Welcome to the ULTIMATE New England fall Travel Guide for the fall! For reference, my husband and I visited in the fall of 2023, and each year is different when the leaves turn their brilliant orange, red and yellow colors! We were here starting in Boston on October 10th. We rented a car and drove up to Stowe, Vermont for three days, and went to New Hampshire on October 13th and then to Maine on October 14th-17th. We drove back down to Boston to return the rental car, and hopped on a plane from there!
Something that you’ll have to keep in mind before planning your trip to New England, is when the fall foliage will be peak! We were actually misguided by using the popular online “foliage tracking guide”. Unfortunately, we had to find out for ourselves that it was off by a few days!
Ultimate New England Fall Travel Guide
That’s why I’m here to help you see the BEST peak fall foliage, and find out how to plan the best fall trip ever! I recommend booking your trip for either the last week of September or the first or second week of October.
When should I start planning my New England fall trip?
When starting to think of planning… There are a few ways you could do it!
- Pre-plan and pre-book your hotels, flights, rental car (risk: missing some of the fall foliage if you’re early or late to peak fall foliage)
- Have no pre-booked hotels and follow where the fall foliage is (risk: hotels in the area you want to be could be sold out or over priced for last minute booking)
- Go camping (risk: many campgrounds will be closing this time of year)
What’s the best option here?
The best option is honestly up to you! If it’s more important that you have a hotel booked in advance so you won’t have to worry about it, then I’d plan for a few days at each hotel so you can ensure to see peak foliage! You might even have to drive a few hours one day to see more colors (we did that) and it turned out great!
If it’s more important to you that you see the peak foliage, and you don’t care as much where you sleep… Then I’d consider just waiting until you get there to see where you want to be!
We chose to book 3 nights in Stowe, Vermont and in the area, so we could relax for a few days enjoying all that Vermont has to offer. We were willing to drive around Vermont those 3 days to see it all. Then, we wanted to spend several nights in Maine, so we drove through New Hampshire on the way and stayed at the Omni Mount Washington, which is right by EPIC mountain views and hikes (Crawford Notch in the White Mountains).
What’s the best route when planning my New England trip? |
I suggest flying into Boston, Massachusetts. It’s cheaper most of the time, and for rental cars too it tends to be cheaper. This is the route we took, starting in Vermont and it worked out really well and we had the trip of a lifetime! This is what we did:
Let’s plan your New England trip!
If you start out in Stowe, Vermont… This is what you’re going to find! 🙂 I’ve put together A TON of helpful tips and the top BEST things to do in Stowe!
7 full day itinerary: Ultimate New England Travel Guide
This was the 7 day itinerary that we did on our New England Fall road trip. We flew into Boston, rented a car, and drove straight up to Stowe! This was the first 3 days of our trip! Then we drove to New Hampshire to Crawford Notch in the White Mountains, and then drove to Maine. I hope this 7 day itinerary helps you plan your perfect trip to Stowe, Vermont!
The third day we actually had a FAIL. I didn’t include the “fail” into the itinerary, so I included something else fun to do 🙂
The “fail” was driving to Woodstock to see the “famous Sleepy Hollow Farm”. It is CLOSED to the public as of fall 2023! The road to see the farm is closed by signs and police officers! Everyone should know this, because we were led astray. The Sleepy Hollow Farm is THE most photographed spot in Vermont for the fall foliage. So, now you cannot access it. There were too many tourists blocking the roads, and being disrespectful to the homeowners.
I kept a scenic drive to Woodstock because it’s still really beautiful drive! And there’s cute little mom and pop shops along the way where you can get apple cider, and treats!
Day 1:
Visit the Cold Hollow Cider Mill
Take photos at the famous Community Church viewpoint
Have dinner at American Flatbread
Day 2:
Get up early & take a scenic drive to Woodstock and back
Visit the famous Ben & Jerry’s
Hike Bingham Falls in Smugglers Notch
Have some fun at Percys corn maze
Eat at the Backyard restaurant (you have to have the Speciality tater tots! We got the buffalo chicken tots!) Located in downtown Stowe
Day 3:
Hike to Sterling Pond to Spruce Peak
Take a ride on the Stowe Gondola
Eat a sweet treat at the top of the mountain at the Waffle
Head to downtown Stowe and stroll behind the church on the Stowe Recreation Path
Walk around downtown Stowe for souvenirs
Eat dinner at the restaurant Whip (located in the heart of downtown Stowe)
Day 4:
Drive to New Hampshire
Hike Artists Bluff
Hike at Crawford Notch the Elephant Head hike
Visit the famous Kancamagus Highway the Hairpin turn
Stay the night at the Omni Mount Washington Resort
Day 5:
Drive the scenic route south of Crawford Notch (reference my google maps above)
Go to Acadia National Park and hike the Beehive Trail
Take a beautiful fall stroll on the Jesup path
Drive around Acadia National Park the entire circle drive (breathtaking – the ultimate FALL drive!)
Eat dinner and walk around Bar Harbor
Day 6:
Go canoeing or kayaking around Acadia (there are TONS of locations here!)
Visit the beach at Sand Beach in Acadia or go on another hike
Eat dinner and shop souvenirs around Bar Harbor
Day 7:
Drive down to Boston
Maybe stop for a quick cannoli at Mike’s Pastry (the best cannoli’s ever!)
Return your rental car and stay at a hotel that offers airport shuttle (if you rented your car outside of the airport)
Uber for dinner and pack for your flight the next day!
Stowe, Vermont | First stop on the New England Trip
Where is Stowe Vermont?
Stowe, Vermont is located at the foot of Mount Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak. Stowe is best-known for a hallmark movie experience in the charming downtown. It has the best apple cider, beautiful hiking and biking, incredible restaurants, ski resort at the Lodge at Spruce Peak, and cute bed & breakfast Inn’s. It’s the home of the original Ben & Jerry’s! There’s so much Stowe has to offer, so let’s dive in to the BEST things to do in Stowe, Vermont! 🙂
Best places to stay in Stowe Vermont, or near Stowe?
I’d recommend booking ahead because it does sell out quickly in the town of Stowe! Here are my top recommendations for places to stay in Stowe (be sure to book ahead). If you’re booking for the fall in Stowe, Vermont, plan on the last week of September or the first week of October.
- The Lodge at Spruce Peak (Stowe’s only ski-in and ski-out resort)
- The Butler House (in the heart of downtown Stowe)
- The Green Mountain Inn (free ski shuttles & in heart of downtown Stowe)
Best places to stay near Stowe:
We were unable to stay in Stowe, because we couldn’t find available reservations (we were booking about a week in advance in our trip). We ended up staying 1 night at a bed & breakfast called the Griff Inn, in Waitsfield, Vermont, which is 45 minutes away from Stowe. And we also stayed 2 nights at a condo in Sugarbush Ski Resort, Warren, Vermont, which is 48 minutes away from Stowe.
Best times to visit Stowe?
Stowe is an all-season destination! In the summer, you can enjoy hiking, biking and swimming! In the fall, you can enjoy seasonal leaf-peeping (the best place to see vibrant leaves!). In the winter, enjoy skiing and shoe shoeing at Smugglers Notch and take the Stowe Gondola for a winter snow globe experience! In the spring, you can enjoy fresh maple syrup and wildflowers!
10 Best Things To Do in Stowe, Vermont:
The best things to do in Stowe, Vermont, in my opinion, will be your favorite too! I’m including a variety of activities for all ages including hiking, restaurants, activities, nice walking paths, and the BEST photography places! Not to mention, these are the best places to see fall foliage in Stowe, Vermont!
1. Hike Moss Glen falls | Hiking in Stowe, Vermont
Moss Glen Falls located just outside of Stowe, Vermont is a must-see, easy hike! It’s perfect for a fall day! If you’re visiting Stowe, add this to your bucket-list if you’d like a quick and beautiful hike to see the cascading falls!
I’ve created a Moss Glen Falls hiking trail guide for more details!
Hiking Stats:
Distance: 0.6 miles roundtrip (to the falls and back)
Difficulty: Easy
Length of time: 20 minutes out and back (depending how many times you stop to take photos or break)
Elevation Gain: 150 Ft.
Cliff notes: Parking is right beside the trail head. You’ll follow the easy to see path ahead, and it’ll bring you to the river. You’ll continue to follow the river until you see a fork in the trail. If you go to the left and climb up, it’ll take you to the top of the falls. Bring tennis shoes, the climbing part can be slippery if muddy. If you go to the right of the fork, you’ll follow along the river to the falls and see them from the bottom.
The google maps location can be found here at the address 369-615 Moss Glen Falls Rd, Stowe, VT 05672 and will take you to the trailhead.
2. Stop by the Cold Hollow Cider Mill (best apple cider & cider donuts!)
The Cold Hollow Cider Mill is a must-see if you plan on visiting Stowe, Vermont! This authentic cider press is in action and ready to serve you the best apple cider you’ve ever tasted. I have a full detailed article of the Cold Hollow Cider Mill. I just had to add this stop to the New England Travel Guide!
It’s an apple cider farm nestled into the hills of Stowe, Vermont. They specialize in making the best apple cider in Vermont, and the legendary Cider Mill donuts. They also make jams, maple syrup, pies, all kinds of bakery items. They have a hard cider tasting room, where you can taste the best hard ciders!
There is a little cafe on the site, and you can enjoy a nice breakfast or lunch while visiting the cider mill. They have breakfast items, paninis, wraps, salads, sandwiches and soups. For more information visit their website here! You can purchase their products directly online! Everyone can have a taste of the legendary apple cider from the famous apples in Vermont!
The google maps location is here so you can find it easily!
3. Visit the famous “church photography spot”
We searched around a long-time to find this spot. It wasn’t easy to find, so I made it easy for you! It’s called “the Stowe Community Church viewpoint“.
The famous photographed spot of the Stowe Community Church, can be found in a parking lot. We parked behind the church (for free) and walked through downtown Stowe, across the little bridge, and behind the Tangerine & Olive gift shop. If you drive straight there, you’ll have to pay for parking in the little gravel parking lot.
4. Percy’s Corn Maze
The Percy Corn maze is located in the beautiful town of Stowe, Vermont. It’s a fun activity for you, your family, kids of all ages and even your dog! It takes about 30-40 minutes to complete. We made af friend on the trail and started talking, so it took us over an hour! The maze in the fall is one of my top things to do in Stowe, Vermont easily!!
It costs 8 per adult, kids 7 and under are free.
It’s open mid summer to late fall. It’s a must do for the fall 🙂
5. Visit the famous Ben & Jerry’s | New England Travel Guide
The Ben & Jerry’s site is the only factory open to the public. It’s the very FIRST factory, built in 1985. And continues to manufacture 350,000 pints per day while offering fans a sneak peek at their humble beginning!
When we came to this location, it was PACKED. There were like 3-4 bus loads of people and a huge line. I would 100% recommend going early in the morning.
You can book a factory tour at the Ben & Jerry’s original factory!
6. Hike to Bingham Falls in Smugglers Notch State Park | Hiking in Stowe, Vermont
Bingham Falls located in Smugglers Notch State Park. It’s a must-see, easy hike! It’s perfect for a fall day! If you’re visiting Stowe, Vermont, this is one of my top things to do in Stowe!
Quick hiking stats:
Distance: 0.5 miles roundtrip (to the falls and back)
Difficulty: Easy
Length of time: 20 minutes out and back (depending how many times you stop to take photos or break)
Elevation Gain: 157 Ft.
Cliff notes:
Parking is alongside both sides of the road by the trailhead. The trailhead is located right off the main road through Smugglers Notch. Once you park and start down the Bingham Falls trail, you’ll find it’s a flat trail through the trees all the way to the waterfall. You can go to the right and hike down to the base of the falls, and hike along the river there for more cascades.
Bingham falls is located in Smugglers Notch State Park, which is in Stowe, Vermont. Once you enter the state park, you can find the trailhead via Route 108/Mountain Road, 6.4 miles west of the Route 100/108 intersection in Stowe village.
You can find the Google Maps location to the head here!
7. Take a stroll through the downtown of Stowe
Downtown Stowe has so many cute shops to explore and photo opportunities! There’s several restaurants too along this main strip. We parked behind the Stowe Community Church. We walked around the Stowe Recreation Path, and then up around the town over to the church photography viewpoint. We cross this little bridge along the way that was really cute, and definitely a photo opportunity!
8. Walk or bike down the Stowe Recreation Path
The Stowe Recreation Path is a 5.3-mile paved public path that’s free to use and easy to access! It starts in the historic Stowe Village, parking behind the church, and ends at a beautiful covered bridge! Everyone can enjoy scenic views along the mostly flat and level trail. It’s especially gorgeous in the fall. It’s the perfect fall bike ride!
9. Take a Gondola Ride
See Vermont’s greatest views the easy way by taking the Stowe Gondola SkyRide! From the top of Mount Mansfield (Vermont’s highest mountain) you can access the Cliff House restaurant, visit the Summit Retail Gift Shop and enjoy a sweet treat at The Waffle. This is a beautiful way to see fall foliage, snow mountains, and the best views in Smugglers Notch!
You can get your tickets either day of in person or online by visiting their website.
10. Eat at the American Flatbread restaurant
If you’re a pizza lover, you’ll LOVE this wood-fire pizza cooked where you can see it! We sat right by the fire, and it was the perfect ending to a fall day! We got the warm apple cider along with our pizzas and it was wonderful! This is one of the best restaurants in Stowe, Vermont!
New Hampshire | Second Stop on the New England Trip
Drive from Vermont to New Hampshire! You can stop at Artists Bluff on the way to Crawford Notch. We drove on through, but it’s a beautiful spot to stop at too!
We needed a quick and easy hike along our road trip, so we chose Elephant Head hike. It was a really pretty overlook of awesome fall foliage!
The Elephant Head hike is located in Crawford Notch in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It’s perfect for that overlook of the Crawford Notch. If you’re visiting the White Mountains in New Hampshire, be sure to check out this article to help you decide if this his a hike you want to add to your list of the best hike in the White Mountains.
I’ll share how long the hike is, the duration, what you’ll expect to see along the way, if it’s dangerous or not!
Quick hiking stats:
Distance: 0.6 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: Easy
Length of time: 15-20 minutes to the overlook
Elevation Gain: 157 Ft.
Cliff notes: You’ll park alongside the road, there’s parking close to the trailhead. You’ll take Webster-Jackson trail first for 0.1 miles. Then, you’ll see a sign to take a right on the Elephant Head trail, and the overlook is only 0.2 miles from that point. You’ll follow the trail then you’ll see a giant rock and you’ll gradually climb up it and end up at the overlook! Very easy, quiet and fun!
How do I get to the Elephant Head hike in the White Mountains, New Hampshire?
You’ll get to the Elephant Head hike by visiting Crawford Notch in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. You’ll start at the Webster-Jackson trailhead, and hike the trail until you see the sign for Elephant Head. You’ll follow the sign and take a right for 0.2 miles until you come to the overlook.
Here’s the google maps link and maps! It doesn’t show on the map the outline of the trail on Google, but that is where the trail head is!
How long does it take to hike Elephant Head trail?
It took us about 15 minutes to hike to the top of the rock. The reason it’s called “Elephant Head” is because from a distance it looks like an elephant’s head, haha!
Out and back 30 minutes total if you don’t plan on taking photos. If you’re a picture-taker like we are, plan for an hour for this hike total! You’ll want to get lots of pretty pictures at the top! 🙂
What should I expect to see?
You should expect to see the trailhead right by the road and it’ll say Webster-Jackson.
You’ll take that trail to the Elephant Head trail which is only 0.1 miles along the trail. You’ll then take a right at the sign and follow it up to the lookout.
Should I add this to my list of the best hike in the White Mountains?
I definitely think this is one of the best hikes in Crawford Notch and the White Mountains! I would even say this is one of the best hikes in New Hampshire. If you like a big pay off for a beautiful view with not that much effort, this is up your alley!
This is the perfect hike especially if you’re on a road trip and want something quick, easy with a beautiful view that’s photogenic!
Be sure to add this to your list of the best fall hikes in New Hampshire! I mean, check out these colors of fall foliage!!
Where should I stay near Crawford Notch, New Hampshire?
My favorite hotel in the White Mountains is the Omni Mount Washington Resort. Here are my top 2 recommendations for places to stay. There’s the resort and then they have an Inn on the same site as the Omni for a little cheaper.
They’re both located on the same property! And it’s PERFECT because they’re just right down the street a few minutes away from Crawford Notch in the White Mountains.
Is Elephant Head hike safe for kids?
Absolutely. We saw hardly anyone on this hike, because it’s not that well-known. Yet… But kids can absolutely do this hike. Just make sure they don’t get close to the edge of the overlook at the top!
What should I wear to hike Crawford Notch?
You should wear tennis shoes for this hike, that you don’t mind getting muddy. I personally like water-proof hiking boots, with black leggings and then I layer up from there! I originally was wearing 4 layers on this hike, no joke, because it was 35 degrees and raining. But once we got to the top, I went down to 2 layers and took off my big jacket.
If you’d like to check out my outfits that I wore on our New England Fall Road Trip, go to my Like To Know It and you can shop my exact outfits!
Maine | Third Stop on the New England Fall Trip
The Beehive Loop Trail is located in Acadia National Park. It’s a must-see hike! It’s perfect for a fall day, with plenty of overlooks throughout the entire hike. If you’re visiting Acadia National Park, I recommend adding this hike to your bucket list! This hike is ONE OF THE MOST FUN hikes I’ve ever done 🙂
I’ve put together this article to share how long the hike is, the duration, what you’ll expect to see along the way and if I think it’s dangerous or not! This hike has been known to raise suspicion being too dangerous but I will show you visuals what to expect and you can judge for yourselves if this is something you feel comfortable doing!
Quick hiking stats:
Distance: 1.5 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: Moderate-hard (some scurrying and climbing)
Length of time: 1-3 (depending how many times you stop to take photos or break)
Elevation Gain: 508 Ft.
Cliff notes: Go counterclockwise (where most people go) around the loop, so you’ll be climbing up first. If you’re afraid of heights, maybe don’t try this one. I’m a little scared of heights and I was okay with my husband being behind me the whole time. You need to wear good grip sturdy shoes! This hike starts out as a slope through the trees hiking on rocks. Then you start to climb!
The parts you have to climb up have metal railings, so that makes it easier. The width is that of a sidewalk when you’re walking along the cliffside. You’ll climb for maybe 45 minutes to reach the top and then the rest of the loop is smooth sailing. You’ll descend down the mountain and it’s very easy. Dogs aren’t allowed on this hike, so leave the fur babies at home!
How do I get to the Beehive Loop Trail in Acadia National Park?
The Beehive loop trail is located in Acadia National Park. You’ll need a national park pass to get in. I recommend purchasing a national park pass!
Once you enter the park, you can drive to the trailhead and parking is alongside the one-way road. The Beehive trailhead is located across from Sand Beach.
You can easily find the trailhead here!https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=10XU4gIg1naxKW9P1PtdgXckiyHI7o68&ehbc=2E312F
How long does it take to hike?
The hike takes an average of an hour to three hours totally depending on your speed, how busy it is, and how quick you are at climbing up ladders and using rails.
It took us about 45 minutes to climb up to the top, and about 30 minutes to hike back down. We stopped and took a lot of photos and videos though. Which you will definitely want to as well. Be sure to check out my photography gear at the bottom of the page! We were on this hike for about 2 hours.
If you are an average hiker, I would estimate about 2 hours to complete the entire loop, take photos, take breaks and enjoy the views! 🙂
What should I expect?
You should expect to start out at the trailhead and climb uphill for about 0.2 miles until you reach an intersection. There is a huge rock pile there in the middle of the intersection, can’t miss it. I’ll show you with photos what this looks like! You’ll take a right at the intersection to go counter clock wise up the mountain.
After you go to the right of the intersection, you’ll start to climb up the mountain rock formations. I honestly didn’t think the climbing was that hard at all. I saw some older kids doing this hike. But if you are afraid of heights, I wouldn’t recommend.
It is thought one of the MOST fun hikes I’ve ever done in my life. There are insane views almost the entire way up! Plus, it’s fun (in my opinion) climbing up the ladders and rocks!
See there are these incredible overlooks all the way up! It is a very crowded hike, so you do have to wait in lines from time to time. But, it’s still SO worth it!
This is the overlook right before you reach the summit of the Acadia beehive trail.
At the summit, there is a huge open rock area to take all kinds of photos and freely walk around! I even saw this beautiful sea gull 🙂 Isn’t he cute?!
Is the Beehive Loop Trail dangerous?
Overall, I don’t think it is… if you know how to hike and climb up rocks! If you’re unstable, fear of heights, I’d recommend skipping this one. I did see kids hiking it, so I don’t want you to think it’s super scary of anything because I honestly thought it was pretty easy!
Is it worth adding it to top things to do in Maine?
Absolutely! It was my favorite hike we did in Maine, and actually my favorite activity out of all of the things we did in Maine! There are beautiful views the entire way up, and it makes this hike super fun and unique!
What should I wear?
I would 100% recommend wearing shoes that have no slip and great grip! It was about 50 degrees outside (which to me is freezing because I live in Hawaii), and I took off my layers as soon as we started climbing. I just had a shirt on, some jeans and hiking boots!
If you’d like to shop my fall outfits I wore on this trip to New England be sure to shop at my Like To Know It! You can click on each post and it’ll show you my linked products or similar items if they’re out of stock.
Where should I stay near Acadia National Park?
Here are my top three recommendations for hotels to stay! My biggest tip is to book EARLY ahead of time. These hotels book out super fast, especially during peak foliage season when we went.
Next stop on your New England fall travel guide…
Now your fall road trip will be coming to a close starting in Vermont and ending in Maine. It’ll be time to drive back to Boston, return the rental car and hop on a plane!
This is what we did… We rented a car from outside of the airport because it was cheaper. Sometimes it’s more hassle though, so I don’t always recommend that. In this case, that’s what we did. So, we drove to Boston from Maine which is a long 4 hour and 40 minute drive.
I recommend stopping and getting a treat in Boston and walking around the beautiful historic district! We went to Mike’s Pastry, had the BEST cannoli’s of all time, then walked around and saw a lot of history! We even walked to the Old North Church!
If you rented your car outside of the airport, you can return it, and Uber to your hotel. I recommend always getting a hotel that has airport shuttle! This wraps up the ultimate new england fall travel guide!
Ultimate New England Travel Guide Conclusions!
I hope this article helped you decide your top things to do in New England! You can use this guide for the summer, winter and spring also! The amazing thing about traveling in New England is there’s stuff to do year-around! In my personal opinion, I think the fall in New England is the best time to visit. I’ve been many places for the fall foliage, and New England absolutely takes the cake on this one!
If you’re planning your trip to the Northeast for the fall, I highly recommend saving this article with all of the Google maps directions and use it as your New England Fall Travel Guide!
Thanks for reading!! 🙂
