What is the optimum time to see New England in the autumn/fall?|117659

I love autumnal colours, but I know you have to get your timing right to get the most colourful foliage. When would be the best time for this, and really good weather (sunny, warm, blue skies etc). I am thinking of going for about 2 weeks between mid-September and mid-October.

Which are some really good places to go to visit in this area. I quite like larger towns and cities, and have an inkling for Boston.

The farther north you go, the sooner the colors change. For central Mass, somewhere around the last week of Sept to first week of Oct is peak season. Farther north, it happens earlier. In Northern Vermont or Maine, you might be good the 2nd-3rd week of Sept.

There are not a whole lot of colors in Boston since not that many trees -- you are better off heading west from there and visiting Concord, Harvard, and other small towns.

Nice thing about Vermont and NH is that you can just kind of drive and browse and see what there is to see.

A lot of people do this around Columbus Day weekend (usually around October 10th or so). That_s about right for Vermont and New Hampshire, but probably a little too soon for further south.
I_d really recommend Vermont. There are lovely bed-and-breakfasts you can stay at, and a drive along Route 7 is beautiful, with lots of little shops and such.
It_s probably better to avoid going on Columbus Day weekend--things get really busy with the _leaf peepers_ up there at that time. A week before or after would probably work just fine.

definitely beginnng of october