New England Oct 12 2016
 

So enjoyed my trip to New England last year, just decided to go back. Several of my friends posted pictures of their trip last week that reminded me of the beauty there.

Flying into Boston on night of 12th. Renting a car to head out on this unplanned adventure and just wondering where I should go first to see best fall foliage. Last year I started on the 6th in Hartford and went to Stowe up Hwy 100 towards Montreal back down west side of Montreal to New Hampshire by Oct 14 and colors were gorgeous. Then to Maine, Boston, Newport, then back to Hartford.

Just wondering which area to do first before leaves fall. Driving from 13th-21st or 22. Want to do a couple days Boston before flying home late afternoon of 25th. If anyone on forum from that area or you just visited, I would appreciate your advice.

Thanks

I would recommend a foliage cruise. In NH you have several choices lake sunapee, lake winnipeasaukee or one out of Portsmouth NH. We have done the inland rivers cruise in summer but the one we haven't been on is the one up the Cocheco River to Dover NH which a recent news article said was the captain's favorite. POrtsmouth is a wonderful place to visit. Since folkageis a bit later on the coast and it's only about an hour from Boston via I95, it would make a nice finale for your trip and a cruise would be a break from driving.

If color is still good just north of Lake Winnipesaukee, Center Sandwich is one of our favorite towns you might be able to take a pontoon boat tour of Squam Laketo see loons. Check website for Squam Lakes science center.

If you like wine, get the trail map for wach state to visit some local wineries. Some are off the neaten path which would get you away from foliage traffic.

Thank you for information. I think I saved in my phone notes some suggestions from you to others about Sandwich area.

We were in Portsmouth yesterday, and it was a packed and lively place!

There was no color at all up that way other than a few random swamp maples, so I would head northwest out MA 2 through Concord to the Monadnock-Jaffrey-Peterborough area, then north until I was saturated.

Delorme's New Hampshire Atlas will take you down byways and back roads that you would never link together on a GPS. There's one for most states, they cost about $20 each, and they are a great investment for explorers like yourself.

Color was good yesterday all the way up interstates from Marlborough MA to Concord NH. There's some really good trees in different places, bright orange against a green backdrop. Swampy maples in one area near home are a bit past peak. Agree with Delorme's Atlas recommendations since sometimes we take "seasonal roads". We live on a back road. Right now our yard is gorgeous.

In area Boston-NH and just west of Boston there is little color yet. There is a road I take every day which often is a beautiful canopy of colors over the road - and some of these have gone from green to brown. Red maples seems to be most brilliant. There is a different type of beauty to a mix of green, colors and brown in the same landscape - but this is not likely to be a brilliant year due to drought.

Just south of Boston has had more rain this summer - so I might try to include some south and west areas.

I came up Route 3 from the Cape on Monday: nada.

I was in Milton yesterday afternoon, usually major color: nothing.

Weird year.

Don't be so sure about this not being a brilliant year for color Gail. I live outside of Burlington VT and we had a warm fall and not much rain like you. The colors this year have been some of the best I've ever seen. Eye popping reds and oranges. Mind blowing.

Some great color around Concord NH, too. Some trees practically glow with color. Beautiful day today but it's going to be cold tonight. This might make more color come out in different places. I had a friend who had a camp up northern NH who said one good color night would bring out the color. I thought there was quite a bit of color along I495 from Marlboro MA and then up Everett Turnpike/3 to I93. One of the prettiest reds I've see is a large stand of sumac.

Thanks. Added your info