leaf peeper (LEEF peep.ur) n. A person who, at the appropriate time during autumn, seeks out an area where many or most of the tree leaves have turned color.
For some, leaf peeping is a religion, albeit a seasonal one. The frenzied enthusiasm that erupts over the blanket of warm hues—royal crimsons, vermillions, tangerines, and ocres—that descends on wooded areas, tree-filled parks and back yards around much of the country come autumn can sometimes reach a fever pitch. The nice thing about taking in the fall foliage is that if you live in New England (the indisputable capital of leaf peeping), simply going for a country drive or for a bundled walk in the woods can serve as a foliage fix.
But, for others not lucky enough to live where the changing color of leaves reaches such dramatic heights, a bit more organization is required to participate in some of the season’s spotlight activities—coastal cruises, elaborate “sugaring off” ceremonies, guided tours with expert botanists, and snuggling in at rural bed and breakfasts. Not surprisingly, leaf peeping is big business, and those who don’t hop on the horse-drawn wagon early sometimes miss it altogether. Whether or not you’re a self-proclaimed practicing leaf peeper doesn’t really matter. Whether you enjoy one of Mother Nature’s most spectacular seasonal displays does, and for the budget traveler there are countless ways to enjoy the colors without spending a lot of green.
Reports are that weather this summer, which has been unusually rainy in the Northeast, created ideal conditions for a blaze of color come fall. Rain produces more growth, more growth produces more green, and more green during summer months means more color come September when colors seem to change almost overnight. A mini science lesson reveals that cell pigments called chlorophylls, which give leaves their green color, mask the other pigments in the leaves. But when the chlorophylls are broken down and used up in the tree’s food manufacturing process that’s induced when the weather changes, the masking effect fades, thereby releasing a riot of golds, yellows and oranges.
Click here to see a nifty interactive from Yankee Magazine on when to expect the most dramatic color changes, and where. In a nutshell, the trees will start to turn in the northernmost reaches of New England (along the Canadian borders in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont) starting Sept. 8. The change will slowly roll south over the following weeks with the final displays of color touching the tail of Rhode Island the week of Oct. 25. After Nov. 1, don't expect much more brown leaves and barren branches.
Leafy, lush Vermont
Vermont, the “greenest” state in the US, is a superb place to soak up the season. The state’s website even has an informative section devoted to experiencing the fall foliage at its zenith. From driving tours to in-depth listing of state parks keeping long hours through autumn for maximum enjoyment. A website called VermontVacation.com even has an up-to-the-minute Foliage Report outlining what a peeper can expect, where the trees are peaking, and where they’ve already passed.
“Tree species change at different times and provide an enormous range of colors. Swamp maples are one of the first tree species to turn. Oak, poplar and tamarack are often the last trees to turn from green to fall hues,” says Brian Stone, Vermont’s Chief of Forest Management.
Assuming you are taking the do-it-yourself approach and have your own set of wheels, you will need a place to stay while visiting the Green Mountain State. The Missisquoi Riverbend Bed & Breakfast in Troy, Vermont, for example, has a fall foliage package for $138 per person that includes two-night’s lodging, two country breakfasts, one dinner for two, one box lunch for two, and a couple of Aerial Tram tickets for Jay Peak. You can also pose for Stratton Mountain's famous photographer, Hubert, at Hubert Haus at the summit of southern Vermont's highest peak. The Hubert Haus has light fare and snacks and BBQ's on some weekendsStratton Gondola $9 adult, $5 Jr., (one child free with each paying adult).Fall lodging packages available from $59 per room. There are dozens of similar packages on VermontVacation.com, and more lodging deals can be found on Bedandbreakfast.com, the largest repository of information and discounts at country inns and quaint sleeps.
Going in circles: Packaged tours that loop through the Northeast
If you’re the type of traveler who’d rather have someone else worry about all the details, then perhaps a packaged leaf peeping tour is the best bet for you. Here’s a round-up of just a few weeklong offerings:
- A company called Cosmos Vacations has a seven-night tour that begins and ends in Boston, passing through villages and travels country roads in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The cost is from $739, which covers car rental from Logan Airport in Boston, accommodations (they range from country inns to Best Western properties), driving maps and vouchers for sights along the way. Expires Oct. 31.
- Mayflower is also selling a weeklong foliage tour, but this one wends its way through the Adirondack Mountains. For $1,079, with the “Autumn in the Adirondacks” package you go from Chicago by motorcoach through Ohio to the gorge-filled Letchworth State Park in New York to Lake George, Saratoga Springs, Lake Placid, and then the 1,000 Islands, where you cruise to Boldt Castle. There are 14 meals total (including dining in a historic B&B, log cabin, and a shore dinner), as well as admission to museums. Accommodations are varied and unique. Departures are on Sept. 20 and Oct. 2.
- Seventy-five-year-old Globus Journeys is offering up a seven-day “Fall Foliage Tour” that hits the best of New England for $1,199. In addition to transportation and accommodations, highlights include a visit Norman Rockwell Studio and Museum in Stockbridge, MA, a stop at the Shelburne Heritage Park in Stowe and a maple syrup farm in Vermont. You also lunch at historic Mt.Washington Hotel, ride a gondola up Wildcat Mountain, and visiting the witchy, historic landmarks of Salem.
Although not advertised, each of the above-mentioned companies can also help you put together weekend getaway packages.
Cruising the colorful coast
One way to avoid bumper-to-bumper traffic on the back roads is to take in the colorful vistas from the water. All of the major cruise lines offer fall New England cruises. Here are a few worth mentioning:
Although it doesn't perfectly coincide with peak leaf peeping, Holland America has a Sept. 11 sailing from Boston to Montreal that breezes through some very scenic water ways. You'll spend seven nights on the ms Maasdam, and inside cabins start at $616, a price that includes port charges ($199) and government fees ($67). On Sept. 18, the ship turns around leaving Montreal for a weeklong journey back to Beantown. The cost? Just $1 more. [These quotes are for HH and NN class cabins only.]
Princess Cruises is selling a 10-day voyage that sails along the New England coastline to Canada for $1,099. The ship departs New York (Sept. 11, Oct. 1, 21) and winds up its aquatic tour at the port of Montreal, after making stops in Boston, Bar Harbor, Maine, Halifax and Quebec City.