The 25 Best Foliage Towns in New England

Fall in New England is more than just beautiful leaves. It encompasses a variety of experiences, from apple picking and browsing farmers’ markets to visiting unique shops and, of course, sampling great food. We’ve broken down the foliage experience into 14 categories and given each town a score in every one of them. Using hard data, opinion, and lots of travel time, here are our rankings for the best foliage towns in New England. Let the debates begin …

This feature was first published in 2010 and has been fact-checked and updated.

The 25 Best Foliage Towns in New England (and Thus the World!)

The 25 Best Foliage Towns in New England | The Best

Kent, Connecticut

In northwestern Connecticut, Kent delivers a quintessential New England foliage experience, where the Litchfield Hills glow in crimson and gold and reflect along the winding Housatonic River. Beyond the scenery, the town blends natural beauty with a surprising arts scene, from galleries and sculpture-filled greens to nearby hiking trails and waterfalls.
Don’t miss: Kent Falls, an easy-access cascade featuring wooden stairs studded with viewing platforms and a wide grassy field at the bottom that draws dozens of locals and tourists on fall weekends to picnic and socialize.

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Bethel, Maine

Maine’s mountain gem boasts scenic drives through Evans Notch and a covered-bridge driving tour of the area. On fall weekends, Sunday River Ski Resort’s “chondola” in nearby Newry whisks visitors 1,000 feet up North Peak to the ultimate picnic ground.
Don’t miss: Bethel’s townwide Annual Harvest Fest & Apple Pie Contest, where local bakers compete for bragging rights.

Manchester, Vermont

The second-highest peak in southern Vermont, Equinox Mountain offers unbroken views stretching miles to the surrounding ranges—a painter’s palette of gold and crimson by the first week of October. The town hosts an annual Southern Vermont Art & Craft Festival, which draws artisans from around the Green Mountains.
Don’t miss: Northshire Bookstore, the independent bookshop/café you might have created in your dreams.

Williamstown, Massachusetts

The ultimate college town, sheltered in the arms of Massachusetts’ highest mountain (Mount Greylock, in nearby Adams), Williamstown’s mix of eclectic architecture and inviting quads can’t help but inspire lofty thoughts. The drive up Mount Greylock affords dizzying views of the Berkshires and the Taconic Range, but the favorite hike for Williams College students is the two-mile pitch up to Pine Cobble, a quartzite outcropping with a panoramic view of “the Purple Valley” and church spires below.
Don’t miss: the stunning Impressionist collections at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute.

Middlebury, Vermont

The 16-mile “Trail Around Middlebury” provides an ideal walking route where families can soak in the atmosphere of this vibrant college town. Here the fall foliage harmonizes with the brick architecture and the roaring falls of Otter Creek, with eclectic shopping and restaurants along the way.
Don’t miss: the A&W Drive-In, where frosty root beers and fried onion rings from one of New England’s last car-hop restaurants perfectly complement the crisp fall air.

Camden, Maine

The view from the forested slopes of Mount Battie straight down to the forest of masts in Camden Harbor is one of the most dramatic in New England—and never more beautiful than in fall. For a closer look at the trees, hike nearby Mount Megunticook or Bald Rock Mountain.
Don’t miss: A homey and cheerful meal at Franny’s Bistro.

Waitsfield, Vermont

Iconic barns and hillside farmlands carpet this narrow valley between Green Mountain ranges, reflected in the rushing currents of the Mad River. The town has two covered bridges, including the Great Eddy (a.k.a. Big Eddy), the second-oldest operating covered bridge in the state. Saturday mornings bring local residents out for fresh produce, crafts, and music at the weekly Waitsfield Farmers’ Market on the Green.
Don’t miss: the gourmet pizzas at American Flatbread.

Conway/North Conway, New Hampshire

There may be no better way to see foliage than by train; the Conway Scenic Railroad is just the ticket, wending its way through White Mountain clefts and over trestles lit by the colors of fall. Restaurants and outlet shopping ensure that you won’t sacrifice comfort for beauty.
Don’t miss: the hike to Diana’s Baths (off West Side Road on the Bartlett town line), a chain of waterfalls and swimming holes enveloped in foliage.

Sandwich, New Hampshire

Sandwiched between the loon-rich shores of Squam Lake and the forested foothills of the White Mountains, the village offers plenty of hiking trails, driving routes, a covered bridge, and an inviting downtown.
Don’t miss: the 100-year-old Sandwich Fair, with midway rides, livestock competitions, and more.

Rangeley, Maine

The lakes of Maine’s western mountains hold up a succession of mirrors to some of the state’s best fall foliage. The must-stop viewpoint in the area is at a small turnout on Route 17, aptly named Height of Land, from which a panorama of five lakes and countless forested mountains stretches in all directions.
Don’t miss: the annual Logging Museum Apple Festival, where visitors can press their own cider while watching artisans “whittle” away with chainsaws.

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Blue Hill, Maine

Maine’s blueberry barrens light up red in a display of foliage every bit as gorgeous as anything on the trees. Pick up picnic supplies at a local organic farmstand and admire the reflection of the trees along with the buoys bobbing in the surf.
Don’t miss: the annual Blue Hill Fair, a classic country fair with exhibits, livestock, rides, concessions, and more.

Woodstock, Vermont

Dairy farms and art galleries share equal space here: a sophisticated crossroads and Vermont’s quintessential small town. Billings Farm & Museum features wagon rides, food-themed events all season (and year-round), and Jersey cows. With an addictive Main Street for browsing, you’ve got all the ingredients for fall.
Don’t miss: The Prince & The Pauper restaurant, where rustic décor meets a regal menu.

Waterville Valley, New Hampshire

Feng shui doesn’t get any better than the U-shaped mountain range that cradles Waterville Valley; the area is particularly memorable in fall, when the slopes light up in a rainbow of colors, dominated by the steep rises of Tripyramid and Osceola. Ample hiking trails invite outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy the slopes.
Don’t miss: Coyote Grill, where stunning views are served up alongside inventive American cuisine.

Amherst, Massachusetts

Local poet Emily Dickinson knew how to appreciate the subtle beauty of nature—from a certain slant of light to the changing shades of a sugar maple. Now her family homestead is one of the many cultural attractions that come alive each fall when the students return to picturesque Amherst College. The highlight of the season is the annual Fall Foliage Walk from the town common, across campus, and along the tree-lined ridge of the Norwottuck Rail Trail. Don’t miss: the whimsical illustrations and paintings at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.

Grafton, Vermont

Many of the buildings on Grafton’s main street are owned by the Windham Foundation, a private organization that has painstakingly restored its properties into a classic vision of small-town life. The village is particularly charming during fall, when the golden leaves from the towering oaks spread out in a carpet along the path behind the historic Grafton Inn.

Don’t miss: The viewing room at Grafton Village Cheese, one of Vermont’s best cheddar producers.

East Haddam, Connecticut

Water and leaves perform a charming pas de deux here every autumn, from the picturesque reflections in the Connecticut River to the brilliant counterpoint of the cascading brooks and waterfalls of Devil’s Hopyard State Park.

Don’t miss: the medieval whimsy of Gillette Castle, created by an eccentric actor, who also laid hiking trails through tunnels and over stone bridges on the surrounding estate.

Walpole, New Hampshire

When filmmaker Ken Burns went looking for a home, he landed here, a beautiful village with a town green bordered by 19th-century homes and churches, with farms, orchards, and the Connecticut River for close company.

Don’t miss: Alyson’s Orchard. It’s simply one of the best orchards in the country, with a heart-stopping view. Leave room for a stop at L. A. Burdick for world-famous chocolate and exceptional dining.

The Cornwalls, Connecticut

Quieter than Kent, its Litchfield Hills neighbors are latticed with picturesque driving routes through Mohawk State Forest. Take in the view from Cunningham Tower, picnic at Housatonic Meadows State Park in nearby Sharon, or just admire the astounding length of the brick-red West Cornwall Bridge.

Don’t miss: a foliage canoe trip along the Housatonic with Clarke Outdoors.

Litchfield, Connecticut

Litchfield’s flawless, tree-studded town green may just be one of the best picnic spots in the world. It’s surrounded by a profusion of Colonial-era architecture as well as upscale boutiques catering to daytrippers up from the city.

Don’t miss: the town’s half-dozen specialty and organic farmstands—especially the PYOP (pick-your-own-pumpkin) hayrides at Bunnell Farm.

Jackson, New Hampshire

You enter the village through a covered bridge, and once there you may well feel as if there’s no reason to leave. Blanketed by White Mountain National Forest, with hiking paths heading off in all directions, Jackson is the jewel of the Whites. Long known as summer-resort havens, Jackson’s inns are now filled by Nordic skiers throughout the winter. But the region never sparkles more than it does in fall.

Don’t miss: the Jackson Scenic Loop (off Route 16B). Follow the signs from 16B by bike, on foot, or by car, for five miles of stunning mountain scenery.

Jeffersonville, Vermont

The curving climb up through Smugglers’ Notch and alongside the cliffs of Mount Mansfield is one of the best scenic drives in all of New England— and the more so since it ends up in the pretty village of Jeffersonville. It combines views of Smugglers’ Notch Resort, south of town, with plenty of amenities and a cute downtown area filled with galleries and antique shops catering to foliage seekers.

Don’t miss: Bryan Memorial Gallery, Vermont’s primary showcase for landscape art.

Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts

Take an abandoned trolley bridge, plant it with blooming greenery, and voilà! You create a town icon and tourist attraction. But the Bridge of Flowers is just the beginning of the appeal of this stranded-in-time turnoff from the Mohawk Trail, now a haven for artisans, who sell their wares in studios by the falls of the Deerfield River.

Don’t miss: High Ledges Wildlife Sanctuary, a four-mile trail network and scenic picnic area east of town, overlooking the valley.

Montgomery, Vermont

Way up north, not all that far from the Quebec border, Montgomery is a covered-bridge-lover’s paradise, with no fewer than seven within a few miles of the village. This majestic yet remote location keeps most leaf- peepers far away.

Don’t miss: A one-of-a-kind pampering experience at the Vermont Salt Cave Spa & Halotherapy Center.

Stowe, Vermont

It’s hardly off the beaten track, but then again, there are ample reasons why the bus tours head to Stowe come fall: its Old World town center, its inviting mix of shops and restaurants, its walking and hiking trails heading off in all directions.

Don’t miss: Oktoberfest, a lively, authentic Bavarian celebration of foliage, the harvest, sausage, traditional music, and beer—not necessarily in that order, of course.

Hanover, New Hampshire

There’s a reason one of the country’s most famous outing clubs is here, home of Dartmouth College: the lush landscape. If the Connecticut River, the Appalachian Trail, and the nearby mountains don’t put a kick in your step, nothing will. Or, if you just want to relax close to home base, you can easily spend a day in the soft sunlight, people-watching on the college green.

Don’t miss: the Ledyard Canoe Club. Rent a canoe or a kayak from the nation’s oldest boating club, then paddle along the riverbank, soaking up color while discovering why college kids skip their classes to come here.

How We Picked the 25 Best Foliage Towns in New England

Of course, picking the ultimate foliage destination is a subjective experience—and there are as many favorite spots for leaf-peeping as there are residents in New England. In picking the best, we decided to focus on the total foliage “experience”—not just the prettiest leaves.

We began by soliciting nominations from a wide variety of tourism professionals, as well as Yankee’s own writers and editors. Once we had a working list of contenders, we then rated them according to 14 categories: color intensity, scenery, vistas, nearby water, scenic drives, hikes, culture, farmers’ markets and farm- stands, orchards, covered bridges, state or local parks, the quality and variety of shops to browse, tourism amenities such as hotels and restaurants, and a category we call “uncrowded”—giving a boost to those out-of-the-way locations outside the tour-bus scrum.

In every category, we gave each town a score of 0 to 5. Criteria for evaluating some categories were objective. For covered bridges and orchards, for example, our score reflects whether a town is blessed with one or more (high score, 5) or whether they’re within a short drive, all the way down to 0. Other categories, such as scenery and nearby water, were ranked more subjectively. When we totaled the numbers, however, the cream quickly rose to the top—giving us the 25 towns listed here.

Where are your picks for the best foliage towns in New England? Let us know!

This feature was first published in the September/October 2010 issue of Yankee and has been fact-checked and updated.

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