Where to See Fall Foliage This Weekend | 2024

November 1-3, 2024

The lack of significant rainfall and drought conditions have definitely caught up with us in New England.

There’s been great color everywhere this year, but as quickly as it emerged, it faded. The leaves in southern and coastal New England raced through peak last week, and are falling quickly. Our weekly peak map simply couldn’t keep up. Even the oaks, which sometimes hold onto leaves well into November, are turning early now and dropping fast. There are only a few pockets of peak color left, and we expect the same for them, too.

The year started with incredible promise but serious swings in the weather made things, well, very complicated. The rain stopped in August and a cool early September kickstarted the colors everywhere. Then hot and dry weather browned out the early color. True peak followed, early, bright, and fast in late September and early October before cold, wind, and even early snow took things down in the north. And now, persistent dry weather is the final blow to a season of extremes in the southern parts of our region. 

Every week we highlight a location where visitors to our great region can find the best fall color. Our last pick is Boston, Massachusetts, where the manicured and irrigated downtown landscapes will be the last bastion of bright color.  

Where is the best fall foliage in New England this weekend?
Boston, Massachusetts

Every year for a few weeks in late fall, the downtown Boston landscape is a kaleidoscope of color.

Start your leaf-peeping tour of the city in the famed Boston Public Garden, where trees from all over the world turn in waves of fall color from mid-October to mid-November. The landscape is often set up for great photography with colorful trees in the foreground and tall skyscrapers behind them. The bridges, statues, and swan boats provide plenty of interest for a stroll, and you can extend your trip by visiting the adjacent Boston Common, too. 

After, it’s a short walk to the Charles River Esplanade, where hundreds of cherry trees lining the walkway turn a vibrant crimson against a backdrop of sailboats and city skyline. Also idyllic are the fall and Halloween decorations in many residential neighborhoods. Check out Charlestown, the North End, and especially Beacon Hill for peak Boston autumn charm. 

Traveling a bit further west, the arboretum at Mount Auburn Cemetery is holding onto color. If you catch them at peak, the Japanese Maples will be the weekend highlight, but the city skyline view is also not to be missed.

For more ideas, check out our post on Best Things to Do in Boston in the Fall.

This will be our final report for 2024 New England foliage season! Thanks for following along, and we’ll see you next August!  

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Other Spots to Leaf Peep This Weekend:
Newport, RI
Mystic, CT 
Chatham, MA

October 25-27, 2024

The peak fall foliage wave has moved outside northern New England entirely, and now southern New England is having a great show. Northern Connecticut was full of color last weekend, and it will hold this week as more of the state increases in vibrancy. Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts should also be bright, along with the Connecticut River Valley from the Long Island Sound through Massachusetts and up into southern New Hampshire and Vermont.

Some of the top outdoor picks in this week’s peak areas include the Holyoke Range in central Massachusetts and the Blue Hills outside of Boston, with one coming out of peak and one coming in. The “quiet corner” of Connecticut will be perfect for a foliage drive this weekend. 

Our location pick this week actually highlights the beauty of past-peak colors. The bright early maples may have fallen, but the oaks and beeches have quickly emerged along the coasts of Maine and New Hampshire. This has seamlessly transitioned to a gorgeous past-peak palate of yellows, rusty oranges, and deep maroons and merlots.  It doesn’t always happen this way, but it’s wonderful this year! Anywhere the forest is oak dominant you’ll find these colors this weekend, extending as far north as the lakes region of New Hampshire and over to Camden, Maine. Nicely centered in the late colors is York, Maine!    

Where is the best fall foliage in New England this weekend?
York, Maine

While York is most often thought of as a coastal summer town, its borders extend inland, with incredible trails along the coast through oak and beech woodlands, and even up a fairly rugged little mountain. Start your day at the iconic Nubble Light for sunrise, which is coming up now about as late as it does at any point in the year, although daylight savings will fix that next weekend.  

After some time by the ocean, stop for breakfast before heading inland to Mount Agamenticus. You can’t go wrong with Stonewall Kitchen, or Norma’s Kitchen, right on Rt.1 and right on the way. Mount Agamenticus has many options for exploration, including a summit auto road, and a wonderful network of trails. Don’t miss the ocean view from the top against a backdrop of beautiful foliage. While in the area, you can also visit the Center For Wildlife Visitor Center in Cape Neddick to see some animals and support their important work.  

In the afternoon, head back towards the coast and take a walk across the Wiggly Bridge to a beautiful nature walk along the tidal zone of the York River. For dinner, further up the York River on Rt. 1 is the York River Landing, which has great food, an impressive tap list, and abundant seating with river views.

The best part about traveling to this area after peak has past is that there are abundant summer hotels, many with cheaper off-season rates. There are also a few fine seaside resorts, including the Cliff House and Stage Neck Inn, which are worth exploring as options for a luxurious longer stay. 

Don’t let the past peak denotation on the foliage maps discourage your visit to the coasts this week…it will be well worth the viewing!  

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Other Spots to Leaf Peep This Weekend:
Alton, NH
Hadley, MA
Pomfret, CT

October 18-20, 2024

Where is the best fall foliage in New England this weekend?
Cornwall, Connecticut

The big weekend has come and gone, and the foliage focus now shifts to southern and coastal New England. It’s always nice to have the brightest leaves in the region right outside your window, especially after traveling north for the better part of a month now to assess the emerging colors. Most of the interior mountains will be past peak this coming weekend, and many will be snow-capped. But a drive up the Maine coast, around interior Massachusetts, and the beautiful rolling hills of Connecticut will yield bright peak colors for lingering leaf peepers.  

Peak color will have passed in the highest Berkshires, but the region overall looks good, with patches of peak color hanging on. The Pioneer Valley, towns around the Quabbin Reservoir, and the 495 corridor will all see bright colors now. It’d be a great weekend to visit anywhere in Massachusetts from the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls to Walden Pond in Concord. 

In Connecticut, the colors tend to start in the two corners of the state and spread towards the middle, and then south. We’re featuring the Litchfield Hills this week in the northwest corner, but the “Quiet Corner” in the northeast, around Woodstock and Pomfret will also see bright colors coming on, too. The colors in these areas should be bright and brief, much like the rest of the region this year. 

For those still leaf peeping in Northern New England, peak colors remain within a short distance of the major lakes and rivers, especially at the coast.  Burlington, Vermont, will peak soon, as will the towns around Lake Winnipesaukee and the Great Bay in New Hampshire. Acadia National Park and Camden, Maine, will peak this week but may move to just past by the weekend. All of these areas also have a lot of late-turning oak trees, which will turn brightly by the end of the month giving one more wave of color. Even in the past peak areas, young beech trees will give lingering color in the forest understory.  

What to Do in Cornwall, CT, in Fall 

Set in the Litchfield Hills region, Cornwall is a classic New England town surrounded by rolling countryside. Stately rows of sugar maple trees and old stone walls line quiet roads, and fields and barns intermix among the forested hillsides. Thin fog and frost are possibilities in the mornings this week, and a high perch will yield spectacular atmospheric scenes of warm light and peak foliage.  

Start your day at the Cornwall Market for coffee and breakfast sandwiches, and pack up some of their chocolate to go! From there, get ready for a hike, with miles of the Appalachian Trail nearby, or try to reach some of the views in the popular Mohawk Mountain State Forest, which offers breathtaking foliage scenes from the Pinnacle.  For quieter trails, the Wyantenock State Forest south of town is great for biking, horseback riding and trail running! There are also riverside hikes in the nearby Housatonic Meadows State Park, where camping is also available!  

Drives from Cornwall can take you in many directions for great foliage viewing. You could head southwest towards Kent, or southeast towards Litchfield, both of which have been featured here in recent years. Or you could drive a big loop around all three points. We highlighted one other longer loop to the northwest in our city-based drives article, the “Lakes and Dams Loop” with so many views over water, or places to stop and paddle. Either way, there’s lots to see and do.  

As we are in peak season in Connecticut, many people will be stopping at farm stands, corn mazes, and pumpkin patches all over the area. Some great places along the way include Angevine Farm, Ridgeway Farm, and Bunnell Farm. And then, back in town, you can find dinner along the Housatonic River at either RSVP or the Pink House.  

Colors should be peaking all week, and should be brief and bright!  You don’t want to miss the opportunity!

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Other Spots to Leaf Peep This Weekend:
Shelburne Falls, MA
Camden, ME
Alton, NH  

October 11-13, 2024

Where is the best fall foliage in New England this weekend?
Woodstock, Vermont

The wonderful thing about New England is that the region always has peak colors from late September until early November. And it often feels like peak-hits-peak during the big three-day weekend in October. 

It will be the case this year, though the colors have shifted a bit south of where they usually are. Much of the far north has already peaked and is starting to fade. The highest elevations of the White and Green Mountains and mountains of western Maine are also past peak, with colors rapidly descending the slopes. Past peak color doesn’t mean no color, but the brightest hues have moved on.

For this weekend, you’ll have great viewing across much of the rest of northern New England, including the Berkshires of Massachusetts. Even the coastline will see some advancing color. Some trees have browned, but much of this year’s color has been bright, and the trend will continue further south. You can read more about this weekend’s forecast here: 2024 New England Fall Foliage Update | Surprises, Bright Spots, and Where to Go This Weekend.

One place we think will be exceptionally well-positioned for some great foliage is Woodstock, Vermont.

What to Do in Woodstock, VT, in Fall

If you want the quintessential New England small town experience, with great food, shopping, and lodging, there are few better places to visit than Woodstock, Vermont. And if you throw in ample access to great hiking, biking, and outdoor attractions, you’ve got all the makings of an amazing fall weekend.

Start the day at the Mon Vert Cafe right down town, or take the short drive over to the Skinny Pancake east of the village. After fueling up, the perhaps a hike up Mount Tom, or down to the river in the dramatic Queechee Gorge. There is an extensive trail network at the Marsh Billings Rockefeller National Historic Park as well, all graded well for horses too. One of the most unique attractions in the area is the Vermont Institute of Natural Sciences Nature Center, with a canopy walk that can’t be beat in autumn.

For a drive, try the backroads of neighboring Pomfret and Barnard will bring you over rolling hills alternating between farms and forests. A longer drive to the west will bring you to the spine of the Green Mountains, the Appalachian Trail, and Killington’s famous adventure center. And you’ll pass the famous Long Trail Brewery on the way back to town right on Rt. 4.

Back near town, you can’t do a fall Vermont weekend without apples, cheese and maple syrup, and you can’t beat Whitman Brook Orchard and Sugarbush Farm, just a mile from each other to check those boxes. Dinner options abound in Woodstock, and you might try The Prince and the Pauper, or Malaza Bistro, both downtown. Or you could dine at Richardson’s Tavern inside the famous Woodstock Inn.

The colors in the area will be peaking this weekend, and the town certainly sees a bit of traffic, but the walkable downtown, and wide range of area attractions absolutely still make it our top weekend choice.

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Other Spots to Leaf Peep This Weekend:
Conway, NH
Naples, ME 
North Adams, MA

October 4-6, 2024

Where is the best fall foliage in New England this weekend?
Bethel, Maine

It looks amazing across the northern tier of New England this week, and the show is just starting! Bold, bright reds were the highlight of last weekend across Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, the Great North Woods of New Hampshire, and the northern mountains of western Maine. The colors weren’t quite peak last weekend but will be this weekend. And it’ll only expand from there!

To know how fast the rest of northern New England will change, we have to look at temperatures, especially overnight. We consistently see temperatures drop into the upper 40s and lower 50s at night, and morning fog has been a regular sight, but it hasn’t gotten truly cold yet, and may not until next week. As such, we aren’t predicting a huge expansion of color across the area quite yet. But you’ll see nice turning to moderate color all across the higher elevations of the Green and White Mountains and the highlands in the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire. Things will slowly get started in the Berkshires, too.

Western Maine’s highlands are looking especially colorful right now, which is why we’ve highlighted them, and the town of Bethel, this week.

Another important question to ask this week and beyond is how long will the colors last on the trees. Fortunately, we finally got some widespread rainfall last week, and that should add some resiliency to the forests. Typically dry weather and drought make for a short period of peak, so we’ll watch the northern forests carefully now that they are truly ablaze with color. It’s worth noting that some of the earliest autumn hues that emerged all across New England in mid-September have browned and fallen with the heat and dry weather, but there’s plenty more green to turn. We can call that the pre-show this year.

In summary, this is definitely the best weekend for the most northern tier of New England leaf peeping, and the other key areas that always turn first. And there is much more peak color to come!

What to Do in Bethel, ME, in Fall

More than just a ski town, Bethel is a charming village with central access to limitless year-round outdoor recreation. It has a quintessential New England feel, with cozy inns, local shops, cafes, and restaurants. But Bethel is also centrally located on great fall foliage driving routes, making it an ideal hub for leaf-peeping this weekend.

You’ll find many downtown breakfast options before setting out, like Cafe DiCocoa, Gemini Cafe, and the Local Hub, all with rave coffee reviews. From there, head up to Route 26 through Grafton Notch for some of the most dramatic mountains and waterfalls in western Maine. Don’t miss the dramatic roadside Screw Auger Falls or the rapids through Step Falls preserve. For a moderate hike, try Table Rock, which is different from the one in Dixville Notch, but just as dramatic. If you want to keep driving, you could loop with Route 16 back down through the thirteen mile woods in New Hampshire, or a longer loop all the way up and around the beautiful Rangeley Lakes.

Once back, try biking on the Bethel Village Trails, or take a scenic lift ride up Sunday River resort just up the road. Or visit the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum, showcasing the area’s rich mining history. For happy hour, there are several fantastic breweries in the area, including Steam Mill Brewing and Sunday River Brewing Company. And dinner, you can’t beat Butcher Burger! Bethel was hit hard by flooding last December, and all the local businesses definitely appreciate this second busiest season before winter.

Heading out of town at the end of your stay, taking the wild trek through Evans Notch can’t be beat, though foliage will be a bit early there.

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Other Spots to Leaf Peep This Weekend:
Burke, VT
Lincoln, NH
Allagash, ME

September 24-27, 2024

Where is the best fall foliage in New England this weekend?
Littleton, New Hampshire

The emergence of the fall foliage continues to be a complex situation this year. Cooler air and the ongoing dry spell led to an astounding amount of bright color across New England leading up to our September forecast update, and this past weekend, we saw areas in the north and higher elevations progress through moderate color towards peak. These areas are isolated, but well-known, and should expand in the run-up to this weekend.

We also saw some of that early color across the rest of New England really struggle to hold on against the recent hot and persistently dry weather. After our last update, nine days in a row saw temps in the 80s, and with low humidity, strong sunshine, and lack of rain, some of the early bright colors browned and are on the ground. However, there is still plenty of green and turning trees to go, and the next round of color should start the real wave of fall foliage. 

This weekend we should see the first peak colors in northern Vermont, higher elevations of northern New Hampshire, and western and northern Maine. However, moderate color will likely predominate the typical White and Green Mountains foliage regions, with low to moderate color across the rest of the region.  This will include our foliage pick of the week, Littleton, NH, which we chose because it is central to areas with peak color. 

There will be some pops of bright color everywhere in New England, though – a sign of things to come. And now that seasonably cool weather is again in the forecast, it should only continue! 

What to Do in Littleton, NH, in Fall

Littleton, New Hampshire, is a charming classic New England mountain town. It has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, both as a tourism destination and a place to call home. The downtown has been revitalized with shops and restaurants and is surrounded by a wealth of recreational opportunities.  

Start your day at the Crumb Bum Bakery downtown for great sandwiches and coffee, or make the pilgrimage to Polly’s Pancake Parlor in nearby Sugar Hill, but expect a long and worthwhile wait for the latter. From there, peak color will generally be north. You could head towards the Northeast Kingdom through Willoughby Gap or Newport for great foliage over lake views, or ride the Kingdom Trails near Burke. Alternatively, you could head to Dixville Notch and hike Table Rock for a view that has found substantial Instagram fame.  

Back in town, make sure you stop by Chutters and experience the world’s longest candy counter, and for a unique shopping and art experience, don’t miss Shaun Terhune’s stunning gallery just a few doors down. For dinner, there are many great restaurants in town like the Beal House and Freehouse Taproom, but you can’t miss a traditional brew and pretzel at Schilling Brewery next to the covered bridge. Alternately, the Wildbloom Beer taproom is bright and welcoming, and they often host great food trucks on site. For lodging, the historic Thayers Inn offers a convenient downtown experience.  

Fall colors south of Littleton will also be coming on strong, but nearby Franconia and Crawford Notches won’t be quite as bright yet. 

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Other Spots to Leaf Peep This Weekend:

Newport, VT
Colebrook, NH
Rangeley, ME

More New England Fall Foliage:

10 Places to Visit in New England in Fall

These New England destinations offer a terrific way to kick off a weekend of autumn fun.

Favorite Fall Foliage Drives in New England

Use these driving directions to find the best laid-back foliage drives in our region.

Best Corn Mazes in New England

From Maine to Rhode Island, we round up the top corn mazes — both fun and devilishly difficult.

5 Best Pumpkin Festivals in New England

Love pumpkins? These are the dates to mark on your calendar for prime festival fun.

Best Apple Orchards in New England

Yankee senior food editor Amy Traverso shares her picks for where to find delicious apples this autumn.

Fall Foliage Train Tours

Spend more time looking out the window this autumn! These train trips are a creative alternative to foliage drives.

12 New England Fairs to Visit This Fall

With their giant pumpkins, livestock exhibits, and deep-fried whoopie pies, these New England fairs deserve a spot on your autumn adventures list.