Bucket List Destinations – October – New England Leaf-peeping

This is the third time the US makes my bucket list but that’s hardly surprisingly given how vast it is and the number of incredible destinations there are. For an even more exotic alternative, autumn in Japan is second only to the cherry blossom season. Depending on where you start, this trip can be done from mid-September through to late October and I would recommend trying to finish up around Halloween – that’s worth a trip in itself! To do that you might find you want to run the route backwards, as a lot of the coastal activity winds down in mid-October. My route will start in New York, taking in the Catskills, the Adirondacks, the White Mountains and Acadia National Park before ending in Boston. You’ll tick off five states en route but it’s perfectly manageable in 2-3 weeks.

There’s not much that hasn’t already been said about NYC. My advice is if it’s your first time give yourself at least three nights to get acquainted and stay central. If you’ve been before consider Chelsea or Brooklyn, get to know the neighbourhoods and visit the places you missed last time!

It’s time to hit the road. Avoid Manhattan traffic by picking the car up from Newark Airport –and head out on Route 87 – your highway to the Catskills and the first signs of the autumn colours. Stop off at Ashokan Reservoir for a walk and then you’ll be following the creek up to the country inns, cute boutiques and mountainous scenery of Phonecia, Fleischmanns and beyond to Roxbury – there are several places to stop in this area if you’d like to spend a night or two before heading up to re-join the I-28 and moving into the Adirondacks. With over 9,000 square miles of national park and over 40 peaks over 4,000 feet, to say the scenery is majestic is an understatement. Head through the gateway town of touristy Lake George and drive on to base yourself at Lake Placid. Home of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics, the town still attracts elite athletes to train. You can even join in yourself with a partnered bobsled! The area boasts over 2,000 miles of hiking trails, as well as all the lakes, rivers and mountains you could ever wish to explore.

Next up we’re heading across the border into Vermont – this requires a ferry across Lake Champlain to Burlington, Vermont’s largest city but this college town still retains a much more laid-back attitude. A night or two here wouldn’t hurt, giving you a chance to explore the lake's islands, the local brewery or, for a bit of culture you’ve got the Fleming Museum at the University of Vermont housing art from Native Americans through to Andy Warhol or the eclectic collection at the Shelburne in town.

We’re heading to Montpellier but en route there are a couple of quirky stop-offs that might be of interest around the Stowe area. Just after the turn-off at Waterbury you’ll find Ben & Jerry’s factory for all those ice-cream lovers. Further up is the Trapp Family Lodge, a name easily recognised by any Sound of Music fans and still run by descendants of the family the film is based on. If it’s open, head to Smuggler’s Notch, a little further up the 108 for some extra-special scenery. Following any diversions head to Montpellier, Vermont’s capital and the US’s smallest. Great for food lovers this is worth a pit-stop and a leg-stretch around the City House (see, too small for a City Hall even) before the drive east into New Hampshire.

It’s worth taking the US-2 to drop you down onto the I-93 as that will bring you through Franconia Notch State Park, with a narrow mountain pass and visitor centre with details of walks in this area. The twin towns of Lincoln and North Woodstock make a good stop-off for the night before you take the Kancamagus Highway – 35 miles of New England scenery at its best, cutting through the White Mountains National forest from Lincoln to Conway. There’s very little development for the entire stretch, so enjoy the views from scenic lookouts and trails. Two highlights are Lily Pond where you might spot moose and the 20-minute hike to Sabbaday Falls.

You’re now heading for the coast – first up is Portsmouth, the third oldest city in the US and proud of its maritime history. Activities here include a cruise around the harbour or a visit to Strawberry Banke’s collection of over 40 buildings in the living-history museum; alternatively you can check out the beached submarine the USS Albacore. From here you’ll be taking the same route to and from Bar Harbor (you can always fly back to Boston if you're short on time), so here's my suggested route. On the way up pass through Portland and drive the coast road to bed down in Boothbay Harbor, renowned for lobsters and incredible views.

Our final stop is Bar Harbor, around a three-hour, very scenic drive. Bar Harbor is the gateway to Acadia National Park which includes the coastline and is the perfect place to base yourself for a few day’s exploration. You have the wonderful coast and plenty of water-related activities from cruises to kayaking and follow the park loop road for the highlights of beaches, dramatic cliffs and Atlantic coast scenery (don’t miss Thunder Hole), walking trails and Cadillac Mountain. As well as hiking, several miles of carriage roads allow for cycling and there are also ranger-led programmes to get the most out of the park’s natural attractions.

Once you’ve had your fill of Bar Harbor we’re heading back along the coast, this time stopping at Camden before heading to Portland. This revitalised city boasts plenty of galleries and museums, including the poet Longfellow’s childhood home, as well as great food centred around the restored Old Port area.

When you can tear yourself away we have our final drive to Boston – it’s an absolute must to at least do some of the Freedom Trail starting at Boston Common as this offers the perfect introduction to the many facets of the city and the huge amount of history here. Don’t miss Faneuil Hall, the fabulous market place for a well-deserved lunch before you reach USS Constitution (better known as Old Ironsides) and Bunker Hill. There’s so much to see here it’s best to get the low-down on what’s on, whether that’s basketball, opera or whale-watching and then fit in the sightseeing around your chosen events. And a final tip from me – if you are in Boston on Halloween don’t even think about driving to Salem, it’s just not worth it!!

To find out more about this trip and how it could easily be tailored to include Cape Cod or Canada, just get in touch!