Where would you go on east coast USA for fall colors ?

JerryCoyote · 10-30-2017, 03:12 PM

Most backcountry roads anywhere in Vermont/New Hampshire (Mt Desert Island in Maine also super) Timing is the trick, color changes are brought on by cold nights/warm days and move North to South. Peak colors vary in timing somewhat from year to year, if you luck out and are there for peak color, it is a never to be forgotten experience. I concur that driving in Boston is best avoided.

**Mallee Boy** · 11-01-2017, 12:09 AM

Itinerary is taking shape. Plan is to fly in to Boston on or around Oct 8... we are thinking 7 - 10 days spread over a few locations (max 3) starting with Bangor / Acadia and points west & south of there.
We have decided to fly in from Las Vegas where we will be starting & ending a 3 week run of Canyons and Parks, going as far north as Yellowstone. Boston seems a logical place to us to fly into, given its history...but open to suggestions, not keen on New York. Perhaps Albany ?

JerryCoyote · 11-02-2017, 08:28 AM

Originally posted by Mallee Boy

Itinerary is taking shape. Plan is to fly in to Boston on or around Oct 8... we are thinking 7 - 10 days spread over a few locations (max 3) starting with Bangor / Acadia and points west & south of there.
We have decided to fly in from Las Vegas where we will be starting & ending a 3 week run of Canyons and Parks, going as far north as Yellowstone. Boston seems a logical place to us to fly into, given its history...but open to suggestions, not keen on New York. Perhaps Albany ?

Check out flying into Hartford, CT - Bradlee Airport - Much smaller city, less traffic, pretty good connectivity for flights

normhead · 11-02-2017, 09:21 AM

Originally posted by gaweidert

Well at least the best maple syrup north of Vermont.

And east of Ontario.

**Just1MoreDave** · 11-04-2017, 08:55 AM

Originally posted by Mallee Boy

Itinerary is taking shape. Plan is to fly in to Boston on or around Oct 8... we are thinking 7 - 10 days spread over a few locations (max 3) starting with Bangor / Acadia and points west & south of there.
We have decided to fly in from Las Vegas where we will be starting & ending a 3 week run of Canyons and Parks, going as far north as Yellowstone. Boston seems a logical place to us to fly into, given its history...but open to suggestions, not keen on New York. Perhaps Albany ?

The flights and airports are going to be a compromise. I agree on avoiding New York. If you do, I'd get on a big ugly highway for an hour or two until you escape the area, then look for a slower road that looks less direct. For example, I95 to Bridgeport, CT, then Route 8 north to Torrington, then 202. Rt. 202 heads east, then north, then east again until it intersects with I91 north of Springfield, MA. From there you can go north on I91 to New Hampshire or get to I90 east to Boston. It's not the quickest but it's prettier. Probably you can find other similar routes. Maybe 3 hours from airport to that point north of Springfield, depending on when you are driving.

I looked for nonstop flights because they can save you at least a couple of hours of connection overhead. And less chance of losing checked bags. I think the only nonstop flights from Las Vegas go into New York or Boston. The Boston flights that I found are on Spirit and JetBlue. Spirit in particular has extra charges for anything, so check carefully on that. Also some flights are "redeye" overnight flights, leaving in the evening and arriving in the morning. Maybe not worth it to go for nonstop.

Flights with a connection allow many more choices. Consider secondary airports like Bradley (BDL) or Albany (ALB). Manchester, NH (MHT) has some flights too, but most of them switch from a large jet to a smaller plane operated by a partner airline, like United to United Express. I'm very familiar with Bradley because I grew up 20 minutes from there. The driving route I laid out above goes right by Bradley. It's in between Hartford CT and Springfield MA, but not in a city itself. So once you get off airport property, you can be on your way. The airport seems to be in a constant state of early construction that promises to be nice in a couple of years. (In my experience, that hasn't happened yet.)

**Mallee Boy** · 11-05-2017, 04:36 AM

appreciate the heads up...very much so. Thankyou.

**Mallee Boy** · 03-30-2018, 04:10 PM

Just wanted to thank you all for your input...it has been invaluable.

We are a group of 12 so there has been input from other sources as well and the final route looks like this:
Arr BDL (Bradley/Hartford) over night near airport. Our road trip is then to Williamstown > Nth Conway > Rangeley Lake > Acadia > Portland Mn over ten days.
So if we are passing through your neighbourhood and you want to say hi, let me know via PM and I can provide you with a bit more detail.
Cheers

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10-30-2017, 03:12 PM	#46
JerryCoyote New Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 12	Most backcountry roads anywhere in Vermont/New Hampshire (Mt Desert Island in Maine also super) Timing is the trick, color changes are brought on by cold nights/warm days and move North to South. Peak colors vary in timing somewhat from year to year, if you luck out and are there for peak color, it is a never to be forgotten experience. I concur that driving in Boston is best avoided.

11-01-2017, 12:09 AM	#47
Mallee Boy Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,904 Original Poster	Itinerary is taking shape. Plan is to fly in to Boston on or around Oct 8... we are thinking 7 - 10 days spread over a few locations (max 3) starting with Bangor / Acadia and points west & south of there. We have decided to fly in from Las Vegas where we will be starting & ending a 3 week run of Canyons and Parks, going as far north as Yellowstone. Boston seems a logical place to us to fly into, given its history...but open to suggestions, not keen on New York. Perhaps Albany ?

11-02-2017, 08:28 AM	#48
JerryCoyote New Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 12	Originally posted by Mallee Boy Itinerary is taking shape. Plan is to fly in to Boston on or around Oct 8... we are thinking 7 - 10 days spread over a few locations (max 3) starting with Bangor / Acadia and points west & south of there. We have decided to fly in from Las Vegas where we will be starting & ending a 3 week run of Canyons and Parks, going as far north as Yellowstone. Boston seems a logical place to us to fly into, given its history...but open to suggestions, not keen on New York. Perhaps Albany ? Check out flying into Hartford, CT - Bradlee Airport - Much smaller city, less traffic, pretty good connectivity for flights

11-02-2017, 09:21 AM	#49
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by gaweidert Well at least the best maple syrup north of Vermont. And east of Ontario.

11-04-2017, 08:55 AM	#50
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,340	Originally posted by Mallee Boy Itinerary is taking shape. Plan is to fly in to Boston on or around Oct 8... we are thinking 7 - 10 days spread over a few locations (max 3) starting with Bangor / Acadia and points west & south of there. We have decided to fly in from Las Vegas where we will be starting & ending a 3 week run of Canyons and Parks, going as far north as Yellowstone. Boston seems a logical place to us to fly into, given its history...but open to suggestions, not keen on New York. Perhaps Albany ? The flights and airports are going to be a compromise. I agree on avoiding New York. If you do, I'd get on a big ugly highway for an hour or two until you escape the area, then look for a slower road that looks less direct. For example, I95 to Bridgeport, CT, then Route 8 north to Torrington, then 202. Rt. 202 heads east, then north, then east again until it intersects with I91 north of Springfield, MA. From there you can go north on I91 to New Hampshire or get to I90 east to Boston. It's not the quickest but it's prettier. Probably you can find other similar routes. Maybe 3 hours from airport to that point north of Springfield, depending on when you are driving. I looked for nonstop flights because they can save you at least a couple of hours of connection overhead. And less chance of losing checked bags. I think the only nonstop flights from Las Vegas go into New York or Boston. The Boston flights that I found are on Spirit and JetBlue. Spirit in particular has extra charges for anything, so check carefully on that. Also some flights are "redeye" overnight flights, leaving in the evening and arriving in the morning. Maybe not worth it to go for nonstop. Flights with a connection allow many more choices. Consider secondary airports like Bradley (BDL) or Albany (ALB). Manchester, NH (MHT) has some flights too, but most of them switch from a large jet to a smaller plane operated by a partner airline, like United to United Express. I'm very familiar with Bradley because I grew up 20 minutes from there. The driving route I laid out above goes right by Bradley. It's in between Hartford CT and Springfield MA, but not in a city itself. So once you get off airport property, you can be on your way. The airport seems to be in a constant state of early construction that promises to be nice in a couple of years. (In my experience, that hasn't happened yet.)

11-05-2017, 04:36 AM	#51
Mallee Boy Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,904 Original Poster	appreciate the heads up...very much so. Thankyou.

03-30-2018, 04:10 PM	#52
Mallee Boy Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,904 Original Poster	Just wanted to thank you all for your input...it has been invaluable. We are a group of 12 so there has been input from other sources as well and the final route looks like this: Arr BDL (Bradley/Hartford) over night near airport. Our road trip is then to Williamstown > Nth Conway > Rangeley Lake > Acadia > Portland Mn over ten days. So if we are passing through your neighbourhood and you want to say hi, let me know via PM and I can provide you with a bit more detail. Cheers