A reader question:
Dear Muffy,
I wonder if I might pose a question to your readers. My husband and I, and our two young children, want to do a fall foliage trip in New England this fall. Are there any must see stops?
We will be coming from New York and will most likely need to stop more frequently as our children are quite young, so we can't go too far afar.
Any suggestions are much appreciated!
Thank you!
You ought not overlook southern New England. Owing to its diversity of hardwoods the vistas are more colorful than Vermont, “New Hampshah” and Maine. The Berkshires and Litchfield County are very pretty in the fall. Stop at the covered bridge in West Cornwall Conn and drive Rt 2 in Mass west from Greenfield to Williamstown.
ReplyDeleteAgreed on the Rt 2 drive. Especially through the towns of Savoy and Florida
DeleteThe Berkshires are reasonably close, lovely, and have many charming towns not far from each other. There are some wonderful inns.
ReplyDeleteRed Lion Inn, in Stockbridge, MA (charming town, also home to the Norman Rockwell Museum, et al.)
DeleteThe Old Inn on the Green in New Marlborough MA. Don’t miss it for a candlelit dining room dinner. The nearby Southfield Store should be your luncheon destination.
ReplyDeleteWest of Boston, Walden Pond (walking around the pond is less than 2 miles, but you can obviously shorten a walk to suit your family) and the area in and around North Bridge in Concord are usually spectacular during leaf season. Both have many maple trees and proximity to the pond or water, which usually translates into nice fall foliage. I grew up in New England and plan to work from my parents' place outside Boston early-mid October to enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteConcord has historical significance, both due to its role in the start of the Revolutionary War, and due to historical locations like the Old Manse nearby, old home where Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson lived. Plus, the surrounding park in Concord is a nice place for a short walk & for kids to burn off a little steam.
Cape Cod isn't as colorful, but in the weeks after Labor Day, crowds thin out, and the Cape has beautiful beaches, marshes, and a few decently nice little towns that won't be overrun with tourists like they are in the summer.
I love hiking in Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire in the fall, and so do our adult children. Getting to good hiking means longer drives, though, and hikes that won't appeal to young children. Something to think about in the next 5-10 years, perhaps.
There are 2 very good hikes for younger children we recommend. We used to call them “snickers bar” hikes. Both offer great rewards for really not much effort. Alas, neither are close to the city but they offer views you won’t come close to finding in southern New England. One is Mount Philo south of Burlington Vermont. From the top there is a wonderful view of Lake Champlain with the Adirondacks in the distance. The other is in the Adirondacks. We know the Adirondacks are not in New England. And most New Englanders have never been there. They don’t know what they’re missing. The Adirondack Park is bigger than the state of Vermont. Mount Baxter is not far off the I-87 Northway. It’s a mere 45 minute hike. You are rewarded with a spectacular view of Keene Valley with New York’s highest peak, Mount Marcy surrounded by other High Peaks, in the distance. And in New York, when the hike is over, you can stop at a Stewart’s for ice cream. If there is such a thing as a convenience store good vibes it’s Stewart’s.
DeleteBorn in New England, guided hikes in the High Peaks. Everyone should experience a Stewart's root beer float at least once.
DeleteStewart’s. Yes. They’re also found in southern Vermont. Very convenient for leaf-peepers. Family owned. Always friendly local staff. Great ice cream. Yes, great root beer floats. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for under $2 (that’s t-w-o). Cheapest gas. Heads and shoulders above Cumberland Farms.
DeleteCome to Marblehead and Salem....it's already started getting busy pre-Halloween... so much to see history and beauty and FUN!
ReplyDeleteAs someone who grew up in Salem, I would advise that, unless you are an avid Holloween fan, you avoid Salem in October like the plague. Getting in-and-out of town, especially the last two weeks of the month, is a nightmare.
ReplyDeleteAgreed! It's already getting witchy.
DeleteI live in the next town over. I will put a post it on my dashboard on Labor Day weekend reminding me not to drive through Salem.
DeleteIf you are coming from NYC, you can take I-95 or the Merritt Parkway north to Norwalk, CT (only about an hour north of the city) and then get on Route 7. It's a lovely road that runs north all the way to the Canadian border and passes through or near many of the loveliest places in Western New England including the Litchfield Hills, the Berkshires, and the Green Mountains.
ReplyDeleteAnywhere you see a stand selling 'Apple Cider Donuts"...! Mt Washington Cog rail if you make it that far...
ReplyDeleteCamden, Rockport! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteAgree with Anonymous 6:04. Having visited, or lived in various New England states, VT is most beautiful with Northern VT best as fewer people and exceptionally beautiful. Adirondacks can be viewed from Shelburne VT and Shelburne Farm is lovely. Time changes, places change and Fall moves quickly, so figure plans now and make reservations. Do not too much, but consider variety accessible from one, or two locations; like boat cruise on Lake Champlain, Stowe, Fort Ticonderoga and places nearby, but avoid in any city.
ReplyDeleteGood to go to Fort Ticonderoga with the youngsters. Close by, crucial Revolutionary War locale and colorful stories about Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys many of whom were from Connecticut. The outcome might have been different if the defenders knew there was a war going on.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite places in New England are a bit far for you to travel. Growing up, my grandparents had a house in Christmas Cove Maine. Christmas Cove, Pemaquid and the surrounding areas have always been my favorite spot not just in New England, but in the US.
ReplyDeleteAgree with Anonymous 4:14 re Christmas Cove, Maine. It is a lovely place. I have a wonderful picture of a classic sailboat taken in Christmas Cove that I purchased years ago. A far destination, but worth the trip for an extended visit.
ReplyDelete