mass (or vice versa). This road intersects the road to Bash Bish falls.

There are so many beautiful rides and hikes in the Taconics/Berkshires.

I stayed in Lee this year and thought the town had limited appeal & only 1 restaurant that everyone seemed to go to. Stockbridge was much better but is only small. Lenox was a suprise - driving from New Hampshire I came through the modern Lenox which was full of motels & new hotels - we had just been to Hancock Shaker village & then round Tanglewood for an afternoons drive & we needed to stop for a break. Old Lenox has lots of nice restaurants, shops & pleasant houses within a small walking distance area. If I ever go back to the states I might go to Lenox again.
Preferred Mystic, Edgartown, Hanover, Barnstable & definitely New York.