Fall in New England

Fall is magical in New England! There’s a reason people rush up here to see the Fall foliage every year because it is just so beautiful to see in person.

Since I know most of you don’t live in New England I thought I would take you on a virtual tour of some of my favorite spots in the area! So put on something from L.L Bean and pretend you are right here with me!!

So as Summer winds down New Englanders start wondering about how the foliage will be that year. We even have maps and news segments on when peak foliage dates will be in each region!! It’s serious business up here!!

Today I’m going to take you on a virtual tour of a few of my favorite spots and share some of my best fall foliage pics from the past few seasons.

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New England Foliage Photo Tour

Franconia Notch

Franconia Notch is a stretch of highway that passes through the White Mountains of New Hampshire through the towns of Franconia and Lincoln.

It’s easy to get to…just drive up 93 North!

Just driving through this area is beautiful and there are plenty of opportunities to capture some great foliage shots. There is plenty to do in this area as well.

I would highly recommend visiting The Flume Gorge and when our boys were little we loved visiting Clark’s Trading Post to see the bears.

To get the best view take the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway up to the top of the mountain. It’s over 4,000 feet up and the views are breathtaking!

It was a bit cloudy when we took the tram but still gorgeous!

There are easy trails and paths around the mountain to get different vantage points plus a cafeteria and an observation deck.

On a clear day, besides the mountains of New Hampshire, you can see Maine, Vermont, Canada, and New York!

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Chocorua Lake, New Hampshire

Another favorite spot that we often stop at on our way up to North Conway, NH is Chocorua Lake. I’ve photographed it during every season but Fall is the prettiest I think!

Sitting on the edge of the lake and watching the clouds reflect off the water is relaxing, especially if you are there at a quiet time of the day.

Riding on the backroads is the best way to see some of the interesting old farms. There are so many amazing-looking old barns in New England. Some date back a couple hundred years or more.

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Kennebunkport, Maine

Kennebunkport is a picturesque little New England coastal town in the southern part of Maine. It’s the perfect location for a Hallmark Christmas movie to be filmed!

It’s a short ride for us and I love to visit every season because the area is so charming. There is a downtown area with little shops & eateries. You will find delicious fresh seafood…one of the perks of living in coastal New England is that you can literally get fresh-off-the-boat lobsters and seafood.

I had seen a picture of Wallingford Farm in Kennebunk, Maine on Instagram and I just had to go see it myself! On our Fall drive, this was our first stop. Everything just screams Fall in New England in this one picture…historic house, pumpkins, mums, and colorful maple trees!!

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We also stopped at Mousam River before heading into downtown Kennebunkport.

I don’t know if other parts of the country do this, but you will often see a row of small pumpkins about the front door of colonial houses throughout the region.

The restaurants and inns go all out to decorate in the Fall!

This wasn’t an easy picture to get!! My husband is double parked in a post office across the street…I said “you have to pull over for a quick sec” and I ran over to grab a few photos.

The fiery orange maple leaves against the white church were just breathtaking to see in person.

If you continue through the downtown area of Kennebunkport there is a winding coastal rode with incredible views!

There are plenty of spots to pull over and park to take pictures or sit by the ocean and just relax and watch the waves.

St. Ann’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church is definitely one place that I would recommend stopping. There is plenty of parking too. What a gorgeous spot for a wedding!

We continued up the coast for a few miles to Cape Porpoise, Maine. I love the views from the harbor.

We even saw a bald eagle!!! Of course, I traveled light this day and didn’t pack my zoom lens!!! That dark figure at the end of the jetty in the background is the eagle.

Are you even in Maine if there aren’t stacks of lobster traps on the dock??

On the way back home I had to get a closer look at The Wedding Cake House. Isn’t it pretty??

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Seacoast, New Hampshire

Now let me show you some of my stomping ground!

This is one of my favorite Fall photos that I have taken over the past few years. Scamman Farm in Stratham, NH is probably the best place in town to catch a colorful sunset.

Sadly, last year was their last year having a corn maze and Harvest festival. Driving by and seeing all the pumpkins all over the front field was always such a treat!

I can’t get enough of this scarecrow woman! It’s very tall…at least 10 feet. I’m not sure if there is a lampost under there or how they made the base for her. I wish I knew them because I would stop and ask for sure.

Another local spot that we love to walk through is at Great Bay Discovery Campus, There are trails and boardwalks through the woods and salt marshes that overlook the bay.

As you walk through the trails to the bay there is a replica of a traditional Abenaki wigwam. Kids love to play in it! It is pretty cool looking!

Follow the boardwalk and it will weave you through the salt marsh and woods.

It leads to wide-open views of this part of the bay in Greenland, NH.

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Of course, it’s almost required to stop at an apple orchard in the Fall here!! There is nothing quite like warm, fresh apple cider donuts (and I don’t really even like donuts!!)

Even an old canoe in Rye, NH makes for a pretty Fall shot!

I don’t even have to leave my yard to enjoy the Fall foliage. The weather has been mild and my zinnias are blooming like crazy now!

Here is my favorite tree! This old maple never fails to impress in the Fall. It takes its time changing colors and is usually the last tree on the property with leaves.

Other New England Adventures

Thanks for letting me share my version of New England in the Fall! You should definitely add a trip to see the foliage for yourself to your bucket list. — Jennifer