what are the best dates to see the leaves change in new england?

New England covers a lot of territory! Generally speaking, the leaves begin to turn first most northeast in late September, then west and south.

There's a wealth of information here: http://www.yankeemagazine.com/foliage/index.php --- scroll down to "When to find the colors".

Note, however, that dates are approximate. Fall often arrives earlier or later. So, if you have a week, it's best to spend half the week northerly and the other half south-westerly. Then, from either you can always find brilliant colors within a reasonable drive - and the very best way to enjoy the foliage is by driving all over (it varies all along the way - from one side of a mountain to another, for example).

The leaves change according to the weather over the summer, watch the weather over the summer for the area you wish to visit. We went to vermont in early oct and was still to early, it had been a dry summer.

<<The leaves change according to the weather over the summer, watch the weather over the summer for the area you wish to visit.>>

As a long-time New England resident, I can tell you that there are all sorts of factors (and you can learn them at the website mentioned above) that affect when the leaves will change. All in all, it just can't be precisely predicted.

You just never know until the last minute with foliage timing. IIRC, we had been told that foliage would be *early* last year because of the dry summer (due to stress, I guess). Then September was wetter than normal, so the schedule got reshuffled again and in most places it peaked later than usual! That's why the Yankee map hedges its bets with ranges of dates that are as long as 2 weeks.

Whatever you do, don't wait too long to decide when you're going! My husband and I retired last June and were looking forward to a fall foliage trip to New England. By the time we got serious about booking accommodations in July, we discovered that most of the good places were already taken. We ended up going to the Pacific Northwest...

Donald,

It is difficult to predict when the color will "peak" in any given area.

But, a good rule of thumb is to plan on Columbus Day weekend in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Peak will more than likely be within an hours drive north or south.

You know what? Who really cares if it's "peak" or not? It's still going to be beautiful. And if you're lucky, there will be snow at the higher elevations and a snap in the air with brilliant, October sunshine.