New England Travel and Vacation Gazette and Other Wicked Good Content

Editor's note: Mid-October is usually the best time to enjoy peak fall foliage in Central Massachusetts. For updates on best leaf peeping times, call the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism at 800.227.6277 Article by Tom K., avid motorcycle enthusiast This route starts out in Rutland Mass., takes a scenic route through Charlton, Mass., and down to Pomfret, Conn., for lunch at the Vanilla Bean Cafe . We then head northwest from the Vanilla Bean through the central Massachusetts towns of Southbridge, Sturbridge and eventually, Ware. From Ware, we head into Hardwick, around the eastern side of the Quabbin, up to Athol, and down the western side into Belchertown, but not without stopping at the Hamilton Orchards in New Salem for warm cider doughnuts, first. I have taken this route many times and still enjoy the ride! Start at Colonial Convenience/Mobil gas station at the Intersection of Route 122 (Barre Paxton Rd.) and Pleasantdale Rd. Follow Pleasantdale Road into ...

Photo: New Hampshire fall leaves (by Eric H.) One of our readers, Madeleine Clark, recently wrote in to tell us about a fantastic-sounding motorcycle-related Lakes Region, New Hampshire, fall event: Leaftoberfest, a leaf peeping bike rally, will be held Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 3-4, at Laconia Harley-Davidson, 239 Daniel Webster Hwy (Rte 3), in Meredith, N.H. Escorted leaf peeping rides will take off on both days at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.. Live music starts at noon and Laconia Harley-Davidson will be offering demos on the new 2010 Harleys. Participate in The Bike show also offers, on Oct 3rd, the chance to win a $1,000 in prizes. Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant, of Meredith, N.H., will be offering some great food!. For more information on the event, please log onto www.laconiaharley.com What better place to see the New England fall foliage than New Hampshire? Colors have become more vibrant in most sections of New Hampshire as of late, and will continue to do so, especially with some of...

Article by Eric H. Following up on Tom K.'s excellent article yesterday on motorcycle fall foliage rides in central Massachusetts , we received several other suggestions from our Twitter followers over the past few days. Smugglers_Notch (Smugglers' Notch Resort in Jeffersonville, Vt.) said they see motorcyclists enjoying the drives through Smugglers' Notch Pass on Route 108, heading east to Stowe, Vt., or west to Burlington, Vt., and Lake Champlain. NaswaResort (Naswa Resort On Lake Winnipesaukee, N.H.) states that the the White Mountains, Kangamangus Trail area "are gorgeous!" gilsimmons (Gil Simmons, morning meteorologist for WTNH Channel 8, ABC, New Haven, Conn.) recommends Route 169 in Eastern Connecticut. Good choice, Gil! This is one of our personal favorite scenic drives in New England. We can't get enough of the farms, historic churches and classic Connecticut village green centers along the way. For more information on Route 169, Jeffersonville-t...