New England States

[kenny_j]

My wife and I are both retired now, and are planning a trip from SE Michigan, across southern Ontario and into the North East. I have been in every state in the union at one time or another, except those in the north east. We are planning around Oct. 1st, to enjoy the colors and do some photography. Any must see spots or areas, or other diversions. A few touristy places maybe, but I prefer the out of the way and the uncrowded. Plan on going into Maine. Debbie is at the book store now in hopes of finding a good travel book of the area. Whats your favorite area from NY to Maine?
Also is that a busy time of year tourist and traffic wise? Is that the best time to catch peak color?

[FILMNET]

Maine is a must, October the middle weeks are the first discounts for hotels, if you like seafood. The lobster are cheap and are the best that month.If you like Art the best museum for art in Maine is the Farnsworth here is One of the finest regional art museums has expanded its collections. Major exhibitors include N.C. Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth and Jamie Wyeth. Several new ...

[Farmette]

Did that trip last yr at that time. But started in WI, across to Plymouth and Cape Cod, up to Boston, then Maine for a lobster dinner by the sea, across to New Hampshire, then Vermont and then back. Most wonderful trip, but it was crowded at that time of yr., even many of the back roads, because everyone is out for color even during the week. But, it was well worth it. We stayed at some very nice B&B's. New Hampshire was beautiful ...the Kancamagus Highway. And Vermont with the contrast of colors to the green pastures....we will definitely do that trip again. We have beautiful fall colors Up North in northern WI, but this was breathtakingly beautiful.

[kenny_j]

Farmette, did you make reservations ahead of time for the B&Bs? I hate having to plan in advance on where to stay. Love to follow my nose on any trip and stay longest at the place I like the best. Deciding if we want to haul a trailer or not.

[Father'sDaughter]

Avoid the White Mountains area around Columbus Day Weekend. You'll find crowded roads no matter how far off the beaten path you go. A lot of tour companies will run foliage tours during October which means bus loads of mostly retirees pouring into hotels and restaurants, so you would be wise to book rooms in advance as much as you can.

The color comes a bit later to western MA so it might be less crowded than the mountains of NH in early October. There's plenty to see and do in the Berkshires--a google search should turn up something that appeals to you.

If you make it to Boston, there are tons of historic sights and museums. Concord MA is a good stopping point as well if you want to visit some of the early Revolutionary War sights and Minuteman National Park. And maybe a fall walk around nearby Walden Pond which returns to it's peaceful state after the summer swimming crowds are gone.

A drive along route 100 in Vermont will take you through a lot of small towns and villages with shops and restaurants, along with some scenic spots in the Green Mountains. It runs from the MA border all the way up near the Canadian border.

The Adirondacks and Catskills in upstate NY are also worth a trip if you're looking for natural scenery. Hotels are a bit scarce in some parts of the Adirondacks, but there are many lodging choices in Lake Placid and Lake George. There are a few museums in the Adirondacks, and while I have yet to make it there, I've heard Fort Ticondiroga is worth seeing.

Others have already mentioned coastal Maine, but there are some Beautiful spots in Western ME around the Rangely lakes are.

I guess you really can't go wrong no matter where you go in New England! And the states aren't that big so you can cover a lot of ground fairly easily.

[kenny_j]

Father's D, thnx, that's the kind of info I am looking for. We do plan on boston and the Maine shoreline. The books Debbie bought don't cover NY, but I have read lots about upper NY all of my life, so we will check that out too. Everyone, keep the ideas coming if you know this area.

[Farmette]

Originally Posted by kenny_j

Farmette, did you make reservations ahead of time for the B&Bs? I hate having to plan in advance on where to stay. Love to follow my nose on any trip and stay longest at the place I like the best. Deciding if we want to haul a trailer or not.

Believe it or not, we made reservations around this time. The only problem was in Vermont where we wanted to stay at a very popular place, we were only able to get 1 night. In New Hampshire, we stayed in New Conway for a couple of nights starting on a Saturday of Columbus Weekend . We drove parts of the Kancamagus Highway, which is part of the White Mountains, and got some tips from the innkeepers on ways to deal with the crowds. There were some times, however, that rather than wait for a parking spot in a scenic overlook, we drove past. And if there are special activities that you are interested in, like the cog railway, book it before you get there or right when you arrive.
The worst traffic we ran into was leaving Boston, heading north eventually to Maine. We got off the highway and took the scenic road along the ocean through many little towns...it reminded me of driving up in Door County here in WI.
It was an amazing trip, sometimes I wished I didn't have to share my trip with other people, but I realized that we all were there for the same thing...the colors. You can find the unbeaten path, we found some great dirt road paths. We were in Vermont right after the hurricane and flood and saw the devastation. The picnic lunch, complete with champagne, that we planned to share at a scenic wayside ended up being on the trunk of our car as all the picnic tables had washed away and all that was left was sparse muddy grass. I'm sure some people canceled their trips, but most did not and we were rewarded. Things were getting back to normal at a much quicker rate than we had expected.
I agree with FAther's D that there are many scenic spots to visit..you'll not be disappointed. And also that route 100 in Vermont is worthy of a look. The little towns are charming...we bought excellent sandwiches at the country store in Warren, Vt. and hiked up part of the Long Trail for an amazing view. Our innkeeper recommended the hike as being a low difficulty level; she either has a devilish sense of humor or thought we were in much better shape than we are. A great trip!

[kenny_j]

What about further north as the mountains extend into Maine, is that as scenic, and less crowded? For me this will be a photographic journey, so several days shooting along the sea side villages of Maine is a must, as well as in the mountains. The best pictures for me are fall colors around farmsteads, with buildings or even just a fence incorporated into the pic. And fishing villages, with water and boats and... endless possibilities. I am starting to get geeked about this trip.

[Farmette]

You could plan your trip so that you traversed southern Ontario to Maine as you said in your original post and on the return come back through a more southerly route through northern New Hampshire and Vermont continuing south or vice versa. Route 100 in VT was not crowded, actually somewhat sleepy and bucolic. At some point we crossed over to route 7 as we wanted to visit Shaftsbury and Bennington as my husband's ancestors were original settlers there.
I cannot speak to northern Maine regarding that time of yr, as we were just on the coast in that state and the southern area. I would imagine it too is beautiful.

[FILMNET]

Mt Desert island Maine is a must, but a long drive on the coast, we went to the Farnsworth museum 8 years ago, in Rockport Maine, and then to the house he painted in Olson house, I see that the Museum sold the property to the Met Museum in NY. It was a great drive leaving Rt 1 to the coast very old towns the house is remarkable i did post pictures here of the house. In upstairs rooms have pictures of there painting they painted in these rooms looking outside unbelievable day well worth the trip by far. i will post pictures here tomorrow, here it the website
http://farnsworthmuseum.org/olson-house

[carolyn137]

My home is off a road that deadends in VT and if one could get over Egg MT, you'd slide down to Manchester, VT/

Trust me when I say that when I go up the road and turn around in VT that the trees are the same, just a concrete obelisk to indicate where NYS ends and Vt starts.

There are a heck of a lot less leaf peepers here in NYS, many bucolic villages, nice places to stay, and I think cheaper than VT which has been the designated go to place for Fall Foliage due to their extensive PR/

I'm one hour from Lake George, a bit more to Ticonderoga, 1 hr from Saratoga Springs, etc. And closer to Shaftsbuy and Bennington, VT as well.

I've also visited Maine several times since a college classmate used to work at the Jackson Labs on Mt Desert ISland, but not in the Fall/

Kenny, you're more than welcome if you're in the area to stop by for a visit, no room to offer o/n accomodations but The Bunker Hill Inn is where Craig ( nctomatoman) and his wife Sue stayed when they hand delivered my plants from Ralrigh last year, and they loved the place and there are pictures Craig took that are part of the thread..... We Finally Meet.

And I think it was two years ago now that Mike Dunton, owner of Victory Seeds stopped by with his wife and 2 of his children on their way back from Fort Ticonderoga. Mike was in Eastern NYS for a conference and loves history so turned the rest of their trip to various Forts and other historical places.

And my invitation to stop by for a visit extends to any Tvillians who are in the area/

[tjg911]

in ct the northwest corner (litchfield county) is very beautiful and very colonial. it's hard to say when the peak is. i have lived here my entire life and i've seen it past peak on 10/14 and peak 10/21. typically 10/14 is peak in nw ct. any time you come to new england from late september to 3rd week in october, you'll find great foliage somewhere tho that will range from northern to southern new england. many years ct was far better than vermont so it varies from area to area from year to year.

tom

[kenny_j]

Mt. Desert Island is one of the places Deb really wants to see, thats probably as far up Maines coast as we will go. We will probably spend at least a couple days in Maine. Really just starting to put together a plan and you all have helped. We're afraid not to make reservations, but I hate that 'cause your stuck with those descisions made from afar. I might get to the coast of maine and wish I could sped 4 days instead of 2.
I have wanted to visit upstate NY since the age of 10. I read a book by E.T. Seton (I think he was the author, but can't recall the name of the book) about the life of a young boy in the Catskills, that book and others really got me interested in the natural world around us all. I am still telling Deb maybe we need to spend a few days in the Cats or the Adirondacks, so we'll see.
Carolyn, I would love to stop by for a chat and the chance to meet you. As the crow flies you are about dead east of me 600 miles or so, right on our travel route. I read the thread and saw the pics when you and Craig met, how nice after know each other for so long. I'll PM you once our plans are concrete.
ken

Googled the book, it was My Side of the Mountain, by Jean Craighead George, don't know why I remember it as a seton book, and don't recall this authors name at all. I think I am a candidate for "Auld-timers" disease!

[kenny_j]

Tom, I will definately hit CT at some point, and MA, VT, NH AND MN. I will then have been in every state ecept OR, NJ, RI and Hawaii. And, after conferring with a map, North Dakota, Delaware, Maryland, and South Carolina. So 8 more to go after this year. Not something I set out to do, I just got around a lot when younger.

[Father'sDaughter]

You know, Newport RI is only a little more than an hour drive from Boston, so you could knock that state off. The Mansions are something to behold, there are a handful of museums, and, of course, the Cliff Walk along the shoreline is not to be missed!