Cozzaar

Hi guyz,l'm planning a leaf-peeping tour this Sept/Oct to the U.S. east cost.
Stops that l've decided include NYC-->Boston-->New England-->Montreal-->Quebec city.
l'm trying to include 2 to 3 New England stops and read that the best autumn foliage spots
include :
1)The Litchfield Hills (Conn.)
1)Walden Pond State Reservation (Concord, Mass.)
3)Bash-Bish Falls State Park (Mass)
4)Crawford Notch (N.H.)
5)Camden (Maine)

Which 2 New England spots do u recommend.?
Any other off the -beaten- track places that has brilliant autumn foliage.
How do l get to these places via train/bus?
Kindly recommend only places that has budget accomodation of <30USD and
accessible by trains n buses.............

Thank you for building my american dream...

HowardR

Some general observations and questions:
How much time are you allotting for this tour?
I assume you won't have a car since you ask about trains and buses. This will make it a logistically tough itinerary for reaching most of your leaf-peeping options.
Your choice of the best leaf-peeping spots will depend on the dates chosen. For example, the peak foliage between Maine and Connecticut can be a week or two apart.
You're going to have a very difficult time finding accommodations in most, if not all, of your destinations.
I hate to list all these "negatives," but I think you need a touch of realism in your planning.

gail

Public transportation in New England is tough. Only viable train service outside of commuter rail in metro-Boston is to Portland, Maine. Bus service to many larger towns has been curtailed a great deal as well - Concord Trailways and Greyhound are websites to check, but I fear you will not find what you want.

Perhaps there are hostels in the price range you seek, but regular hotels are not going to meet your budget limitations.

Walden Pond (Concord, Mass) could be approximated by commuter rail (MBTA.com) to Concord center - but then it is at least a mile or 2 from there. That same commuter rail can have acceptable views of foliage on trip out of Boston - certainly not panoramic mountain views, but acceptable.

Also don't want to throw cold water on your American dream - just instill some realities of situation. You might have some luck at Lonely Planet website, as people there seem to be incredibly creative about budget travel. Good luck.

Cozzaar

Thanx pals for your input.
l'm planning a 3 week trip from
last wk of Sep to first 2 wks of Oct.
Would a stop in The Litchfield Hills (Conn.)---> where ??in Vermont--->Montreal be possible by trains/bus?

zootsi

A few comments - the time you are planning to visit is the most busy season in rural New England. It will be almost impossible to find a room in your price range (especially in the Litchfield and Concord areas), unless you stay at some type of hostel or campground. You CAN do all your planned stops in 3 weeks, but I wouldn't advise it, it's just too much travelling. I would either drop the Maine seacoast, or Montreal/Quebec. It's a very long ride from Camden Maine to Quebec City!
Nearly any small village in Vermont and New Hampshire will be very beautiful this time of year. As others have mentioned, there is virtually no public transportation in rural Vermont and New Hampshire. You may need to rent a car in these areas. However if you take the train from White River Juntion Vermont to Montreal you will pass thur some of America's most picturesque countryside.

Larry1

Cozzaar- your budget and transportation requirements are not what this board is best at. As Gail suggested above, lonelyplanet.com thorntree board caters to the backpacking/budget crowd and should be much more helpful than we can be. Good luck and enjoy your trip....

capxxx

Well how about something like this...you take Amtrak from NYC, on the Vermonter line up to wherever it stops in Vermont. Amtrack used to offer a bus service from the terminus up to Montreal. That will send you through western Connecticut, Springfield Mass, VT, and to Montreal. You will certainly pass through the leaf peak somewhere along. You'll need a reservation for this train.

You could stop and stay a night in, say, Amherst Mass, and rent a car to get to Bish-Bash Falls, and other scenic sites in the Berkshires (just as nice as the ones you mention). Or stay in southern Vermont and visit lake Champlaign.

The regional bus system is called Peter Pan, and they can probably get you around to some of these places.

There is a train from Montreal to Quebec City, and I think you can get from there to Boston on Peter Pan.

As for cheap places to stay that time of year, I'm stumped. You'd have to think about camping -- even the cheap motels are going to be at least 80/night.

dfrostnh

From Boston you can take Concord Trailways to NH. Once you get past industrial sprawl, the scenery improves as you get further north. You might possibly look into staying in a college temporary housing or YMCA facilities as well as hostels. You will find lots and lots of beautiful places in New England. Even the major highways like Rt 93 and Rt 89 will be pretty. The colors will change during your three weeks at different elevations and as different trees color up. But good luck finding a place to sleep at that rate. You might find something in the $60 range at budget hotels within a cab drive of a bus or train terminal.

Cozzaar

Hi again,u r a bunch of helpful guys!
1)l will try to get to Concord from Boston,thence hopefully to Walden Pond
via local bus....
2)The Vermonter rail trip from NYC to Montreal sounds plausible too ,but l need to check the fares from Amtrack
first.l was thinking of stopping at Stowe(Vermont)before heading to Montreal..
3)l wonder if YMCA/HI hostels in NE
would be less than 30USD,but l already know it's possible to find such budget
lodging in all other cities.
4)l read about Salem witch village and understands the place is filled with fun activities in Oct,what r the must do things while there?

Thanx for the advice!