easiest airports for New England foliage vacation
Jun 2nd, 2010, 12:15 PM
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easiest airports for New England foliage vacation
Planning vacation to New England starting Oct. 9 thru 16. Would like any help you could give us on airport, reasonable motels for the budget minded and best routes to take from said airport to see foliage in NH and Vermont and coast of Maine.
Will rent a car at or near airport.
Also, any advice on getting thru tolls quickly in the states that have them. We do not have tolls in our area.
We are not seasoned fliers.
Thank you for any advice you can give.
Will rent a car at or near airport.
Also, any advice on getting thru tolls quickly in the states that have them. We do not have tolls in our area.
We are not seasoned fliers.
Thank you for any advice you can give.
Jun 2nd, 2010, 12:57 PM
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I would suggest flying into Manchester NH-it is a small airport and much easier to get in and out of than Boston Logan. Southwest flys there and several other airlines. It is very convenient to rent a car there and easy to drive from there to Maine or Vermont. Make reservations early-October is peak leaf peeking season in the northeast.
Jun 2nd, 2010, 01:04 PM
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Southwest flies into Manchester NH, which is a pretty decent place to start. Generally speaking, there are decent highways that go north-south in New England, but it takes much longer to go east-west (even the Kancamangus which is often recommended as scenic route can take longer to drive that you expect), so you should take that into account in deciding whether you are going to try and see VT, NH and coastal ME in one trip. There is one toll on 93 near Manchester but I wouldn't worry about tolls too much.
Jun 2nd, 2010, 01:21 PM
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Some of the major car rental (like Hertz & Avis) companies have cars equiped with E-Z Pass Toll Cards that allow you pass through toll booths without stopping. The tolls are billed to the same credit card you use to satisfy the your car rental bill. Simply request that they give you a car with the E-Z Pass when you make your car reservation.
It's difficult to give you specific advice on which airport is best. It depends on where you are flying from, where you want to begin the road part of your trip, whether you want to end up back at the same place or fly back from a different airport and which land route you wish to travel. If I were you, I'd fly into one of the major airports that you can reach either non-stop or dirct using your airline of choice from your home airport. You should also look at a road atlas to map out a route that will take you through the states on your list. You'll have to determine how far you want to drive each day but remember too that peak color for foliage will start in the northern areas and as time passes will "move" southward so you might want to start your trip in the north and follow the "color" south.
You'll find plenty of reasonably priced motels around those states, many of which will be close to the major highways and Interstates - there are motels at almost every exit on the interstates and, of course, in and around all the cities. Almost all of the major chains (Holiday Inn Express, Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield Inn, Hampton Inn, Days Inn, Red Roof Inn, etc., etc.) have multiple locations in the states on your list. Once you map out your route you can search the hotel websites to find out which are in the areas where you'll be stopping.
It's difficult to give you specific advice on which airport is best. It depends on where you are flying from, where you want to begin the road part of your trip, whether you want to end up back at the same place or fly back from a different airport and which land route you wish to travel. If I were you, I'd fly into one of the major airports that you can reach either non-stop or dirct using your airline of choice from your home airport. You should also look at a road atlas to map out a route that will take you through the states on your list. You'll have to determine how far you want to drive each day but remember too that peak color for foliage will start in the northern areas and as time passes will "move" southward so you might want to start your trip in the north and follow the "color" south.
You'll find plenty of reasonably priced motels around those states, many of which will be close to the major highways and Interstates - there are motels at almost every exit on the interstates and, of course, in and around all the cities. Almost all of the major chains (Holiday Inn Express, Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield Inn, Hampton Inn, Days Inn, Red Roof Inn, etc., etc.) have multiple locations in the states on your list. Once you map out your route you can search the hotel websites to find out which are in the areas where you'll be stopping.
Jun 2nd, 2010, 02:59 PM
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Thank you so much for the help.
We are flying out of Nashville, Tn.
We are so excited about this trip but a little overwhelmed as so many others seem to be, also.
Is it reasonable to get one hotel near the middle-eastern part of Vermont and do day trips? Then get another hotel toward New Hampshire and Maine then do day trips around NH and Maine. This may not be a good thing to do.
We are just trying to see a lot but do not want to get so tired that we do not enjoy the trip.
We are flying out of Nashville, Tn.
We are so excited about this trip but a little overwhelmed as so many others seem to be, also.
Is it reasonable to get one hotel near the middle-eastern part of Vermont and do day trips? Then get another hotel toward New Hampshire and Maine then do day trips around NH and Maine. This may not be a good thing to do.
We are just trying to see a lot but do not want to get so tired that we do not enjoy the trip.
Jun 2nd, 2010, 03:58 PM
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Hi tenntraveler,
You've picked a great time of year to visit the New England area. We flew into Boston and used our Garmin to get us out of the city and headed north along the coast of Maine. I've cut/paste my response to another person that asked about NE in the fall. Perhaps it will help in your planning process. We did alot of driving and stayed in a couple different areas of both New Hampshire and Vermont. It can be done - just depends on how much driving you'd like to do. Good luck planning! PamT
Anna,
We just did the same trip this last fall - Oct 2-10th. The New England area is beautiful in the fall - you will love it! We didn't spend anytime in Boston as we had been there before but we did fly in/out of Logan.
We rented a car at Logan and drove up the coast. The first night we stayed in Portsmouth and from there north as far as Cape Elizabeth and then drove west into N Conway/Conway staying two nights, west to Burlington-1 night and then Stowe-2 nights and Woodstock-1 night and back to airport-1 night. We were using points for hotels as much as possible so we stayed at Sheratons and Hampton Inns. We did splurge in Stowe staying at the Green Mountain Inn - lovely and well worth the $. In Woodstock we stayed at the Vermont Inn - not impressed really.
Some of our favorites were:
1.Lunch at the Washington Hotel - BEAUTIFUL!
2.Kamacangus Highway
3.Breakfast at the Inn at Shelburne - you don't have to pay to tour the farm if you have breakfast there
4.Smugglers Notch
5.Ben & Jerry's ice cream tour
6.Grand View Winery
7.Cold Hollow Cider Mill
8.Quechee Gorge
One of THE best things we purchased before going was the Atlas & Gazetteer for New Hampshire. This was invaluable as it shows all the backroads and also highlights sights to stop at. We wished we'd bought the one for Vermont as well. I also printed off the scenic drives on Yankee Foliage's website.
Good luck in planning - you'll have a great time! PamT
You've picked a great time of year to visit the New England area. We flew into Boston and used our Garmin to get us out of the city and headed north along the coast of Maine. I've cut/paste my response to another person that asked about NE in the fall. Perhaps it will help in your planning process. We did alot of driving and stayed in a couple different areas of both New Hampshire and Vermont. It can be done - just depends on how much driving you'd like to do. Good luck planning! PamT
Anna,
We just did the same trip this last fall - Oct 2-10th. The New England area is beautiful in the fall - you will love it! We didn't spend anytime in Boston as we had been there before but we did fly in/out of Logan.
We rented a car at Logan and drove up the coast. The first night we stayed in Portsmouth and from there north as far as Cape Elizabeth and then drove west into N Conway/Conway staying two nights, west to Burlington-1 night and then Stowe-2 nights and Woodstock-1 night and back to airport-1 night. We were using points for hotels as much as possible so we stayed at Sheratons and Hampton Inns. We did splurge in Stowe staying at the Green Mountain Inn - lovely and well worth the $. In Woodstock we stayed at the Vermont Inn - not impressed really.
Some of our favorites were:
1.Lunch at the Washington Hotel - BEAUTIFUL!
2.Kamacangus Highway
3.Breakfast at the Inn at Shelburne - you don't have to pay to tour the farm if you have breakfast there
4.Smugglers Notch
5.Ben & Jerry's ice cream tour
6.Grand View Winery
7.Cold Hollow Cider Mill
8.Quechee Gorge
One of THE best things we purchased before going was the Atlas & Gazetteer for New Hampshire. This was invaluable as it shows all the backroads and also highlights sights to stop at. We wished we'd bought the one for Vermont as well. I also printed off the scenic drives on Yankee Foliage's website.
Good luck in planning - you'll have a great time! PamT
Jun 3rd, 2010, 02:18 AM
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PamT makes a good suggestion for the Atlas. It's published by DeLorme and available at most bookstores and popular retail outlets. It's oversized but shows every road including seasonal ones. We have one each for VT, ME and NH. It also shows the location of waterfalls and covered bridges plus some travel info.
My vote is for MHT. As posted there is only one toll on Rt 93 heading north. You may be confused as you leave the airport because there is I93 and I293. The airport is halfway between them and it doesn't matter which one you take north because they merge just before the toll booth in Hooksett. If you take I293 you will have a nice view of the Merrimack River and the old mills in Manchester.
Staying in one location for a couple of nights and then moving on is a good idea. We have done that in VT staying north of Burlington for half a week and then moving to the Brandon area. Go to NH's White Mountains first because foliage will be peaking the first week of October. The drive from Concord NH to Burlington VT is about 3 hours if you would prefer to start in northern VT. MHT to the White Mountains is about 1 1/2 hours. It's a pretty drive even on I93 as you leave the city areas and start to see the mountains until you drive right thru the range. You are apt to have heavy traffic early on Sat northbound and late on Sat southbound. If you want to avoid the toll, take I293 and exit just after Manchester onto Rt 3A. This follows the Merrimack River and intersects with both Rt 89 (goes to VT) and I93 (at exit 12 just south of Concord).
HWY 1 rarely sees much of coastal Maine. You would have to drive down one of the state hwys although it does go write thru Camden. Hence when we visit mid-coast ME we stay on I95 until we get to Brunswick ME and then travel rt 1 but it's an old hwy with a lot of traffic. You would do best to pick an area and get off Rt 1. Maybe head out to Pemaquid Point from Damariscotta but there's great views from the auto rd up Mt Battie in Camden ME. We like to picnic there.
The further north you go, the less chain hotels/motels you will find. I would make reservations now for Fri nights and weekends. It's New England's most popular week for visitors. After Columbus Day I think the foliage in the Concord NH area starts to go past peak. It will still be beautiful as different trees color at different times and color starts earliest in the north and at higher elevations.
My vote is for MHT. As posted there is only one toll on Rt 93 heading north. You may be confused as you leave the airport because there is I93 and I293. The airport is halfway between them and it doesn't matter which one you take north because they merge just before the toll booth in Hooksett. If you take I293 you will have a nice view of the Merrimack River and the old mills in Manchester.
Staying in one location for a couple of nights and then moving on is a good idea. We have done that in VT staying north of Burlington for half a week and then moving to the Brandon area. Go to NH's White Mountains first because foliage will be peaking the first week of October. The drive from Concord NH to Burlington VT is about 3 hours if you would prefer to start in northern VT. MHT to the White Mountains is about 1 1/2 hours. It's a pretty drive even on I93 as you leave the city areas and start to see the mountains until you drive right thru the range. You are apt to have heavy traffic early on Sat northbound and late on Sat southbound. If you want to avoid the toll, take I293 and exit just after Manchester onto Rt 3A. This follows the Merrimack River and intersects with both Rt 89 (goes to VT) and I93 (at exit 12 just south of Concord).
HWY 1 rarely sees much of coastal Maine. You would have to drive down one of the state hwys although it does go write thru Camden. Hence when we visit mid-coast ME we stay on I95 until we get to Brunswick ME and then travel rt 1 but it's an old hwy with a lot of traffic. You would do best to pick an area and get off Rt 1. Maybe head out to Pemaquid Point from Damariscotta but there's great views from the auto rd up Mt Battie in Camden ME. We like to picnic there.
The further north you go, the less chain hotels/motels you will find. I would make reservations now for Fri nights and weekends. It's New England's most popular week for visitors. After Columbus Day I think the foliage in the Concord NH area starts to go past peak. It will still be beautiful as different trees color at different times and color starts earliest in the north and at higher elevations.
Jun 3rd, 2010, 03:35 AM
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tenn, I would not use rt 1 for Mass, NH or southern Maine as it has lots of stop lights and strip malls and mostly does not go close enough to the coast to give you nice views of the ocean as dfrostnh said. The coast is not straight but rather has lots of inlets, peninsulars, rivers and to see it all you would have to drive hundreds of miles of small roads.
Jun 3rd, 2010, 04:04 AM
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Thank you so much for all the advice, I really appreciate it.
Any suggestions on the best places to see the rugged coast of Maine. Not the beaches, so much, as the rocky coast of the old time pirate days.
We would like to drive up the coast of Maine to Bangor then go over into NH and Vermont then circle back around to Manchester to fly out on Saturday morning of Oct. 16.
Still not sure of the best routes to take. So all the advice you are giving me is a big help.
Thank you so much.
Any suggestions on the best places to see the rugged coast of Maine. Not the beaches, so much, as the rocky coast of the old time pirate days.
We would like to drive up the coast of Maine to Bangor then go over into NH and Vermont then circle back around to Manchester to fly out on Saturday morning of Oct. 16.
Still not sure of the best routes to take. So all the advice you are giving me is a big help.
Thank you so much.
Jun 3rd, 2010, 04:27 AM
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Re - "not seasoned fliers" - unfortunately there are no non-stop flights from Nashville to either Manchester, NH or Boston/Logan. It is the changing planes thing that is most annoying to inexperienced fliers. However, Southwest has one flight in each direction each day to Logan and one to Manchester that are "direct" - meaning you have one stop but do not have to change planes. I might look into one of these.
Make sure you have a GPS - most car rental companies will rent you one. If you do not own one it might be cheaper to buy one and bring it - you can get a decent but basic model for just over $100 and car rental companies are going to charge you about $15 per day. While paper maps and internet directions are important, one thing a GPS allows you to dois wander off your planned route with some confidence you will be able to find your way back to civilization.
Have a nice trip.
Make sure you have a GPS - most car rental companies will rent you one. If you do not own one it might be cheaper to buy one and bring it - you can get a decent but basic model for just over $100 and car rental companies are going to charge you about $15 per day. While paper maps and internet directions are important, one thing a GPS allows you to dois wander off your planned route with some confidence you will be able to find your way back to civilization.
Have a nice trip.
Jun 3rd, 2010, 08:35 AM
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Good idea about the GPS but please remember that it will choose the main highways. So if you want to see alot of the beautiful scenery/quaint towns, you'll need to get on some backroads - hence the suggestion for the Atlas. PamT
Jun 3rd, 2010, 09:14 AM
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You really don't need GPS, just good road maps. But, even the "main highways", including the interstates, are resplendent with scenery.
Problem with lodging is that you are arriving Columbus Day weekend, so "reasonable" will be a challenge, as rates will be at their very highest in the foliage areas, especially booking at this late date.
The better bet would be to spend that weekend along the coast of Maine, where you'll be able to find shoulder/off season rates in most places. However, a few days can make a huge difference with the foliage. And, a heavy rain can take all the remaining leaves toward the end of the colors.
You may want to shop car rental rates, along with air fares, as they can vary enormously.
Problem with lodging is that you are arriving Columbus Day weekend, so "reasonable" will be a challenge, as rates will be at their very highest in the foliage areas, especially booking at this late date.
The better bet would be to spend that weekend along the coast of Maine, where you'll be able to find shoulder/off season rates in most places. However, a few days can make a huge difference with the foliage. And, a heavy rain can take all the remaining leaves toward the end of the colors.
You may want to shop car rental rates, along with air fares, as they can vary enormously.
Jun 3rd, 2010, 01:18 PM
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We also fly from Nashville to Manchester NH on Southwest and always change planes in Baltimore. The Baltimore airport is very easy to get around and change planes. All the Southwest planes are in one area, with plenty of restaurants and fast food if you want to get a snack before you get on your next plane.
Jun 4th, 2010, 03:02 AM
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Thank you so much for all the advice. We would like to be very flexible in our schedule. We would like to see the rugged coast of Maine, White Mtns. in NH, drive the Kancamagus Highway, and see Queechee Gorge. Would like to find a centrally located motel to stay in around White Mtn. to make day trips. Then find a centrally located motel somewhere around Lake Champlain toward the middle of Vermont and do day trips.
Any suggestions on the best place to see the rugged coast of Maine?
Any suggestions on the best place to see the rugged coast of Maine?
Jun 4th, 2010, 03:09 AM
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Hard to pick the best place to see the rocky coast. Maybe Rockland area. Short, easy hike to Owls Head Light. Climb the platform (not very high) for terrific view. Here's a list of public parks/walks http://www.therealmaine.com/beachesparks.html
Jun 4th, 2010, 07:32 AM
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One Vermont covered bridge that is still in use crosses Otter Creek from MIddlebury to Weybridge. Middlebury is a quintessential New England College town with nice shops and good restaurants. In Weybridge, not far from the covered bridge, you can visit the University of Vermont Morgan Horse Farm, which is an historic site.
