Budget Travel to see the Northeast Fall Foliage

There are many great excuses for a road trip in the United States, and seeing the glorious colors in New England as the leaves turn from green to all sorts of fiery shades is definitely one of them.

It’s a popular vacation, but the good news is that New England is a big enough area that you aren’t stuck visiting the same three spots as everyone else.

In fact, getting away from the crowds may be a good way to see the New England fall foliage on a budget.

>> Find cheap airfare to Boston, the busiest airport in New England

Best Places to See Fall Foliage in New England

Many places throughout New England offer excellent fall foliage viewing potential, but these spots are particularly noted for their spectacular displays. Locals will tell you that there’s fall foliage everywhere, of course, and if you’re on a budget then just about any destination in New England during the fall months will be a hit.

New Hampshire

• Kancamagus Scenic Highway – This 34+ mile stretch of road through the White Mountain National Forest is noted as one of the best scenic fall foliage drives in New England.
• Crawford Notch – The road passing through this valley treats visitors to a view of not fall leaves but also Mount Washington.
• Hollis-Peterborough-Keene/Mt. Monadnock – A drive through these towns is great for the beauty of the fall foliage surrounding them, and also for the quintessential New England quaintness of the stops along the way. From Keene, Mt. Monadnock is nearby and an easy hike.

Vermont

• Green Mountain Natonal Forest – The easiest way to enjoy the fall foliage in this forest is to drive Route 100 from southern Vermont all the way up to the Canadian border.
• Stowe – This charming town is made even better when it’s surrounded by beautiful fall foliage.
• Route 9 – This stretch of road is another great scenic fall foliage drive, and includes the incredible views from Hogback Mountain.

Massachusetts

• Route 2/Berkshire Mountains – This is another highly-rated fall foliage scenic drive in New England, as it winds through the Berkshires and several towns worthy of a visit during a road trip.
• Bish-Bish Falls State Park – Great views from high places offer excellent opportunities for fall foliage viewing, and in this state park there’s a spot where you can see into three states.
• Route 117 – Despite being close to the city of Concord, this is another scenic drive that makes it easy to do a side-trip to the famous Walden Pond.

Connecticut

• Route 169 – This scenic drive is noted for its beauty year-round, but it’s particularly popular when the fall foliage is at its peak.
• Litchfield – There’s not much going on in Litchfield, but it’s a beautiful and relaxing step back in time when the fall colors are out.

Maine

• Acadia National Park – You can count on the natural beauty of a national park, especially one that shows off with fall color like Acadia does.
• Camden – With a stop in Camden you get the best of two worlds: gorgeous fall foliage and a pretty seaside town.

Rhode Island

• Rhode Island Coast Scenic Drive – With a drive along this 60+ mile road, you’ll get to enjoy the color of the leaves and the majesty of the coast at the same time.

Best Times to See Fall Foliage in New England

Fall foliage in New England can be great throughout the season, but there’s usually a time when the colors are at their peak. Knowing when that peak is, however, is a bit tricky – it changes each year with the changing weather, and it’s not the same throughout the region, either.

“Peak” time is usually earlier in the north, and later in the south. In other words, go to northern New Hampshire and Vermont in late September and wait to visit Connecticut until late October. This map shows the normal times for peak color in New England.

Turning a fall foliage trip into a road trip is a great way to make sure you’re mobile enough to catch the best colors even if they’re not where you started out. There are websites that offer foliage updates, so once you get to New England you can keep tabs on where the colors are best and then drive there.

Keep in mind that New England’s normal peak season is when hotel rates will be at their highest, so if you want to see good color and you’re okay with it not being the best color, visit outside the normal peak time and you might save a bit on your trip.

photo by kimberlykv