8 Fun Activities During Fall Foliage
I wrote last time about a leaf peeper’s big worry… RAIN! I didn’t mean it was going to rain, only that it could happen. Now some people started shooting their comments to me saying: “WHY DIDN’T YOU WARN ME IT MIGHT RAIN???” Really? Do I have to warn you about this??? 🙂
Above you have the Milan fire tower in the Milan Hill State Park. This is off New Hampshire’s Route 110B (you can’t miss the signs). There is hiking and yurts to rent but I always head straight to the top. I do stop on the way up to drop a few dollars in the Rangers fee bin. Normally this is for those staying overnight and using their facilities. Even though I haven’t sold an image from here the panoramic views from the ranger tower are worth dropping a few dollars.
Rainy Day Suggestions
In a previous post on Facebook, I asked my followers about some things they might do if it did rain or at least wasn’t very sunny. So here are some reader suggestions on what to do if the fall foliage weather doesn’t cooperate. I think most of these you could do almost anytime!
- Gondola ride to the top of a mountain (you pick the mountain as almost all with skiing will have gondola rides)
- Sipping hot or cold apple cider in the middle of an orchard as you pick your own apples.
- Go to North Conway NH and take their fall foliage train up to Crawford Notch (MAKE RESERVATIONS)
- Finding all the pumpkin people in Jackson New Hampshire
- Ride the cog rail $$ to the top of Mt. Washington and stand at the highest point in New England. (or drive it in your car! $)
- See cranberry bogs being harvested in Southeastern Massachusetts.
- A warm cider donut on a cool crisp morning looking off the porch of your B&B.
- Visit one of the Northeast Kingdom towns holding their fall foliage festival Around Sept 29 – Oct 6.
Here is a bonus!
- Hot air balloon rides over the fall foliage.
And another bonus!
- “Staying in a nice tavern sitting next to a fireplace with a cup of coffee with a book about Fall Foliage, waiting for the rain to stop”.
How is that for starters? Many of these can be done to enhance your enjoyment of your fall foliage leaf-peeping experience.
If you have some ideas then please help out by posting comments!
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
Staying in a nice tavern sitting next to a fireplace with a cup of coffee with a book about Fall Foliage, waiting for the rain to stop
Now that sounds nice. Lisa and I stayed in BoothBay Harbor at a “B&B” in 2005 and the owner didn’t want to start a fire even though it had rained for 4 days straight!!! Let’s just say I will never advertise this place. 🙂
Hi Jeff, I promised my bride of 46 years to take her on a leaf peeping trip . . . over 24 years ago. This year I’m finally going to do it come h%## or high water. Question: we have nine days in early October, would it be better to move around each day of our trip or would it be better to stay in a few places for a few days at a time? If so, which places? We have a trip planned but thought it best to ask the advice of a pro. Thank you in advance for your advice and thank you for your internet presence. Mel
Well I’m going to give you some articles to read… Homework? yes, homework! I can write and tell you what I think you want to hear but I’ve written a lot of this down in my articles over the past 13+ years. So the first talks about finding peak fall foliage and what I consider the different phases and the last item will answer your location question and that is Zone Planning.
It’s getting late for reservations and to be honest you may get away with “winging it” from Monday to Thursday but for Friday through Sunday I suggest reservations… AND since it sounds like your in a bit of trouble already make sure you get some nice places in there.
I don’t have a list of places I’ve stayed and to be honest I normally leave early in the morning drive all day and about 4PM I see what town I’m near and get to some wifi or 4G and go to my website and click my tab for thrifty lodging. I’m an affiliate for hotels combined (And yes I get .50 cents if you book via the link on my site but I don’t get rich from it-goes towards my webhost bill).
What I usually find for just me is a motel that is clean with hot water and wifi and a restaurant nearby and I’m happy. Sometimes it’s only $80 but I’ve never tested it near Stowe on Columbus Day Weekend. For that weekend you really need reservations!
Especially if you or your wife is the least bit picky as to accommodations.
General locations, and this is an excerpt from my blog article listed above:
24-25 Sept: Head way North for these dates. NEK (North East Kingdom) or Northern Maine near Mount Katahdin. This one is very tough to call and I will make a run to the NEK but seldom find peak color. It’s safer to come a week later.
1-2 Oct: This is usually a solid weekend in the NEK of Vermont, up in Lincoln NH and Greenville Maine and points north. And sometimes, as far south as Barre VT, Sugar hill NH and central ME. (It depends on the season)
8-10 Oct: CDW (Columbus Day Weekend). There is a reason I call CDW the sweet spot for peak fall foliage viewing. This particular week will usually find the greatest latitude for great color. You should find peak fall foliage from the Green Mountains of VT (Stowe, route 100) South to Manchester VT. From the White Mountains (route 112 the Kancamagus highway) and if lucky, south to southern New Hampshire’s border. In Maine the color could be north of I-95. Also in western Massachusetts the Berkshire’s and the Mohawk trail at the higher elevations.
The next week if you are here that long you will be in the south and western Maine areas (Sebago lake towards the coast) and the lakes region on NH and southern VT and if the color moves real fast then even a fair ways into Massachusetts.
Let me know if you have more questions…
Wow Jeff, Thanks for all the great information. Much appreciated. My wife and I are finalizing plans today. I’ll let you know how it goes. Mel
Sounds good and I hope you’ll share some pics on my New England fall foliage FaceBook page.
