The Time to Plan a New England Fall Foliage Getaway Is Now

Like many southern New Englanders, my wife and I have talked for years about enjoying some time in northern New England during the fall foliage season.

Unfortunately, we don't think about it until it's too late and the leaves have departed the trees.

"We should have planned a few days in Vermont this year," one of us will say.

"Yeah, let's be sure to do it next year," the other will reply.

This is the year.

Northern New England is full of beautiful and charming country inns, spas, resorts, cabins, and condos for rent. There are fabulous vistas from the mountaintops to valley floors, just teeming with spectacular fall colors.

There are also oodles of people pursuing the perfect fall foliage getaway, too.

Reservations are essential since the leaf-peeping season is brief. You need to know when to go "up north" and where to stay. The time for planning is now.

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U.S. News & World Report says, "For peak (or close to peak) fall foliage in 2023, plan to visit New England the first week of October."

Jeff "Foliage" Folger, a photographer and former fall foliage blogger for Yankee Magazine, tells U.S. News & World Report, "With El Nino possibly impacting our autumn, I think we may see a bit of a 'slow-burn,' which means the fall colors are slow to develop."

That means the arrival of the more brilliant colors might be slightly later than normal.

Foley's website, New England Fall Foliage, is a plethora of great information about where to find the best foliage and when.

Town & Country recommends 15 "incredible spots to see fall foliage across New England."

New England, from the editors at Yankee, includes peak fall foliage maps and things to do and see between leaf-peeping.

If you think I am kidding when I say to plan now, my wife and I booked the Stone Hill Inn in Stowe, Vermont in April for Columbus Day week in October.

We got the last reservation.