Tips for creating your autumn vacation itinerary
How do you choose your autumn vacation plans? There are so many factors to think about, from lodging to local food specialties, to activities. Of course, our favorite activity is Leaf Peeping but there is so much more to think about. You should pick up a Gazetteer for each state you will visit. Luckily both of New Hampshire and Vermont are in one book now, but I have 2-3 NH and VT books when they were separate (why do I have that many? Now you know why I say don’t leave home without them because I will buy one on the road if I left mine at home)
Today I’m going to list some considerations for you to ponder while you make your itineraries and reservations. I bet most people have hot buttered lobster on their to-do list beyond just trees and leaves…
A vision of something like this just planted itself in your mind, didn’t it?
What follows are a few of our tips for choosing scenic locations for peak leaf-peeping and I know there will be many I left off due to space but if you have a favorite you think I should include, let me know!
Tips for Picking Lodging
First, I can’t list every motel, hotel, B&B, and Inn throughout New England. So Lisa and I have started keeping track of our places to stay page (Inns, B&Bs, motels). These are places that we have stayed at and they impressed us with the service, comfort, and/or economical cost. These are a drop in the bucket and may not be where you want to be. So over on the right, you will see ADs for Expedia and Hotels.com and by visiting those sites you can pick from many different places. [These are affiliate links]
I used them myself this past autumn and they offer cancelation insurance where you can cancel up to the week before and not lose your money. This worked great for me because I was refining my stays up until a few weeks before.
in the past, I have told you NOT to time the peak colors but rather put yourself in the path of peak fall foliage. I want to be run over by the wave as the fall colors head south. You can do this by reading this article on using Zone Planning to work from.
The idea isn’t to exactly time your arrival, so you are in the heart of Peak fall colors. Instead, Pick a location because you feel you will be near it! I feel I’m successful if I only have to drive 30 or so minutes before finding great fall colors. BUT NOT every year is so lucky (2023 was such a year, as well as 2017, 2011, and 2005) Did you notice that these really BAD years are averaging 6 years
So using Zone planning to choose locations and what might be near to this location you can start to narrow events and attractions. How about calling the Inn/Hotel? When you choose the lodging, call them and see what they know is going on during your stay.
New England food specialties
When I’m on the road I’m happy to find a family diner to eat at. You know the ones, usually, they’re made from reflective aluminum airplane-styled sheets, have on the inside, pictures from the 1950s on the walls, and their milkshakes are to die for! I rarely pass one up and Yankee Magazine has a great list of “the 15 best roadside diners in New England”.
I know most people think of lobster rolls when they arrive in New England (or before). As far as I know, you can find them almost anywhere and they range from, with mayo, or without mayo and the same goes for celery. My favorite lobster rolls come in a buttered AND toasted New England roll. If you’ve never had a New England roll, head right out and do so.
Since I don’t have a list of my own preferred places for making the world’s greatest lobster rolls, here is another article by Yankee Magazine. They have their “Best lobster rolls in New England” article. I think you’ll find something to chew on in there.
Tips for picking fall foliage activities
Fairs and festivals
Where to start? Harvest festivals are a great way to experience New England’s life and my third tip, is New England food specialties. You arrive early in Sept and spend a day at the Big E fair (which starts in mid-late September) with food, fun, animals, rides, and entertainment, in the morning, noon, and night. Here is my listing of New England fall festivals with links.
Family fun during your autumn vacation
Have Kids, will travel. Young kids (or kids of any age) will enjoy Clark’s Trading Post (off Route 3 in Franconia Notch), Storyland off Route 16 between Jackson & Conway), or Santa’s Village off Route 2 near Jefferson NH). All of which are in New Hampshire’s White Mountains.
Click the links and make sure that you check when these places close down (Or open). If you are showing up in mid-October, some of the places in New Hampshire may have closed for the season.
History is everywhere in New England
I spent 5 years as a National Park Ranger in Salem and Saugus Massachusetts. This acquainted me with a crash course in my own links to the history of New England. From the birth of the nation and the Revolution to Slavery and Abolition. New England has played a part in it all.
Plimoth and Patuxet Museums (history of Plymouth Colony and the Indigenous homeland)
Sturbridge Village (Sturbridge Massachusetts)
National Historic Site (NHS) and National Historical Park (NHP) are everywhere in New England. Within 20 miles of Boston, there are over 15 NHSs and an untold number of landmarks. Think the old North Church and one if by land and two if by sea…
How about Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park in Cornish, New Hampshire, which preserves the home, gardens, and studios of Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
There are Full-up, National Parks like Acadia NP on Mount Desert Island Maine, and Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument which is a U.S. national monument in northern Penobscot County, Maine,
All Aboard for a Train Ride?
How about a train ride for the train aficionado in the family? Check my page on train rides in New England.
I’ve ridden a few but there are many groups that keep these old locomotives on the tracks and running. Most kids (myself included) love to ride the rails and experience life from the 1800s through the 1900s.
You can find these train rides all over New England so check the links and call ahead to check availability, schedule, and price.
Oldest Churches in New England
Sometimes we just don’t know where to start. Here is a list based on one query. what and where are the oldest churches in New England?
New Hampshire
First Parish Church in Dover, Oldest congregation founded in 1632 (Congregational/United Church of Christ)
Newington Meeting House is the oldest church building in New Hampshire (1717, Congregational).
Massachusetts
The First Congregational Church of Marshfield, gathered in 1632 (same building since 1838) (Congregational) [1]
First Baptist Church in Swansea, the Oldest Baptist congregation in MA, was founded in 1663 (Baptist)
First Parish in Cambridge, founded on February 1, 1636, at the First Church (Evangelical, now Unitarian Universalist)
Old Ship Church, the oldest church building, was built in 1681, (Puritan, Congregational, now Unitarian Universalist)
St. Michael’s Church (Marblehead, Massachusetts). The oldest Episcopal Church in New England on its original foundation was built in 1714 and is still used daily year-round. A National Historic Landmark.
Old North Church, Official name: Christ Church in the City of Boston. The oldest standing church building in Boston, built in 1723 (Episcopal) a National Historic Landmark significant for its role in the American Revolution.
Maine
First Congregational Church and Parsonage (Kittery, Maine), Possibly the oldest church building in Maine, was built in 1729 (Congregational).
First Parish Congregational Church of York, Maine. The oldest church congregation,[16] (Congregational/United Church of Christ) founded before 1672 and organized in the Congregational tradition by Shubael Dummer.[17]
Connecticut
Abington Congregational Church is the oldest church building, built in 1751 (Congregational/United Church of Christ)
First Church of Windsor, the Oldest church congregation, was founded in 1633 (Congregational/United Church of Christ)
Lakeville Methodist Church is the oldest standing Methodist church in New England
Rhode Island
First Baptist Church in America, the oldest congregation in RI, was founded in 1638 (building 1775) (Baptist).
Six Principle Baptist Church, one of the oldest Baptist church buildings in the U.S., was built in 1703, (Baptist)
Trinity Church, Newport, the oldest Anglican congregation in RI, was founded in 1698 (building 1726) (Episcopal).
Great Friends Meeting House, the oldest church building in RI, was built in 1699 (Quaker).
Old Narragansett Church, Wickford, the oldest Episcopal church building in New England (1707).
Vermont
The First Congregational Church of Bennington, the Oldest congregation, was founded in 1762 (Congregational)
Rockingham Meeting House, one of the two oldest church buildings, was built in 1787 (Congregational)
Thetford Meeting House, Thetford Hill, one of the two oldest church buildings, was built in 1787 (Congregational)
Well, that does it for today. If you have your own ideas to add to an itinerary then leave a note in the comments. Maybe I’ll showcase your itinerary so everyone can benefit from your inspiration.
Jeff Foliage Folger
Autumn is a state of mind more than a time of year – Jeff Foliage
- Visit my Fine Art America Gallery
- Visit my Amazon store to pick up New England-related materials
- Visit my Pictorem Gallery (Free shipping in the US and Canada)
- My Facebook foliage page
- Threads.net/@Jeff_Foliage
- Follow our new Fall Foliage FB Group!
- You can visit Lisa’s Artist Facebook Page by clicking here
Jeff, your site is terrific and topics excellent. However, would be good to learn about summer stuff also.
Well Jacob, I couldn’t agree more. My wife Lisa and I have the blog called the 4 corners of New England. You see I want this blog (Jeff Foliage) to bo a narrow focus on autumn in New England. Whereas the 4 corners as it sounds is about any thing else going on in New England. She will talk about recipes of New England favorites and I will talk about places I’ve photographed and there is usually some overlap there, like the Fort at Number four that she wrote up since French history is a favorite of hers. But most of the pictures are mine.
Do you have a subject that you are passionate about? We just go back from the Quechee Vermont balloon festival and I heard from a friend that this mornings balloon ascension was they best in 20 years… But I’m working on the pictures as I type… So back to work.
Another great thing Jacob, is that except for the specific harvest festivals, most everything else will be going on all summer long!
Where are bed and breakfasts on Maine coast, Vermont , New Hampshire and Newport?
Well Susan, I’m afraid you found my achilles heal. I have a few personal recommendations and I do mean a few. I would suggest the tried and true research spots like http://www.tripadvisor.com or http://www.BnB.com
here is an article that lists places that I or my wife have stayed at. https://jeff-foliage.com/2015/04/simple-rules-to-finding-a-room-during-autumn/
Also you might ask that question on Frommers website.
Hi Jeff, I love your site and have visited it several times, and am now looking for some advice 🙂
My husband and I are flying from the UK to NY on 30 Sept and staying in NY until 04 Oct. We are then getting the train to Boston and staying there for one night. We then have 5 clear days to tour New England by car before our return flight on 10 Oct (evening flight).
I have put together the itinerary shown below – do you think it is ‘doable’? is there anything we should skip in favour of something else?
Our absolute must do’s are Salem, Portland and Stockbridge (my husband is an artist an a massive Norman Rockwell fan so we need to see the museum) but other than that we just want to experience the beautiful views and take hundreds of photos.
Your advice would be much appreciated – thank you
• Arrive in Boston Sunday 04/10
• Salem
• Portland/ Maine (Lighthouse cruise/Marine Maritime Museum)
• White Mountains (New Hampshire)
• Burlington
• Green Mountains Scenic Railway
• Benningtons Covered Bridges Museum (Southern Vermont)
• Stockbridge/The Berkshires (Norman Rockwell Museum)
• Old Sturbridge Village
• Back to Boston on Friday 09/10 ready for flight home on Saturday
You’ve picked a lot of good items… I may copy that and paste it in one of my articles. Salem will take 3-4 hours at a minimum. Start at the Visitor center and they will give you a really good map. The three things I suggest are this: Count Orlock’s nightmare gallery (not real scary but definitely worth a visit). The Witches Dungeon. NOT to be confused with the Witch’s lair, the witches cottage, or the witches museum, but the WM is pretty good also. The Dungeon is a one act play that details the trial of Sarah good (I think) and a little about the witch trials and what spectral evidence was. Then you go into their remake of the dungeons that the victims of the witch trials had to endure. Last visit the Friendship of Salem, a recreated 1797 east indies trader and the National park service runs this and their tours are free.
There is also the pirate museum but that will be pushing your 3-4 hours.
Portsmouth- tons to see. The Strawberry Banke village is the main thing that comes to mind. Haven’t done the Lighthouse cruise or the maritime museum but they sound fun.
White Mountains… Conway, covered bridges, Jackson(go to Ravenwood or you will be sorry if you don’t), Pinkham Notch, Mount Washington cog railway ($99) to the top of the tallest mountain in New England. Across the Route 112 also known as “The Kanc” The Kancamagus highway is the Grand Dame of Scenic roads.
Burlington VT tons to see…
Chester VT and the Green Mountains Scenic Railway. I don’t know which way you are partial to but the route to Rockingham has the two covered bridges. The Worrel and the lower Bartonsville covered bridges. Also if you get back in the car and follow the same route you have the Vermont Country store in Rockingham. and going down to Route 5 on the Connecticut rivver and head north a few miles is The Fort at number 4 which is a recreated 1700s fort, call to see if they have an event that day or any tours
The covered bridge museum is interesting.
Stockbridge is 3-4 hours by itself… Eat at the Red lion…
Old Sturbridge village has 2 covered bridges and one you will only see if you get on the boat ride. The first is the Dummerston Covered bridge at Sturbridge Village. and the other is the old entry into OSV. The covered bridge at Old Sturbridge village can be seen by clicking here.
I will say it’s a very busy schedule. Also! You are traveling up into the colors but you are going to head back south just a little early. That isn’t to say you won’t see fall colors at the beginning of the end but I thinking they will be a little light still very nice especially once you get up into the Whites and over to the Green Mountains.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! I know it is a busy schedule but we don’t know when we will be able to afford to visit again so want to make the most of it. Thanks once again – please feel free to use it in your articles 🙂