I had read that foliage season was end September beginning October and was planning a nice romantic trip for my tenth wedding anniversary. Now I read that it is in August. Please sort me out!

Foliage season where? It's a different time everywhere - but I can't imagine its as early as August anywhere. give more specifics.

When the leaves change has more to do with the weather than anything else.

It would help if you would give a location.

I wouldn't try and plan my wedding around the exact timing of the leaves or you could be sorely disappointed.

As I used to work in event planning, you may already be out of luck if you don't have your dates booked. Weekends in September and October fill up a year in advance for popular destination weddings and some as far as 18 months in advance.

Sorry, I misread your post.

The further north, the earlier I'd book but I doubt even as far north as Maine the leaves change by August.

A great anniversary spot would be The Grove Park Inn and Spa in Asheville, NC. For Asheville I would book the middle of October.

In New England, foliage seson usually starts the last week in September on the Canadian border, and ends in late October in southernmost Connecticut. Early October is considered the best time to see brilliant foliage somewhere in New England.

OP has posted under topic New Hampshire.

Your original information, about late Sept - early Oct was correct, though as others have pointed out it can vary a lot from one year to the next. Given the gradient in temps and altitude, you can be pretty sure of finding nice foliage SOMEWHERE in NH at any time in that interval.

Thanks. Yep, I did indeed mean New Hampshire. Any good tips for some good but not outrageously priced inns in the area. We were thinking of going up the coast to Bar Harbor and then across to the White Mountains. Is there one particular place where foliage is at its best (albeit weather permitting=?

It will be a long drive from Bangor/Bar Harbor but you can take Rt 2 all the way into NH. Puts you right in the northern White Mts and Mt. Washington (the highest). I would recommend either the Mount Washington Hotel near Bretton Woods or the Wentworth Hotel in Jackson. Both are very nice but may be a little pricey. There are many hotels/inns to choose from in Jackson. Another option is the Pinkham Notch AMC (appalachian mountain club) center or the new Highland Center in Crawford notch. Both would be a fun experience- meet people, get suggested activities, hikes, etc. They are however geared toward the outdoor enthusiast.

I once met a couple who used to own a bed and breakfast in Vermont. They said the worst nightmare about running the place was that every year between Sept. 1 and Oct. 31, about one-third of all their guests tried to refuse to pay because they hadn't seen the fall color that the advertising says happens "between September and October".

In the White Mountains of NH and the Green Mountains of Vermont, you can count on Columbus Day weekend to be at or near peak.

I would stay on the western side of the White Mountains in the Franconia Notch area...it's less frenetic than the Conway/Jackson side.

Book early!

Will be in New Hampshire/Vermont the week of October 16th. I would prefer not to make reservations ahead of time as we will be driving whereever we think is interesting. Are we going to have trouble getting a place to stay nightly. Really don't mind if it's a hotel, B&B, guest house or motel.

hermit-

October 16, 2004 is a Saturday. When you say the "week of Oct 16th", do you mean the M-F before Oct 16 or after? The only reason I ask is that Oct 11, 2004 (Mon) is Columbus Day. If you are planning to travel then, you will need reservations. If you are going after that, you probably will be OK.
However, New England area is very popular at that time of year. If there is a particular B&B you want to stay at, you'd be better off making reservations.

My mistake as usual. We will be arriving the evening of the 16th in Manchester, N.H. and plan on visiting friends that evening and the next day and so will hit the open road October 18th and fly out of Hartford, Ct. on the 23rd.

Sometimes it arrives earlier or later than we thought. I can never tell until I look out the window and know when it's starting. I hope this helps you.

http://www.weatherman.com/foliage.htm

http://www.yankeemagazine.com/foliage/findcolor.php
This explains what I was trying to say.