Is fall the best time to visit?

While New England offers activities for all four seasons, including skiing in the winter, fresh maple syrup in the spring, and hiking in the summer, one of the best times to visit is in the fall, when the trees explode with oranges, reds, and yellows, the air is crisp, and the fresh cider donuts just taste extra heavenly. However, visiting in the fall can require a bit more planning, tracking, and things to know, as the window to see this foliage can be unpredictable and small. Below is everything you need to know before visiting New England in the fall.

What's the weather like in fall?

During our month in New England we experienced highs in the 50s-70s, and lows in the 30s-40s, making the days not too chilly, but cold enough that in the mornings a hot cider just really hits the spot. While most days were sunny or partly sunny, we did have a handful of days where it was foggy or there were torrential downpours. We thankfully had the flexibility to adjust plans and avoid adventuring on most rainy days, but do expect some variety of weather and come prepared to enjoy the area rain or shine.

What causes leaves to change color?

We aren’t scientists, but the quick explanation of why leaves change is that during the spring and summer, the leaves are rich in chlorophyll, which absorbs sunlight and turns it into food for the tree through photosynthesis. This gives the leaves the bright green color you see during this part of the year. During the fall, as the days become shorter and cooler, the leaves stop this process and the chlorophyll breaks down, which causes the colors of the leaves to change to the red, orange, and yellows you see in the fall.

When is peak foliage?

Since fall foliage relies on weather, peak foliage varies year to year and is hard to predict. One good thing to know is that leaves change in higher elevations first and then work their way down to lower elevations. So if you find yourself on the coast of New England in early October and the leaves have yet to change, you can likely find colors if you go up into the mountains. While the timing of peak foliage does vary, here are some general timeframes where each region on this guide experiences the best colors, as well as what dates we visited this region and what our experience was like, plus the fall foliage trackers we used.

Since this road trip itinerary covers quite a bit of ground, we’d suggest staying in different places throughout the trip to limit how much time you spend driving each day. We will include suggestions of places to stay under each day of the itinerary, including hotels, Airbnbs, campgrounds, and boondocking (if applicable).

Should I download offline maps?

There were a few areas where we didn’t have the best cell phone service, which can be tricky if you’re trying to figure out where to go, both on the road or on the trail. We highly recommend downloading offline AllTrails Maps and offline Google Maps so you can navigate without cell phone service and don’t get lost!