Fall Foliage Planning Tips | 2026

From rural beauty to striking color in city neighborhoods, New England—the six states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Isalnd, and Vermont in the northeastern corner of the United States—encompasses the best that autumn has to offer. When it comes to enjoying it all, a little preparation goes a long way. Fortunately, Yankee offers many tools for fall foliage planning.

While it may be too early for the official 2026 New England Fall Foliage Forecast (coming in August 2026!) and our weekly Where to See Fall Foliage This Weekend updates (starting in late September), it’s never too early to start planning for foliage season.

5 Fall Foliage Planning Tips

1. Sign up for our real-time updates. Starting in early September each year, we offer an exclusive six-week email newsletter that includes timely reports on where the color is the best as well as ideas on where to go and what to do at those destinations. Sign up now, so you are guaranteed to get the latest and greatest information.
2. Familiarize yourself with when the leaves peak and how the color moves across the region by exploring our Foliage Map. Understanding the historical patterns will help you plan the timing and locations of any travels.
3. Research ideas of what towns you’d like to visit, where to stay, and what to do. Get plenty of inspiration from the Yankee archives, which includes September/October issues from 2015 through 2025. These back issues, in a flip-book format, are easy to read online at your desktop computer, on your tablet, or with an e-reader. Even better, subscribe now to have the September/October 2026 issue in hand for late-summer planning and making on-the-go decisions while driving around the region.
4. Make reservations for lodging and popular activities such as train rides and driving to the top of Cadillac Mountain at Acadia National Park.
5. Order travel guides, nature guides, history books, novels set in New England, and additional reading and audio material to build your familiarity with the region’s culture—and to build your excitement for your upcoming travels!

Soon you will be driving under the arching branches of glowing yellow leaves, taking photos the singular maple tree with its bright red and orange leaves set against a bluebird sky, and discovering New England’s hidden treasures. Now the 2026 countdown is on for the fall foliage trip of your dreams!

Katrina Farmer

Katrina Farmer is Yankee's associate editor. She enjoys supporting the editorial team by researching story ideas, answering queries, copyediting online content, and writing short articles. It is her goal to visit (and have a memorable experience in) all 67 counties in New England; she has five to go.

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