We're new to the NE area and this is our first time experiencing a true fall seasonal change (we're from Texas, where we really only have two; green and brown) ;-)

Can anyone recommend some nearby (within 4 hours by train - we live in Fairfax, VA) sites we can visit? We may plan to stay overnight if there are add'l things to do (fall festivals, outdoor concerts, shopping, etc.)

Any recommendations or links are appreciated.

Thanks!

I'll think of something as soon as I pick myself up off the floor. Fairfax, VA is in the Northeast! I guess it depends on your perspective.

Can we clarify your rerquest a little bit? Is this outing primarily about seeing colorful foliage, with the other stuff you mentioned as possible bonuses?

Are you set on traveling by train rather than car? That would certainly limit your options. And you're willing to travel 4 hours away for a day trip??

i too am giggling here in maine.
by definition:
New England
A region of the northeast United States comprising the modern-day states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
ok - so perhaps next year you and dh can come up to nh,vt or MAINE to see the real new england colors. here in maine we think we get the best, but those darned vermonters often try to say their colors are more spectacular. (of course they are wrong).
as for seeing colors in va i would repost asking specifically about tours you might make in your area.
my personal suggestion is to drive west on rt66 to the town of front royal then head south through shendoah national park on skyline drive. this goes all the way to waynesboro - a good spot to spend the night - then head home or further south on the blue ridge parkway. as for when to do i would be clueless...
here's a site i just found : http://www.virginia.org/fall/
has trip ideas, festivals, etc - perfect for you!
enjoy the ride - your eyes are in for a treat after the texan brown.

Thanks for the replies, despite the cynical remarks.

You make it "easy" to ask for help/advice. Either way, thanks for the helpful links.

Hopefully you two will be kind to the next poor soul who asks for help.

Hey, you normally nice people. Lighten up! I am with Newbie completely. I moved to DC area from Georgia...it's northeast to me too. Look at map; divide country into NE/SE/NW/SW...where does DC area fall?

(Note: I do not need a response about being geographically challenged. Everything above is somewhat in jest except for the lighten up part!)

(Actually, doing most web searches, this area often does not even fall into a category. Central Atlantic is best I can find, but not all sites give those search opportunities...and DC 'shore ain't south!' )

Seriously, please post back here and refine your question. There are many areas within easy driving distance to view fantastic fall foliage. I fear they might not be accessible by train. At least, I dont know how to get to them by train. If you don't have access to a car, you will find that a weekend rental will open up many more opportunities.

LOL IMHO, "virginia" and I *were* "kind." You know how unfriendly we Northerners can be. Come on, the OP is living in one of the states of the Confederacy and thinks she lives in the Northeast??!! Virginia and I actually both did post serious replies, in addition to the geography lessons.

Instead of commenting on our"cynicism," how about answering our questions so we an help?

Virginia is distinctly the South - not the Northeast.

New England is from CT north. Mid Atlantic is New York, New Jersey, PA, Del. DC is no man's land - usually people north of it count it as the south and those south count it as the north.

Buy I've never heard anyone call VA north before - and I have family there - and when they moved there said there was a very tough transiion to southern ways of doing things.

Wherever you decide to go, DCNewbies, to see fall colors you are in for a treat! DH and I have been living in South TX for 17+ years and fall is the one season I miss the most. Growing up, my mom had a subscription to Southern Living...I guess she thinks she lives in the south, lol.

Ooops, forgot to mention we moved here from Maryland which is ripe with color in the fall. Deep Creek Lake in Western Maryland would be a wonderful place to get away, hike, take in the fall colors. Enjoy!

http://www.deepcreek.com/

To be fair, the OP used the term "NE" but they apparently meant "Northeast", not New England. I'd say that the Northeast also includes NY & NJ, at least.

Hey guys lighten up,,,,,she didn't say she lives in NE, she said she was new to the area, and needed some help.

4 hours north by train gets you to New York City, and we have a lovely fall season here. You might come up over the weekend in mid October for peak season. The trees have not started to change yet, but I think we are going to have an early Fall this year.

There are websites you can go to that will tell you about color changes and which regions are already starting to change and the expected "peak" of the color, that's the weekend you want to get out and see, if you have not seen it before.

Central Park is glorious in the fall and one of the BEST ways to see it is from the top of the Met Museum, in the outdoor garden. You can also get a glass of wine and enjoy the view.

Another idea is The Cloisters, which is at the TOP end of Manhattan with an amazing view of the cliffs overlooking the Hudson River in New Jersey. The Cloisters is easily reachable on the A train and you walk through Ft. Tryon Park to the Cloisters. Really beautiful on a sunny fall day.

Have a wonderful time and enjoy the colors.

Forgive the Texan! Even though, the DC area is considered the South you must remember that her point of reference is Texas and she has moved geographically "northeast." I will never forget that I couldn't convince a friend of mine that Chicago was considered the "midwest." She said it is so much more east than west! Someone clarify this, but my guess is that the terms came about with the early settlers in the colonies. At that point in time the area now known as Chicago was west.

DC newbies, I am not trying to pick on you, we Texans must stick together!

Hey I'm from Ohio -- which is also referred to as the "MIDWEST". Can anyone look at a map of the US and explain that one to me?

All you people who consider the DC area south haven't lived here! I have to phone 'home' so I can hear a southern accent. Anyone who talks like I do up here gets laughed at all the time!

NOW...if you get south of the DC burbs...and my hubby (from PA) and I have tried for years to find the precise line of demarkation (someplace just south of Prince William County in Virginia but north of Richmond)...if you get away from DC a bit, you will get into the south where you can order grits for breakfast and sweet tea any time of the day. When you can do that and the waitress has a 'twang' in her voice...then you are in the south.

Above that line...honey...you aint in the south...you are in the Northeast...not New England...but the Northeast.

Going only by mass transit, I would suggest an overnight trip to Philadelphia. Either explore Center City, which is full of small parks and tree lined streets as well as a gazillion things to do, or catch a 30-minute commuter train out to Chestnut Hill, explore there: go for a long walk in Valley Green. Poke around the shops and restaurants of Germantown Avenue.
Another option might be heading up to Princeton, NJ, for a week-end.
To see the countryside, the OP would need a car, and with a set of wheels would suggest Connecticut or parts of Pennsylvania (Berks or Chester county or historic Bethlehem).
Or, catching a plane to Burlington, VT, or Portland, ME for the week-end.
With just a 4-hour travel period, the OP will be restricted to the mid-Atlantic area. Which can be perfectly delightful. I was in the Lehigh Valley in October 2004 and it looked just beautiful.

DCNewb-
All of Virginia is so beautiful...you really need to go to the Blue Ridge Mountain area. You will love it.

The OP doesn't want to drive; they said they want to go "by train." Is it possible to do the Blue Ridge area without a car?

OOpps... guess I overlooked that part...
I would think you'd want the freedom of driving yourself.?
http://www.blueridgeonline.com/