We are heading to vermont in october this year. Actually from the 10th to 17th. Any
comments on fall foliage at this time. We were going back and forth from ist week to second week in october and decide on second week. Less crowds, I hope!! Staying at the Burlington Hilton, which use to be Wyndham
Hotel. Are there boat and ferry tours on lake
champlain?? That's what I am told

The week that is the peak of foliage color changes year to year. It depends on a number of weather conditions leading up to each fall. You can't say for sure until closer to the time.

jimresp,
As Suze mentions, the time of peak foliage varies from year to year. But, there are 'rules of thumb'. Northern VT will have peak foliage earlier in the season than southern VT. IMO if you want to avoid the crowds, go earlier in the foliage season than later. If you decide to go when you think it will peak and it peaks later, you will still see some color. If you miss peak, I don't think it will be as pretty.

I have to agree that earlier might be better. My sister lives in the Bennington VT area and this morning she told me she had to turn on the car heater! This while I'm experiencing 100 degree weather.

I lived in New Hampshire for 7 years and found that sometimes if could be gorgeous in September and then we get a big rain storm and all the leaves are gone.

The second week seems a little late for peak that far north but you can take day trips further south. We've taken the regular ferry across the lake to visit Ausable Chasm. I live in the Concord NH area where peak is usually Columbus Day weekend. It's 3 hours southeast of Burlington via Rt 89.

The good news is that the areas closest to the lake in the Burlington area actually change fairly late. You probably will still be able to see some color in Charlotte/Shelburne/The Islands.
If not, you can head south .
There are a couple different boat tours on the lake. I'm not sure how late in teh year they run though. One is the Spirit of Ethan Allen and the other is Northern Lights (google 'em). I believe the Port Kent ferry will still be running then, so you can always do that if the tour boats have stopped for the season.