Off to New England with my partner for two weeks in early October. Who’s been?

Obviously there will be lots of looking at different coloured leaves, but what else should we not miss while we’re there? Particularly outdoors stuff.

We’ll be based with friends in Connecticut, but hoping to get around a bit so suggestions in New York State, Mass., Rhode Island, New Hampshire, maybe Vermont and Maine if really special, welcome.

Connecticut is really nothing special (much of it is urban sprawl). I’m there tomorrow for work. So fairly
Obvious head to NYC for the sights and head north for better beaches (probably too cold in October) and definitely
Inland for fabulous countryside.

Cheers. Any more specifics on beaches (don’t mind the cold, from the north east) or countryside – there’s a lot of it? Adirondacks or Catskills?

Surprisingly very little legally accessible outdoors areas. I made the mistake of taking a bike to Connecticut once, and found there were very few places I could ride legally. New England is very conservative and insular, and not really a place you can just roam around freely. I’m sure there are places to ride, I just didn’t find any (based in Hartford).

The beaches around Portsmouth NH are really nice. In October the water will probably make your plums disappear, but there could be good surfing. We just stayed in New Castle, right beside Portsmouth, a couple of weeks ago – love that part of the world.

Also Boston > New York for me, much nicer place to spend time once past the wow factor of NY.

Thats a big old area ! Vermont in the fall was always spectacular, nearer the time you can look and see where the colours are best, various websites track the chnaging leaves. I have visited most of the ski towns like Stowe, Sugarbush (both have nice lodges) and Stockbridge with the famous artist Norman Rockwell’s museum. Cape Cod is well worth a visit imho, stunning dunes and beaches. Many pretty towns such as Chatham and West Quay, we did whale watching from Provincetown but I don’t think October is a particularly good time. Martime museum at Mystic is great, all sorts of activities. Don’t know the conneticut shore so well. Hancock Shaker Village is Mass we enjoyed too. Newport Rhode Island, we visited the Kennedy mansion but I think thats no longer open

Have a search about, as I said its a big area you are thinking of.

[video]https://youtu.be/9tlNJmjuKD4[/video]

If you like children’s literature, head inland from Boston. First stop Dr Seuss museum in Springfield and the basketball hall of fame, then get the F*** out of Springfield cos it’s a bit of a dive and go to the Eric Carle museum in Amherst. If you prefer seaside and beer, go to Maine! Portland has a dozen or so breweries and the lobster is to die for all the way up the coast. Shaws wharf at New Harbor is fantastic and the village itself looks like the backlot for an episode of scooby doo.
The white mountains in NH are great for walking, vat free shipping in that state too and there are loads of cheap factory outlets in the Conway area. Don’t forget to buy some maple syrup 🙂

Vermont and Maine would be my shout.

Lots of outdoorsy stuff in Vermont, lots of lobsters in Maine.

As above, New Hampshire specifically th Conway area is the place to be in leaf peeping season. We spent 3 weeks there last September at a friends place. The area is surrounded by the White Mountains, and I’d highly recommend a trip down th Kancamangus Highway.

It’s a 34 mile scenic road, with no shops and buildings along the route, and it twists and turns through the mountains and follows the river. During the fall it allows some of the best views.

The area also has loads of walking and shops, and 45 minutes north is Mount Washington, which includes an 8 miles toll road up to the 6200ft summit which is definitely worth a visit for the views (and wind) alone.

Happy to answer any other questions.

Cape Cod’s definitely on the list. Boston may be as we’re flying in and out of there so could spend a night or two en route.

Otherwise, it sounds like north is the way to head. I like the sound of beer and lobster in Maine ocrider.

Kancamangus Highway sounds great klaus, as does the White Mountains. I’m not sure about the idea of a road to the summit of a mountain, but hey, it’s America; when in Rome and all that.

I’m a bit of a sucker for maps and need little excuse to buy more – I’ve got an overview map at 1:500,000; any specific ones to recommend? Is there a go-to outdoors equivalent to our dear old OS?

Thanks for all the tips so far, keep ’em coming.

Kancamangus Highway sounds great klaus, as does the White Mountains. I’m not sure about the idea of a road to the summit of a mountain, but hey, it’s America; when in Rome and all that.

I lolled at this. We drove the Kancamangus Highway and did the unspeakable : parked up and hiked a bald topped mountain (Mt Chocorua) quite a few other people did too, in all fairness. It is a beautiful spot.

Best lobster rolls in New England: http://www.peteys.com/

Definetly go to Boston, best city we went to while out there, and agin so much to do, I’d say spend 2/3 nights there, get the trolley bus/boat around the city, walk the freedom trail, go to Quincy market, eat a cannoli at mikes/modern pastry, and pasta in the north end. If it isn’t clear, I love the place! Also a lot of lobster places.

We stayed at the Seaport Hotel, 10 minutes walk south of the centre, ace hotel near the harbour and world trade centre.

The White Mountains are amazing, and the place is huge (over twice the size of greater manchester!) The toll road to the summit is cool, you get to drive your own car up the tight twisty road, however the wife had to sit in the back in the way down as she was terrified.

As far as maps go, we borrowed them of our friends

Also in NH..

Diana’s Baths
Echo lake (fresh water lake with beach awesome for swimming)
Cathedral ledge
Cannon mountain
Flume gorge
Moat mountain pub
Settlers Green (tax free outlets)
Zeb’s General Store
Covered bridges
Sunday River (New England) for lift assisted mountain biking (runs until early October)

Did the camp America thing years back, spent 3 months living in the woods of Mass., loadd of biking and hiking trails out there, lbs could point you in the right direction.
Boston is great, had some great nights out there.
Salem was a bit meh, but cape cod was really nice

Mu post up there seems a bit negative, on reflection. I suppose I’m just a bit bitter about how my trip was not as great as I’d hoped. Well worth checking out accessibility of particular areas in advance though, I’d say.

My wife mentioned the Appalachian Trail, which she did part of with a friend a couple of years ago. That looks like it would be absolutely spectacular in autumn. Nothing like the colours in NE at that time of year.

I should point out that I’m not intending to do any biking… though maybe if I find some really nice trails I might be able to wangle a pass-out 😀

Walking is definitely in, had a brief look at the route of the AT a while back but will have a better look now I’m better informed.

I want to know what to avoid too clodhopper so your post is appreciated. We’re staying with friends in Manchester, near Hartford, but that’s the only reason we’re going there so if its not a particularly interesting area (as expected), we won’t hang around too long.

“its not a particularly interesting area “

It’s not. I couldn’t wait to get out of there to NY, then spent the rest of my trip there instead of going back.

Vermont and Maine are worth a visit.