bsparks276

Hello,

We are planning for a quick trip in October. Fall color is bonus for October, but I am looking for overall trip, which should consider fall foliage, landscapes and beautiful scenery. After doing some reading, I can see two options, first is Blue Ridge Parkway and Smokey Mountain and secondly New England Area. Flight distance or price is not decision factor, as Boston, Atlanta as well as Washington are having almost same fare and flight times.

I understand, beauty is subjective and every place hold its own beauty.
To narrow down, I may have few considerations, which can help.
First consideration is, I will have full 4 days (not travel days) to see and drive places. If I talk about both options (long drives are ok with me) -
1- For New England, I will fly in Boston and will take a upper loop covering different places.
2- For NC/TN/VA, I can fly to Washington and drive till Atlanta and fly out. This will be via Smokey and some part of Blue Ridge Parkway.
Second consideration is, 7th October is not available for me to travel. Its previous weekend and later ones are available for me, if peak time of any place is relevant to that weekend.
Third consideration is, my interests are not just pictures of foliage, but landscapes with foliage, red and yellow foliage (and hopefully blue skies). To give better shape to pictures, I think, it is good to have some countryside or beautiful architecture. Something like this - https://goo.gl/MUpG49

Any suggestion, on what basis I should decide or what should I expect from both of these places ?

Thanks

Gretchen

If you want reds, New England will be better than the south.

bsparks276

What will I miss, if I visit New England area, instead of NC/TN/VA ?

dfrostnh

Sounds like you already have a preference for choosing New England. I vote for weekend before since you mentioned "upper loop" and Vermont seems to be what you're looking for as evidenced by the link to photos.

Check fares/flights into Manchester NH MHT.

Gretchen

If you go earlier than the 7th you will miss a LOT of color in the south, I think.
We also do not have the sugar maples (red) as New England does. I have seen hillsides turn scarlet there.

zootsi

The link to pictures you posted are in Vermont. They are typical New England scenery. For Vt and NH, you will see this kind of foliage from the last week of September thru early October.

bsparks276

For us, there is no direct flight to Manchester NH MHT, but connecting flight. Just for 50 minutes distance, lay-over is more with more fare. So flying in Boston is more convinient.

I am leaning towards New England, because it looks so beautiful in pictures. But sometime pictures do no do justice, so seeking opinions here

If I choose to go New England, then I have options -
- Reach Boston on evening of 28th Sep and fly out from Boston on 3rd Oct evening (some posts says that it will be too early)
- Reach Boston on evening of 12th Oct and fly out from Boston on 17th Oct evening (some posts says that it will be past weak in some areas like White Mountain)

Am I not reaching at good time (weekend of 7th October) ? If Yes, then Tennessee, North Carolina, West Virginia would be safe options ?

Gretchen

There's no way to know for sure. If it is dry year, it will be early and if wet it will be late. October is going to have color--it may not be peak but it will be there in New England.
You will have to arrange places to stay. Others will be joining you.

bsparks276

I read more about dates and tried to understand it. It looks like, earlier dates are good for Northern New England and later dates would be better for southern New England. Which can be considered as more photogenic for landscapes ? If I need to decide, on what basis, I should ?
Any suggestions ?

Dianedancer

Start checking out websites that show actual % of color right now in the different areas of New England. Also note that it will be height of the season when yoy're planning on going and hotels and lodges get booked early.

You needn't go to the northernmost area of Vermont or New Hampshire. I find the souther and middle parts of the states more scenic. If you want to stay in Mass. then coose your later date. But things can vary year to year and so I say look at sites to determine whar's happening noe.

Dianedancer

vermont.com/foliage.cfm
Check out above link.

Colors are starting to show in Stratton VT.

bsparks276

Thanks for the link. This is from report of September 7. Next report is due tomorrow, so that will probably give more realistic picture.
Below link shows that none place will be at peak during 28th Sep-3rd Oct. Am I understanding it correctly ? Though eyewitness reports must be more accurate http://www.foliage-vermont.com/foliageinflash.htm

Per your link (which must be eyewitness reports, so more accurate), when you say that Stratton started showing color, should it be at peak during my first dates ?

Gretchen

You mention architecture also. New England will give you more vistas with that I believe. The Smokies and Blue Ridge will be more park like.

bsparks276

Thanks Gretchen.
On side note (which was also option), what can I expect from Upper Peninsula of Michigan ? I did lot of reading about that and then thought that The Smokies/Blue Ridge and New England can be more scenic and photographically beautiful. I may be wrong, but would like to hear suggestions.

Dianedancer

bsparks - I can only guess that in a month if Steatton starting to show some color now that it will be slightly past peak which means it should still be beautiful. But it's really hard to say. Also different trees turn at different times.

The thing with New England is that it's also historic, so you should see Early American sites there too.

bsparks276

Dianedancer : Do you think, I should wait for some more days, before I book flights ?
When you say "I find the southern and middle parts of the states more scenic" , does it mean, 28th Sep - 3rd Oct should date (as of now) , or I misunderstood you ?

Gretchen

Stick to what you have in mind now. It is scattered enough.

dfrostnh

Elevation is a factor as well. In an hour you can drive through areas with varying amounts of color. Pick a base and you can drive to where color is great since VT and NH are so small. Forget trying to predict "best", get here and then find where it is. A friend with a "camp" in northern NH used to say sometimes color happened overnight when it was particularly cold. Color has already started here in NH near Concord but mostly just an occasional branch or individual tree. I live here and can never decide when it's "peak". It's too bad the term was ever invented. Hopefully you will drive by an orchard that still presses cider and enjoy that wonderful fragrance. You can also tell when you're standing near wild grapes. Right now the wildflowers are standing out among the green of meadows - goldenrods, asters, yarrows. Hydrangeas in people's yards are lovely. For VT, I like the route along Lake Champlain because there are a lot of farms and expanses of fields with color in the hills. But right now from a certain hill top in our town there is a single tree in the distant forest that is bright orange among hundreds of acres of green. And if you get up early enough, sometimes the ground fog is beautiful, too. Some of the grasses are reddish, others are golden. But the hayfields are green and the local farmer is checking to see if it's ready for cutting.

bsparks276

Thanks dfrostnh
I will be traveling from 28th Sep to 3rd Oct. It is short visit, but I hope, I will get at least few places, which might be at good at that time. May be northern Vermont (Burlington area) and northern New Hampshire (Lincoln, North Conway, White Mtns), where I need to reserve lodging. I am yet to map places and make proper routes and we are still little far to make some accurate predictions.

kmclennan1

hi-

I am not sure if you have made any reservations on where to stay- but google "Muddy moose VT". if its not sold out- you should definitely stay there. its amazing. best of luck to you!