New England in autumn is worth travelling for. Photo / Getty Images
Why you should go
Yellow, red, copper and orange, with a flash of crimson and gold. Just some of the radiant colours you can expect to see in New England over the coming months. Famed for its kaleidoscope of autumnal hues, “leaf peeping” – the act of travelling to view autumn foliage – is more popular than ever, with the best colours flourishing in early October and attracting leaf-lovers from all over the world.
Top spots
Flanking the northeast USA, New England encompasses the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, so there’s plenty of ground (and leaves) to cover. Take a road trip and wind your way from Vermont to Connecticut, or vice-versa, snaking through New Hampshire and Massachusetts en route.
Park up and jump aboard Becky Thatcher in Connecticut to observe the trees from a riverboat, or switch off completely and cover up to 128km of land on foot by using the Maine Huts and Trail system, a network of multi-use tracks peppered with off-grid eco-lodges. For something unusual, visit Dog Mountain in Vermont. Home and vision of artist Stephen Huneck, complete with barn, studio and a 61ha haven of dog walking trails, dog chapel and dog pond. On any given day you’ll meet hundreds of hounds.
Best eats
Vermont is the largest producer of maple syrup in the USA, with myriad sugar houses welcoming guests to pop in and observe the syrup-making process. Pancakes are an obvious choice in these parts.
The Maine Oyster Trail has its own customisable travel planner, to encourage add-ons such as kayaking and farm tours, and in Maine, the annual catch of lobster exceeds 45 million kilograms. Call in at McLoons seaside shack on a working lobster wharf and tuck into hearty lobster stew.
For more things to see and do in New England, visit discovernewengland.org
Desperate for a summer getaway but don't want the admin? Waiheke has the answers.