READ This before going to New England for the Fall Colors

When to see the fall colors in New England

The Fall Colors in this region peak around the first couple weeks of October, depending on weather, the leaves could fall off sooner than normal, so you will want to likely aim for first and second week and not risk missing them after then.

Where to see the Fall Colors in New England

There are many beautiful locations to see the Fall Colors, we recently visited New England and have compiled the must see stops for you!

New Hampshire (Franconia Notch)

This is the quintessential fall colors destination and rightly so! It has all the beautiful colors you dream of, and it’s right in the middle of the beautiful White Mountains. 

Highly recommend you go to Franconia Notch and here are some amazing hikes and stops you need to add to your bucket list:

• Franconia Airtram (first in North America) 
• Artists Bluff (Hike)
• Franconia Ridge Trail (Hike)
• Mount Lafayette (Hike)

Crawford Notch:

Another beautiful place is New Hampshire is right over the Mountains in Franconia Notch to Crawford Notch. Here you will find the amazing Mount Willard hike. The views here are breathtaking and beautiful!

Kancamanga Highway

“The Kanc” is a beautiful drive through the white mountains that actually connects Franconia and Crawford Notch.

This is a drive that will be filled with autumn wonder and has plenty of lookouts to see the beautiful blue haze coming over the pooping orange, red, and yellow colors of the trees. 

Vermont (Woodstock)

The beautiful Woodstock Vermont is that small town fall vibe you’ve been dreaming of. Park the car, and enjoy a lovely stroll through the streets of Woodstock. Grab a coffee at Mont Vert cafe, eat a delicious maple ice cream from the Woodstock Scoops.

Finish with a yummy dinner at Richardson’s Tavern

The perfect day in Woodstock Vermont!

Maine – Portland

Maine is absolutely beautiful this time of year, and is also so close by if you’re already doing places like Kancamanga Highway and Franconia Notch. Don’t miss out on the chance for delicious Lobster, beautiful port towns, and amazing lighthouse sunsets!

Here is a list of things to add to your itinerary when passing through Portland Maine:

• Portland Headlight (pictured above)
• Holy Donut
• Dinner @ Scales

Rhode Island (Newport)

Two words: Gilded. Mansions. 

These beautiful massive works of art are a must see when passing through Rhode Island. These extremely picturesque mansions travel you back in time, to a period of luxury, elegance, and craftsmanship. Open to the public for viewings, touring through the gilded mansions is an absolute must do! 

Our favorite was The Breakers.

What to pack for the New England Fall?

You will be doing some small hikes, with the potential for larger ones, so obviously some boots are recommended.

We always recommend the ones we use currently, which have done very well for us.

A backpack is worth considering for the longer hikes as well, so check these out if you don’t already have a nice hiking backpack.