Fall Foliage in New England
Fall leaves along the Charles River.
Photo uploaded by Paul Keleher.
To me, autumn means two things: the start of a new school year and rich fall foliage. The beauty of fiery foliage, decorating treetops and sidewalks, make papers, midterms, and school supplies a little cheerier. The season infuses Boston with new energy as crisp autumn air replaces the summer’s humidity, college students re-inhabit the city, and countless festivals celebrate the harvest season.
“Leaf peepers” can enjoy a classic New England autumn day as they explore the history and beauty of the Boston area with these prime foliage-viewing locations and tours.
Boston Public Gardens boasts of a rich array of golds, yellows, and reds against the city skyline and manicured walkways, ponds and statues. The public gardens is a short walk from Beacon Hill, a neighborhood full of 19th century charm, where you can warm up with cider or coffee in any of the coffeehouses that crowd Charles and Cambridge street. Or, combine natural beauty with a taste of pop culture by grabbing a drink at the iconic bar, Cheers, located just across the street from the floral oasis.
On a sunny fall day, Harvard Yard is as littered with students, professors, dogs, and children as it is with freshly fallen leaves. As you stroll through the tree-lined grassy common, stop by the infamous John Harvard Statue, a frequent target of local pranks, to give your New England fall day a collegiate twist.
For more plant life, visit the near-by Harvard Museum of Natural History. The one-of-a-kind glass display of over 3,000 plant species or the discoveries from the depths of the oceans will amaze botanists and tourists alike. And there is nothing like a juicy burger, named after pop culture icons, from the famous Mr. Bartley’s Burger Cottage to top off a day of Bostonian sightseeing.
The Charles Riverboat tour or Boston’s famous Duck Tour in the fall months are especially scenic as the leaves reflect off the water and speckle the bank with Indian Summer color—a great way to soak up the season and Bostonian history. Both tours are available through October—prime foliage time.
For a more romantic view of bursting fall foliage, float along the esplanade in authentic Venetian gondolas during the Harvest Moon Tour. Your private, serenaded tour will take you along the lagoons and canals of the Charles River, while you enjoy a complimentary basket of goodies and take in a display of fall foliage. If it weren’t for the Boston skyline, you could almost forget you are not in Venice as your personal gondolier gently guides your romantic getaway.
It wouldn’t be a proper New England fall without a taste of life outside of the bustling city. Relax and take in quiet countryside ablaze with both fall foliage and harvest spirit in the Grayline Tour. Enjoy the New England charm and seasonal food as you go apple picking and sip comforting cider in a native orchard.
Now that there is that fall nip in the air, warning of a bitter cold winter just around the corner, it is time to get out and enjoy the last comfortable rays of sun. What better way to see historical sights of where the revolution began and get some exercise than a bicycle tour of Lexington and Concord! Fall leaves will crunch under your bicycle wheels and crisp air will flow through your hair as you explore the historical sights that began the revolution. Begin your tour at the Concord Museum, located on a quaint tree-lined country road, to check out the original lantern that warned colonists of British invasion. Or ride past some of the landmark historic homes, such as the Hancock Clarke House where Paul Revere road to alert John Hancock and Samuel Adams of the arrival of British troops.
This fall foliage map helps you to make sure you catch the peak of color!
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