I'm Kim Knox Beckius, your fall color commentator, and as I look outside my office window here in central Connecticut, I see that Mother Nature has nearly completed her annual autumn masterpiece. There are deep reds, brilliant oranges and crisp yellows in my view, and every once in a while, a breeze unleashes a shower of multicolored confetti that is absolutely breath-taking.
On days like this, I wish that autumn could last forever. The season may be drawing to a close in New England, but there are still plenty of places to see great color this weekend and to make wonderful memories that will endure, even after the last leaf falls.
First, let's take a look at what the leaves are up to and where you should go if you'd like to increase your chances of viewing foliage at its peak.
In Vermont, head west to the shores of Lake Champlain this weekend for your best chance of seeing strong autumn color. This will be a beautiful time for a ferry ride across Lake Champlain from Charlotte, Vermont, to Essex, New York. I just checked availability at The Basin Harbor Club, a beautiful lodging property located right on the lake, and they still have quite a few rooms available for this weekend. Their historic golf course is still open, too, for those of you who want to play one last round before packing your clubs away for the winter. For reservations, call them toll free at: 800-622-4000.
In Massachusetts, two prime areas for leaf peepers this weekend will be the Blue Hills Reservation, a 7,000-acre conservation area located just south of Boston, and also the lower Pioneer Valley, including the college towns of Amherst, Northampton and Holyoke. I love to walk around and explore the shops in Northampton, and there are plenty of indoor things to do in the Pioneer Valley if it rains a bit on Sunday, including visiting the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield.
My home state, Connecticut, is going to be showing off its best colors of the year this weekend. Travel just about anywhere in the state, with the exception of the southern shore and the very northern corners, and you're likely to be wowed by the autumn leaves. If you're up for a hike, head to Talcott Mountain State Park in Bloomfield, where the mile-and-a-quarter Tower Trail leads to Heublein Tower, which you can climb for panoramic views. I just checked, and there are rooms still available for Saturday and Sunday nights at The Simsbury Inn, which is located nearby in Simsbury, Connecticut. To reserve your room, call them toll free at: 800-634-2719.
While the leaves are past peak in most of New Hampshire, there are still areas of prime color in the Merrimack Valley and Seacoast regions of the state. This should be a pretty weekend for a visit to Canterbury Shaker Village, which is located about 20 minutes north of Concord. Go on Sunday, and you can enjoy a hearty brunch at The Shaker Table Restaurant.
Of course, there's so much more to do in New England than look at pretty leaves. Here are my five picks for this weekend's best fall events:
