Fall Foliage Time - Tour Ideas

A few days ago I posted some pictures of a couple of places where I could already see leaves beginning to take on some fall color. While peak season in Ohio won't come until the first week or two of October, other places where autumn reigns supreme will begin to show the glorious golds, reds, and oranges a little sooner.

A few years ago we did a driving tour late September into the first week of October. We began in Massachusetts, flew in and rented a car, then drove up the coast toward Maine. The trees were becoming quite colorful at that point and we enjoyed the seaside and the Maine lobster. But when we turned inward toward Vermont and New Hampshire we were astounded at the magnificent displays of autumn. Each state and area had different types of trees which painted the countryside with a variety of color. The colors were so brilliant when we reached the mountains in New Hampshire that they were still a sight to behold even in the rain.

If you decide to do a drive, be sure to have your reservations made ahead. It's probably the most popular time to visit the area and you may find yourself sleeping in the car if you don't plan ahead. I found a great site that has several driving tours mapped out of the Northeast for fall foliage viewing. It's called Yankee Foliage .com.  There are also maps that show peak times for viewing.

Another way to enjoy the colors of autumn is with a cruise up the coast and into Canada. Many of the mainstream cruise lines offer cruises in late September and into October that will get you into some great colorful areas and you can leave the driving. . .make that the sailing to them.

New Hampshire has some fall foliage train tours that look interesting. I'm not fond of travel by train but for those who enjoy a train ride through scenic areas, this could be for you.

If you've never had the opportunity to see the autumn colors, plan to take some travel time to experience the fall foliage, the smell of autumn leaves, the taste of apple cider, crisp fresh air and the sighting of an occasional moose.