Have you ever heard the term leaf peeper before? I thought this was a common term everyone knew, but recently found out that if you didn’t grow up in northern New England, you’ve probably never heard it before. It’s the term we use for people who drive up and create traffic in small towns when they come to see the amazing fall foliage.
Living in New Hampshire for most of my life, I got a little spoiled with the amount of fall foliage and fall activities readily available to me. While there are plenty of great spots in Vermont, Maine, and more, I will focus on the Granite State of my guide after having experienced it and lived it for so many years. There’s a great guide of additional spots from Travel + Leisure here and from Boston Magazine here. You can also track the fall foliage across the US here.
Hike:
My old faithful for a fall hike that’s not too hard is Mount Major. It overlooks the lakes region, so you get view of the mountains and the lakes, all adorned with the changing colors of the season. Mount Monadnock is a little bit of a tougher hike in my opinion, but the views are even more expansive, and the drive up is also filled with foliage. My favorite spot to find fall foliage was a recent discovery for me last year, Bald Ledge. This secret trail is hard to find, but was easy to hike, had few others on the trail, and includes panoramic views of the lakes and the leaves. The pond by the parking lot also has stunning photo ops to catch the foliage reflecting on the water.
Drive:
If you prefer to not exert energy while leaf peeping, many of the best views can be taken in from the car. With everything happening in the world right now, this is also a great way to enjoy the best of fall while social distancing. The Kancamagus Highway is probably the most well known spot to drive and catch the fall foliage in New Hampshire - and it also will have the most traffic and tourists.
For the perfect fall day trip, Lake Winnipesaukee is a great spot to take in views of the fall foliage, take a hike if you want, and catch some great images of the leaves reflecting on the lake. They also have the worlds largest arcade, FunSpot, close by. This is the perfect spot to spend a day, or even stay overnight at Steele Hill. This resort has a amazing views of the mountains and amenities like an indoor waterpark and hiking trails.
Lastly, Loon Mountain has a great location where you can take the ski lift up for a view and have a drink at the top.
Other fall activities:
As much flack as basic fall activities get, there’s nothing like an afternoon of apple picking and coming home to decorate a pumpkin and make homemade apple crisp. Here are a few of my favorite spots: DeMerit Hill Farm, Butternut Farm, Apple Hill Farm, and Smolak Farms (near Boston).
My last fall mention is related to my home city of nine years, Boston. While the city does get some good fall foliage, the highlight of fall for me is the decorations in Beacon Hill. This iconic neighborhood with old brick houses and cobblestone streets spares no expense when it comes to decorating for the season. Pumpkins, spiderwebs, and larger than life haunted house decor transforms this neighborhood into a fall fantasy.
So whether you drive up to the mountains to stay in the city, there is no shortage of great ways to spend fall in New England. It happens to be my favorite time of year there, and I hope this guide provides you with some great socially distanced ideas for fall.
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