Photography and nature lovers will delight in the resplendent autumnal colors of Boston, and other idyllic New England destinations. Here are 7 of the best seasonal tours to admire the forest foliage.
Boston to New Hampshire Fall Foliage White Mountains Day Trip (Photo: Viator)
Fifty shades of red, orange, yellow, green and purple… New England in the fall is a kaleidoscope of natural beauty. Each year, ‘leaf-peepers’ flock to Boston, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and other prime spots to revel in the ever-changing nuances of this awe-inspiring landscape. Foliage fans will be richly rewarded around mid-October, when the leaves in Boston and neighboring areas blaze their brightest. From forest to coastline, for a day or a week, travelling by bus, cruise ship or bicycle… Here are the best guided tours bringing you to the region’s swathes of oak, beech, chestnut and maple trees.
Foliage White Mountains Day Trip
(Photo: Viator)
This round-trip 12-hour tour of Boston and New Hampshire offers an enjoyable journey to see the glorious vistas of the White Mountains. You will be picked up directly at your hotel and whisked away to discover scenic lookout points that tourists tend to miss. Two waterfalls are the breathtaking highlight of the easy hiking trails in the area. A lunch break in the quaint mountain village of North Conway will be followed by a visit to the famed Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods. Throughout the tour, your knowledgable guide will help you identify various species of trees and what causes them to change their colors throughout the fall. With several stops along a 34-mile stretch of the Kancamagus Highway, keen photographers will have time to capture the vibrant colors of local flora. From $132 per person
Book at Viator.com
Boston’s Emerald Necklace Guided Bicycle Tour
Pedal power is perhaps the best way to commune with nature around the Emerald Necklace, a 1,100-acre succession of parks connected by waterways in Boston and Brookline. With the trusty steeds of Urban Adventours, you’ll have four hours to explore this historic route on bicycle, taking in the vibrant fall foliage of Boston’s North End. Ride along the sun-dappled boulevard of Commonwealth Avenue, the misty banks of Jamaica Pond, and the winding paths of Harvard University’s tree museum, the Arnold Arboretum. Stretch your legs and enjoy the crisp air along Charles River Esplanade, the Boston Common and Public Garden. Like a trip to the countryside without ever leaving the city. From $89 per person
New England Fall Foliage Lunch Cruise in Boston Harbor
(Photo: Viator)
This two-hour cruise and luncheon around the Boston Harbor gives leaf-peepers the chance to admire rich seasonal colors while out to sea. Amateur photographers will delight in the reflections of foliage on the water at Peadock’s and Thompson’s islands, while the ship’s viewing decks are the ideal vantage point to get a glimpse of America’s longest-standing lighthouse, the 302-year-old Boston Light. Top it all off with a picnic feast of sandwiches and hot cider. Short and sweet, this relaxing cruise is one of the most charming introductions to Boston’s shades of autumn. From $60 per person
Fall Colors of New England (10-day tour)
(Photo: TourRadar)
If one day just doesn’t seem like enough to take in the ever-changing colours of fall, you might like to venture farther into New England with this 10-day tour encompassing seaside and woodlands: from Boston’s Freedom Trail to the historic town of Plymouth, quaint fishing villages of Cape Cod, verdant Vermont, the vast forests of Maine, the White Mountains of New Hapshire and more. The densest trails are to be found in Acadia National Park, where you can glimpse glowing leaves and pink granite cliffs, not to mention Cadillac Mountain, the first spot from which you can see the sunrise in the United States. Plenty of time for exploring each town and visiting some of the local highlights, such as Saxton’s maple distillery in Vermont and the Kennedy compound in Hyannis, where JFK and Jackie O sojourned in the summertime. From $1650 per person / 10 days
Book via TourRadar.com
New England’s Spectacular Fall Foliage 8-Day Tour
(Photo: BookMundi)
A feast for the eyes and an enriching cultural experience await on this 8-day tour traversing Boston, Stowe and Williamstown. From the bronze-dusted leaves and golden light of the town of Stowe in northern Vermont, where the real Von Trapp family from The Sound of Music chose to settle, to a fresh lobster dinner in Maine, you will delve deeper into the history of the region and sample the delights it has to offer. Like a gondola ride from Loon Mountain Resort into the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where you can see as far as Canada, or a trip to a Montpelier maple syrup farm to taste liquid gold tapped directly from the trees. The pace of life here is as gentle as the changing colors of the leaves. From $2850 per person / 8 days
Reserve via BookMundi.com
Autumn Colors 9-Day Tour
(Photo: BookMundi)
Experience autumn in the North Woords. Starting and ending in Boston, this 9-day nature and culture tour explores North Conway, Burlington and Pittsfield, accompanied by a local specialist for insights into the flora and fauna. Expect scenic drives along the rivers and majestic mountain ranges of the Mohawk Trail, and the Kancamagus Highway, for epic views of the White Mountains, Swift River, Sabbaday Falls, Lower Falls and Rocky Gorge. From the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire to the lush pine forests of Maine, the tour winds through 13 major destinations… not least a visit to the factory of iconic Vermont ice creamery Ben and Jerry’s. From $2605 per person / 9 days