New England Travel and Vacation Gazette and Other Wicked Good Content

Article and photo (Diamond Hill Reservoir, Cumberland, R.I.) by Eric H. As others spend their fall travel at popular New England destinations alongside a cast of thousands they were trying to escape from, you can take the road (relatively) less taken and enjoy a peaceful day in Wrentham, Mass., northern Rhode Island, and the northeast Connecticut area. Start at downtown Wrentham on Route 1A with its charming village green and have a nice breakfast or lunch at the Looking Glass Cafe. It's a friendly, bright diner-like dining spot with locals joining in in the art of conversation over cups of coffee. Downtown Wrentham also features a nice mix of locally-owned shops, including Tootsie's ice cream parlor and Marcia's Sweet Pantry with its delicious homemade treats. It's especially pleasing to get out and walk the town common to enjoy small town New England life. Follow Route 1A south to Route 121 south (West St.) a few miles past the rolling countryside and farms into the ...

Photo of Walpole Town Forest, Walpole, Mass., by Eric H. If you know of a New England destination that is near or at peak for fall foliage, we would love to hear from you. With the 2009 Columbus Day Weekend fast approaching, we're looking to inform our Weekly New England Travel and Vacation Gazette readers on the best leaf peeping in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and upon review, might appear in an upcoming post. Thanks, in advance, for your future post and for helping us bring the best of New England fall foliage reporting to our online publication! Best regards, Eric Weekly New England Travel and Vacation Gazette

Article and photos by Eric H. The Walpole Town Forest is really the Rodney Dangerfield, of Walpole, Mass.: it gets no respect. Unknown even to many Walpole residents, the Walpole Town Forest is most impressive between South St. and Walpole High School on Common St., with its truly scenic walk alongside the Neponset River. Current foliage is impressive (as evidenced by the photos on this posting), but in a few weeks the mirror-like quality of the river should be brilliantly reflecting the colorful array of leaves. Along this sector of the 365-acre Town Forest, you'll find scenic views from the “White Bridge” and an old dam and waterfall that dates back to 1650. With many more miles of hiking trails, you're sure to enjoy the rest of the mixed forest, ledge outcroppings, and wetland areas, whether it be hiking, horseback riding. mountain biking or cross country skiing (yes, it's not too far away). Hard to believe the Walpole Town Forest resides in the highly developed suburba...

New Hampshire foliage press release source: VisitNH.com With the New England fall weekend just around the corner, New Hampshire foliage should prove to be spectacular in many areas. The Great North Woods area "is on the brink of peak foliage," and the White Mountains Region is "getting closer to reaching the height of fall foliage," according to a New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development foliage update press release for Oct. 1 ,2009. The rest of New Hampshire isn't too shabby, either, with many reports of vibrant colors in the Lakes, Dartmouth-Sunapee, Monadnock, and Merrimack Regions. The Seacoast Region, typically the last part of New Hampshire to display great foliage, has shown promise with "lots of color throughout the region and most of it is along back roads that are very quiet," according to the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development. Have a safe weekend, and listen frequently to the weather reports for any p...

Article and 2008 late October photo of Cumberland Reservoir, Cumberland, R.I., by Eric H. Recently, we have received some wonderful feedback on readers' favorite New England fall destinations. We must say that we agree with the choices, as stated below, as each area resonates with traditionally wonderful fall foliage. Readers, we appreciate your feedback, and encourage you to further add to this list with your own comments! Here is the latest fall foliage destinations feedback: From our Facebook New England Vacations Fan Page : Debbie says, "Crawford Notch is gorgeous. I love going through Franconia Notch, too." Debbie adds that the "Kanc'"(Kancamagus Highway) is another favorite, as is Bear Notch Road (near the Kancamagus) and... "everywhere in northern NH!" Marc says, "Route 100 in Vermont (also, the Thirteen Mile Woods section of Route 16 in NH)." Kristie adds, "Quechee & Woodstock VT area, too!" Our NewEnglandInfo Twitte...

(2008 photo of Franconia Notch State Park by Eric H.) Betty Gagne, of the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development, just sent us some good news on more fall foliage colors arriving in the Granite State's Great North Woods Region. Also called New Hampshire’s "Grand North," this region features swamp maples along the rivers and higher elevations showing "some nice, bright reds" –- indicating that peak fall foliage will be arriving soon. Mountain slopes are showing some fall foliage progress with hints of red and yellow coming to life, also. This official New Hampshire tourism group also states that paddling along the Northern Forest Canoe Trail or driving the Connecticut River Scenic Byway are "great ways to see the early autumn colors." They also recommend Route 26 from Errol to Colebrook as a dramatic scenic drive, especially with the impending peak fall foliage. We recommend logging onto The New Hampshire Foliage Report Web Site for...

Article and photo (from Mid-Burke Mountain, East Burke, Vt.) by Eric H. New England fall foliage never was one to be on schedule. Fall foliage colors arrive at different times in varied intensities each September and October in the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont -- sort of like the winter theory that not one snowflake is ever the same. The best colors arrive earlier in the northern fringes of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, and then eventually work their way down to southern New England destinations like Cape Cod, South County Rhode Island and coastal Connecticut. Many fall foliage travelers need to ask for time off from work in preparation for their fall foliage vacations, so it's especially frustrating if you ask for vacation time, say, on October 17, and peak foliage occurs on the 26th! What to do, you might ask? Fortunately, agencies from each New England state offer hot lines to give one a better idea on anti...

Article and photo (Flume area at Franconia State Park, N.H.) by Eric H. The 2009 fall foliage season will be here before you know it. Strange as it may seem to discuss this topic in the midst of an August heat wave, the reality is that this is the best time to start trip planning for this what many consider the best time of the New England season. The foliage colors can be brilliant, there's a special chill in the air, and lots of small town attractions and "town common" events to get you in the spirit. Hotel rooms go quickly, so it's also paramount to have peace of mind early to know where you'll be staying -- or if a leisurely day trip is more appropriate, given the tough economy. For any travel preference, we have updated our New England Fall Foliage Travel Guide with additional vacation and travel ideas on the best New England scenic autumn vacation destinations and hotel getaways, colorful leaf peeping spots, driving tours, hikes, day trips, apple picking an...

With Columbus Day Weekend approaching fast, the chance to view some peak fall foliage is ample in the New England region. While New Hampshire and Vermont are famous -- and rightfully so -- for great leaf peeping, sometimes states like Maine fall under the foliage radar because many people think of this state for its coastal beauty. The reality is that so much of Maine offers spectacular inland fall foliage, as well as some truly impressive views of color changes by the coast. It's really like getting the best of both worlds -- a connection to the Maine sea and the options inland that, many times, offer fall foliage are as good as Vermont and New Hampshire. Our friends at VisitMaine.com sent us an updated press release yesterday, breaking down each region of Maine in regards to current fall foliage conditions: AUGUSTA, Maine - The Maine coast and the southern part of the state will have the best foliage viewing during the next week according to the Department of Conservation'...

Our good friends at MaineFoliage.com report to us that recent evening frosts have sped up the foliage process -- good news for those wishing to leaf peep sooner than later in the "Pine Tree State" (the state's nickname really doesn't give justice to the fall foliage season here). As of Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008, The Maine Department of Conservation stated that rangers in far northern Maine have reported observing between 50 and 75 percent peak leaf color in western Aroostook County and the northern portions of Somerset and Piscataquis County. Rangers are also reporting between 30 and 50 percent peak fall leaf color in eastern and southern Aroostook County, northern Penobscot County, and locations north of Rangeley in Franklin County. Foliage, however, in northern Washington County is low -- 10 to 30 percent peak color -- which is also being reported in the southern part of the county, and in Hancock, Kennebec, Androscoggin and southern Penobscot counties. The Maine...

Article and Photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com Photo: Snow on Mt. Mansfield, Stowe VT. Photo by Andre Jenny, courtesy of VermontPressRoom.com All New England towns and cities have fall foliage, but somehow places like Stowe, VT, "leave" others in the dust with its vibrant red, orange, and gold colors, generally, from the last week of September through the first two weeks of October. Perhaps it's the idyllic village with the tall, white church steeple tucked in the dramatic Green Mountains -- and surrounded by those brilliant fall colors. Maybe it's the winding country roads, one leading to the notch road to Jeffersonville with dramatic, twists and turns and spectacular rock outcroppings, immediately colder temperatures and flashes of great colors through the dense forest. It could be the 5.5 mile bike trail winding through the beautiful country and mountains. Then again, it could be the Trapp Family Lodge scene -- famous in the Sound of Music movie -- wi...