lo2e

It's starting! The heat has been turned on in my house, and the picture above is just down the street from my house, so it must be time for the annual New England Fall Foliage thread.

We've had some pretty cold nights (including frost already in some parts of Maine, just not outside my door yet), and not much rain to speak of in the last couple weeks.

Here's the site to visit for foliage info in Maine - http://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/projec...ge/index.shtml

New Hampshire - http://www.visitnh.gov/4-seasons/fall-harvest/foliage/

Vermont - http://www.foliage-vermont.com/

Out of my Element

My landlord (aka my wife) won't turn the heat on until "summer is officially over". Got down to 60 in my house overnight.

Meanwhile, I don't see a picture, above, but that's ok, I can wait for Fall.

Analise

I wish we had your weather. Summer won't let go of its grip in NYC. It will be humid with temps going to 80º tomorrow. I can't wait for the cool temps to stay. Yesterday's weather, however, was a dream.

PWMTrav

I'm so glad I put in a mini split 2 years ago. My heat's on at night and I'm just glad it's not oil burning season quite yet.

Blumie

Book your hotel rooms now!
I was in Vermont this past weekend, and even though it's too early for leaf season, except maybe in the northern most part of the state, hotel rooms throughout the state were very hard to come by.
I ended up passing up a $250 room at the Hampton Inn Brattleboro (which later was snapped up, as the hotel was showing up as sold out later that day) in favor of a $94 2* hotwire hotel in Brattleboro, which turned out to be the very David Lynch-ian Econo Lodge.

PV_Premier

I was in Burlington and Chittenden this past weekend, the leaves were really starting to fire up in the mountains near Chittenden by Sunday, I'd expect in the next 10-14 days it will be very good. Burlington at lower elevation was a little further behind.

Temps were in the low 60's Thurs-Sat and warmer on Sunday. Beautiful weekend.

We spent one night at the Essex Spa outside BTV -- paid $80 for a room on priceline and it was an excellent deal ^^

PWMTrav

There are pockets starting to turn in Southern Maine. I'm really hoping for some color at the Fryeburg Fair this weekend.

lo2e

I think I'll be there this weekend too, and I'm pretty sure there will be some color - they've had a bunch of cool nights this last week or two, according to some relatives I have in the area.

Yahtzee

My parents, who really aren't very mobile anymore, will visit in a couple of weeks. Any suggestions for vistas at an easy-access park or the like within 60-90 minutes of Boston? Maybe some place out Route 2?

lo2e

I found THIS LIST which has two locales that would fit the 60-90 minute time frame - one in Lynn and one in Sudbury. And perhaps the one in Sudbury could be combined with a meal at the Inn, as suggested in the article. No idea of accessibility on either one though.

PWMTrav

The leaves around Scarborough marsh, and the marsh grass itself, are turning. It's time

Blumie

I wouldn't expect a lot of color within 60-90 minutes of Boston this early, but still there are some beautiful drives which undoubtedly will include some early signs of color.

I'd start by taking the Trapelo Road exit off of I-95 (Route 128) and heading towards Lincoln. (If coming up 95 North, take exit 28B; if coming down 95 South, take exit 28 and turn right at the end of the exit ramp.) Once you get off the highway, you'll be in Waltham for about half a mile, and then you'll cross over the Cambridge Reservoir into Lincoln, and should be able to enjoy beautiful vistas across the reservoir. (When the colors do change, this is one of the prettiest views in the area.)

Continue on Trapelo Road about another mile or so into Lincoln until you reach the stop sign. Proceed straight across the intersection, bearing ever so slightly to the left onto Sandy Pond Road. Go another half mile or so and turn left onto Baker Bridge Road. Follow this to the end and turn right on Concord Road (Route 126), which will take you directly past Walden Pond on the left. (If your parents are able enough, consider parking and walking down to the pond.)

Continue on Concord Road across Route 2 (at which point it becomes Walden St.) Follow Walden St. into the heart of historic Concord. At the end of Walden St., turn right on Main St. and then, at the next big intersection, left on Lowell Road and the second right on Monument St. Follow Monument St. until it ends at Route 225 in Carlisle (its name changes to River Rd. at some point). Turn left on Route 225 (Bedford Rd.) into Carlisle, and then turn left after a mile or so on Concord St., which will bring you all the way back to Concord Center (Concord St. becomes Lowell Rd. along the way).

At a leisurely pace I would guess this is about a 60-90 minute drive and includes beautiful New England scenery and a decent chance of seeing some early color. It also offers opportunities to stop and walk -- at Walden Pond and in Concord Center -- if your parents are up to it. Another option for stopping along the way is at the Decordova Museum on Sandy Pond Rd. in Lincoln. Even if you're not interested in going into the indoor exhibit spaces, they have a wonderful outdoor sculpture park that you can explore at your leisure.

Yahtzee

Thanks, Blumie. We're talking Columbus Day weekend so those look like good suggestions. They've been to Walden Pond and the DeCordova but always good to go back to both. Still may need to head into NH to see some mountains.

Those look good too, lo2e.

Blumie

I have a bias towards Vermont over NH. Maybe head out Route 2, pick up Route 140 around Westminster, MA, to Route 12 to Keene, NH, and then Route 9 west to Brattleboro. It'll take about two hours to get to Brattleboro from the Boston area.

BostonFlyer1624

Was in VT this weekend as well. Some really nice color coming in, but, as noted above, another week or two until the peak.