8 Great Things to Do in New England This Fall Weekend

The leaves may be starting to turn, but autumn in New England is much more than where the foliage is peaking now. It’s freshly picked apples and cider donuts, harvest festivals, pumpkin-flavored treats, and the long-awaited return of sweater weather. To find the best of the best, forget using AI and instead rely on our team of editors, who collectively bring over a century of experience researching and writing about as well as photographing New England at its finest. Here, our editors (Jenn, Ian, Amy, Kim, Aimee, Heather, and Katrina) share their top seasonal outings from across the region.

So, if you are looking for things to do in New England this fall, look no further! There’s classic fall fun to unexpected new finds. Tip: bookmark this page, returning each week to discover new picks for Labor Day through the weekend of October 24–25. Then, keep scrolling to peruse all of our recommendations, many of which are worthwhile anytime this season.

September 25–27, 2026

Foliage Drive: Currier and Ives Scenic Byway | Henniker, Hopkinton, Warner, Webster, and Salisbury, NH

This 40-mile scenic route in the heart of central New Hampshire has all the small-town bingo card essentials: charming village centers, orchards for apple picking, covered bridges, rolling farmland, scenic hikes, and historic sites, including Daniel Webster’s birthplace and the Franklin Pierce Homestead. —Aimee Tucker, senior digital editor

Nature Experience: Northwoods Outfitters Moose Tour | Greenville, ME

The Moosehead Lake region supports some of the densest populations of moose in the country, and Northwoods is so confident of finding the gangly critters that it offers a money-back guarantee. —Ian Aldrich, executive editor

Festival: Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin’ Festival | Stowe, VT

It’s the ultimate game of fall one-upmanship. Held at Mayo Farm Events Field, the Pumpkin Chuckin’ Festival challenges kids and adults to build a better trebuchet: a modern version of the medieval catapult. Spectators watch pumpkins soar … and smash. But for competitors, this is a serious intellectual exercise. Low-cost entry and admission fees support local charities.

Orchard/Farmstand: Moulton Farm | Meredith, NH

If you’re leaf peeping in the New Hampshire Lakes region this fall, add Moulton Farms to your itinerary. More farmstore than farmstand, they’ve got it all: fresh produce and baked goods, prepared salads and entrées, local gourmet snacks and treats, and oodles of in-season decor, including pumpkins, mums, and sunflowers. I suggest grabbing a few Cider Bellies cider doughnuts and tackling the corn maze. This year’s theme honors America’s 250th birthday, and honestly, I prefer cider doughnuts to birthday cake any day. —Aimee Tucker, senior digital editor

Outdoor Adventure: Berkshire Balloons | Plainville, CT

Here’s a floating new perspective on those fleeting fall colors. Berkshire Balloons offers early-morning hot-air balloon flights, and once you’re up, up, and away, you’ll revel in above-the-treetops views spanning four states.

Food/Drink: Tree House Brewery | Deerfield, MA

Endless Adirondack chairs, room for the kids to run, tasty food truck pizza, and arguably the best hazy IPAs in the world make this a perfect foliage drive stop … or destination. (Additional locations include the Charlton headquarters, Tewksbury, Sandwich, and Boston, Massachusetts, and Woodstock, Connecticut.) —Aimee Tucker, senior digital editor

Family-Friendly Pick: Clark Farms Fall Fest | Matunuck, RI

Featuring a corn maze and over two miles of family-friendly trails, plus, on weekends, corn cannons, hayrides, a petting zoo, and so much more.

Hidden Gem: Gibbet Hill | Groton, MA

En route to the summit and its panoramic vistas, which are at their most resplendent with the fall colors, you’ll see the ruins of Bancroft’s Castle, a 1906 stone structure that’s been in its current state since Fourth of July fireworks set it aflame in 1932. —Kim Knox Beckius, travel editor

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September 18–20, 2026

Foliage Drive: Mount Greylock Auto Road | Lanesborough, MA

A breezy fall day is the best time to drive this gently meandering, eight-mile road to the summit of the highest peak in Massachusetts. Awaiting you there is the 92-foot-tall War Memorial Tower, which you can climb for views of five states, and Bascom Lodge. My most memorable drive up was a photographer’s dream, as paragliders swooped over the shadowy valleys below. —Kim Knox Beckius, travel editor

Nature Experience: Hawk Mountain | Waterford, ME

One thing I like about this hike is that you have these little bits where it’s steeper and then you get smooth level breaks. When we get to the top … so beautiful! I really want to spend more time here. —Amy Traverso, senior food editor

Festival: Johnny Appleseed Festival | Leominster, MA

John Chapman, known as Johnny Appleseed, was born in Leominster, Massachusetts. The town celebrates him with this annual festival featuring live music, food, kids’ games, and over 150 vendor booths.

Orchard/Farmstand: Lyman Orchards | Middlefield, CT

Only a handful of America’s family-owned businesses are older, but you’ll also find a day’s worth of 21st-century agritainment on this hilltop as two dozen pick-your-own apple varieties ripen. Lyman keeps families well fed, too, with picnic fare, soft-serve ice cream, indoor-outdoor seated dining, and the Apple Barrel’s produce, gourmet goods, cider, and legendary high-dome apple pies to take home.

Outdoor Adventure: East Bay Bike Path | Providence to Bristol, RI

The sights, sounds, and scents of Narragansett Bay accompany your walk or ride along this shoreside path from Providence’s India Point Park to Independence Park in Bristol. Possible stops include the Crescent Park Carousel in East Providence or the Audubon Center and Aquarium in Bristol along the way, one of the best New England rail trails.

Food/Drink: Kimball Farm Pumpkin Ice Cream | Locations in Westford, Lancaster, and Carlisle, MA, and Jaffrey, NH

It’s been decades since I spent my college summers scooping at Kimball Farms’ original Westford location, but I still crave their homemade pumpkin ice cream every fall. Try it! —Aimee Tucker, senior digital editor

Family-Friendly Pick: The Great Vermont Corn Maze | Danville, Vermont

Set on a third-generation dairy farm, the biggest corn maze in New England is a 24-acre mind-bender whose setup includes an underground tunnel and a 28-foot cabin cruiser parked amid the corn. On average, completing the maze—redesigned every year—takes nearly three hours, or take the official shortcut (less than an hour). —Ian Aldrich, executive editor

Hidden Gem: Local Used Booksellers | Henniker, NH

If you’re in the heart of central New Hampshire this fall, leave time for a stop in Henniker to browse Henniker Book Farm and the Old Number Six Book Depot—two magical used bookstores absolutely packed to the rafters with every kind of volume. —Aimee Tucker, senior digital editor

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September 11–13, 2026

Foliage Drive: Route 108 Through Smugglers’ Notch State Park | Stowe, VT

Did smugglers really use this route more than two centuries ago to secretly transport supplies to the Canadian-based British army? If not, they should have: it’s the most direct way through the northern Green Mountains. Today, the 18-mile stretch is a destination itself, a blacktop corkscrew with a 16 percent grade, chock-full of sharp turns and some of the prettiest foliage. —Ian Aldrich, executive editor

Nature Experience: Ponemah Bog Wildlife Sanctuary | Amherst, NH

The boardwalk trail through this unique bog-meets-pond ecosystem is such a cool alternative to a traditional fall nature hike, and it’s one of the earliest places to spot fall color. One caution: the wood is often slippery! —Aimee Tucker, senior digital editor

Festival: Norwalk Oyster Festival | Norwalk, CT

Oysters may be the headliners, but the festivities go far beyond shucking and slurping. Veteran’s Memorial Park will rock with live music, international foods, kids’ activities, a lumberjack show, and a juried arts and crafts show.

Orchard/Farmstand: Jaswell’s Farm | Smithfield, RI

Fourth-generation farmers, who inherited acreage their great-grandfather purchased in 1899, lead the way with their crisp, refreshing cider that is flash pasteurized before it’s sold on-site and in gourmet markets. It’s doubly apple-licious paired with their legendary, handcrafted candy apples.

Outdoor Adventure: 7 Seas Whale Watch | Gloucester, MA

The most exhilarating ocean safari I’ve ever been on was a September sailing with 7 Seas Whale Watch. Our captain knew where the whales were and was determined to show us these megafauna spouting, diving, rolling, and waving hello with their tails. Looking now at the photos I shot, I’m reminded of how amazing it is to witness these hulking mammals. —Kim Knox Beckius, travel editor

Food/Drink: Lobster Roll from Red’s Eats | Wiscasset, ME

With tail, claw, and knuckle meat from a plus or minus 1-pound lobster, this roll is bigger than most and may be had with mayo, warm butter, neither, or both. Is Red’s really worth the wait? You decide … while you still can (the stand closes in mid-October)!

Family-Friendly Pick: Conway Scenic Railroad | North Conway, NH

Even at age 16, my son’s favorite White Mountains attraction is still a ride on the Conway Scenic Railroad. Bonus: the seating in the observation car or the historic Gerturde Emma train car are favorites with the grandparents, meaning there’s three generations of fun to be had. —Katrina Farmer, associate editor

Hidden Gem: Schoodic Peninsula | Winter Harbor, Maine

On the Schoodic Peninsula, a quiet section of Acadia National Park, don’t miss Instagram-worthy Ravens Nest’s dramatic cliffs. Or head out for a short hike on the Anvil Trail to pretty ocean views. Our favorite: a blueberry and espresso soft serve twist at Me & Ben’s Dairy Creme, just a short drive from the park exit in Birch Harbor. —Heather Marcus, senior photo editor

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September 4–7, 2026 | Labor Day Holiday Weekend

Foliage Drive: Kancamagus Scenic Byway (Route 112) | Lincoln to Conway, NH

Of all the New England fall foliage drives, none is more well known (or mispronounced) than the Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire. Famous for its majestic scenic views, “The Kanc” offers 34 miles of breathtaking mountain and valley vistas, winding and curving along with no retail interruptions.

Nature Experience: Cut-Your-Own Flowers at The Farmer’s Daughter | South Kingstown, RI

On a beautiful South County property that looks like a shingled cottage colony devoted to gardening, wander the flower fields to pick your own bouquets of the most beautiful late summer and early fall blooms, like zinnias, cornflowers, snapdragons, scented geraniums, and, my favorite, dahlias. —Amy Traverso, senior food editor

Festival: Blue Hill Fair | Blue Hill, ME

This “down to earth” fair was the model for the one in E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, and to this day, a special tent holds all the animals from the book (which was written in nearby Brooklin). The rides, farm exhibits, and fair foods that Charlotte and Wilbur’s human friends enjoyed are here, along with sheepdog trials that draw competitors from all over. The fair is one of “75 Things Every New Englander Should Do.”

Orchard/Farmstand: Waitsfield Farmers’ Market | Waitsfield, VT

Kick off a tour around the Mad River Valley with this farmers’ market: held on the Mad River Green every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. from mid-May to mid-October, rain or shine. It’s one of the liveliest in all of New England, with local produce, cheese, maple products, brews, and live entertainment.

Outdoor Adventure: Mountain Coaster, Cranmore Mountain Adventure Park | North Conway, NH

Feel the flow as the coaster sweeps down the side of a ski area, through open meadow, and banks gently around young pine and birch trees from which leaves fall like confetti. The thrilling, gravity-powered ride is over quickly, but the smiles plastered on my family’s faces are long-lasting. —Katrina Farmer, associate editor

Food/Drink: Cider Donut French Toast, Clark Farms at Bushy Hill Orchard | Granby, CT

What’s even better than a cider donut to power you through a day of autumn activities? Cider Donut French Toast! The café at Clark Farms serves this decadent breakfast specialty (that I’ve never seen elsewhere), made with their own sliced and griddled fresh donuts and topped with maple whipped cream. —Kim Knox Beckius, travel editor

Family-Friendly Pick: King Richard’s Faire | Carver, MA

New England’s largest and longest-running Renaissance festival kicks off its 45th season this weekend, and you’ll have a realm of opportunities to visit on weekends and Monday holidays through October 25. Do go in costume … and do devour a giant turkey leg. —Kim Knox Beckius, travel editor

Hidden Gem: The Museum of Everyday Life | Glover, VT

Housed in a ramshackle shed in the Northeast Kingdom, this self-service, “revolutionary museum experiment” has a mission to offer an “heroic, slow-motion cataloging of the quotidian,” to celebrate the small things that make up the majority of our days. Read a philosophical contemplation of the toothbrush, take in an exhibit on the safety pin. After a turn through its rooms, I see my daily life with fresh eyes. —Amy Traverso, senior food editor

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