6 New England Foliage Adventures Worth the Drive This Fall

By Kim Knox Beckius with Jim Salge

Long before I became Yankee’s travel editor, I produced some of the earliest web pages about autumn in New England and the joy it invariably brings me. For decades, I even sent pressed leaves out in the mail to readers who requested them. These days, there’s no shortage of fall-foliage info available at a click. But making the most of this season that flares and fades so quickly can still feel like a mystery.

That’s why Yankee foliage expert Jim Salge’s weekly leaf reports (newengland.com/foliage) should be your first stop before any outing this fall. And why I’m delighted Jim and I got to hop on the phone for some preseason planning. Listen in.

6 New England Foliage Adventures

New Hampshire

Jim’s initial recommendation caught me by surprise: Pittsburg. Not the city in Pennsylvania with the “h,” but the town of less than 900 in the northwest corner of his home state. The Great North Woods are likely a long drive from wherever you are, but those miles are worthwhile. Trees here have been under far less stress than in other areas of New England, and the region’s liquid assets—from reservoirs and streams to the four Connecticut Lakes—boost environmental health while photographing like a dream. Lake Francis State Park makes an ideal starting-out point. Expect peak color in late September.

Side Quest: We’re both keen to check out New Hampshire’s newest “glampground,” Under Canvas White Mountains. Note: Northeast residents save 20 percent when they book with the code LOCAL20 during this inaugural fall season.

Vermont

The foliage season is long lingering in Burlington, where boating opportunities on Lake Champlain provide 360-degree views deep into October. The city’s investment in public art guarantees you’ll see color in the form of massive murals, particularly along Pine Street and in the Church Street Marketplace area, but it’s tough to compete with Mother Nature as she swoops her brush across the Adirondack peaks on the lake’s opposing shore. My sights have been set on Harborvale since I first saw renderings of this freshly reimagined lake-life escape, where 40 guest rooms have full-wall windows framing this scene, and the eight-mile multiuse path that skirts the shoreline is steps away.

Side Quest: From Burlington, you’re an easy hour’s drive to Smugglers’ Notch, and while Jim admits this twisty route isn’t exactly a hidden attraction, you’d be remiss if you didn’t embark on “fall’s ultimate Vermont road-trip adventure.”

Maine

Maine’s western wilds are a hikers’ paradise, and Jim says this is where he’d be—away from the crowds—if he could take three days off from his job as a science teacher. Flagstaff Lake, just north of the Bigelow range, is alluring to him as a photographer. Dense deciduous forest stalks the shoreline, and gnarly “ghost trees,” drowned when this reservoir was created in 1950, add texture and visual interest. The nonprofit Maine Huts & Trails maintains shoreline paths; maps are available online.

Side Quest: I’ve managed to miss Portland’s signature culinary event, Harvest on the Harbor, for 18 years, so I’m circling the dates (October 15–17) and hoping you’ll be there, too, to savor all the local flavors. Bonus assignment: Do your civic duty and vote for Maine Lobster Chef of the Year.

Massachusetts

It’s an autumnal wonderland at Tree House Brewing Company’s Deerfield location, where Jim estimates there are 500 Adirondack chairs, and I trust his methodology. The beloved originator of King Julius and Fall Classic has rapidly expanded, even opening a beer garden at Boston’s Faneuil Hall back in May. But this outpost “is where I’m stopping,” Jim says. Earning your fresh pint isn’t mandatory, but there are popular Pioneer Valley overlooks to ascend nearby, including Mount Holyoke, Mount Sugarloaf, and Goat Peak.

Side Quest: Reach the Norman Rockwell Museum by October 26, or miss “American Stories: Revolution to Rockwell”—a landmark exhibition we may not see the likes of for another 250 years. So let’s all make a pact to swing through Stockbridge, where more than 200 works trace the nation’s story through artists’ eyes and lend historical depth to Rockwell’s idealized vision of American life.

Rhode Island

Lordy, lordy, look who’s … 300! Trinity Church has watched over Newport since 1726, and the congregation that gathers within this Georgian-style sanctuary traces its founding back to 1698. I’m not sure any community has a more righteous claim to celebrating America 250. The Trinity300 Committee invites everyone to do just that at America’s Birthday Barbecue, a free spread (donations appreciated) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on September 20. Church tours are available daily through the fall.

Side Quest: If you’ve stayed in Providence before a Patriots game, you may have bumped into … the opposing team! It’s quicker to drive to Gillette Stadium from PVD than from Boston, but consider staying put and joining fans at Rollers Sports Bar & Grill. You can bet I’ll be checking out the fare at this new hot spot from the James Beard–nominated team behind Pizza Marvin and Club Frills.

Connecticut

When Jim maps out leaf-peeping musts, the Litchfield Hills always make the list. But don’t sleep on Hartford … especially if you crave “coffee, coffee, coffee!” like Lorelai Gilmore. The new Hartford Coffee Trail runs on the Vibemap app, and you’ll earn points at nine independent roasteries and cafés. Cradle a cup on a walk through Bushnell Park’s arboretum of more than 400 leafy specimens, or warm up with one after a spin on the 1914 Bushnell Park Carousel. On October 3 and 4, Stars Hollow Saturday along nearby Pratt Street will be back and bigger than ever with a full weekend of Gilmore Girls–themed activities.

Side Quest: When the runway goes up in Putnam’s Rotary Park for the annual Zombie Fashion Show, you’re in for some frightful outfit inspo! Design your own undead look and register for a turn on the catwalk on October 2.

This feature was originally published as “Peak Experiences” in the September/October 2026 issue of Yankee.

Kim Knox Beckius

Kim Knox Beckius is Yankee's travel & branded content editor. A longtime freelance writer/photographer and Yankee contributing editor based in Connecticut, she has explored every corner of the region while writing six books on travel in the Northeast and contributing updates to New England guidebooks published by Fodor's, Frommer's, and Michelin. For more than 20 years, Kim served as New England Travel Expert for TripSavvy (formerly About.com). She is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and is frequently called on by the media to discuss New England travel and events. She is likely the only person who has hugged both Art Garfunkel and a baby moose.

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