For Condé Nast Traveler, by Paul Rubio.
Nothing says fall like New England—however, these are the region's experiences to top them all. From Boston to New Hampshire's White Mountains, here's where to head next.
1. Feast at Twin Farms
Head to Twin Farms in Barnard, Vermont, the highlight of New England’s rural retreats, for high design cottages, farm-to-table spreads, and sprawling 300-acre grounds. Days are filled with outdoor pursuits, strolls through fall foliage, old-fashioned pampering, and plenty of new-fashioned gluttony at this all-inclusive Relais & Chateaux property, which specializes in over-the-top ten-course, wine-paired meals. Book 48 hours in advance for a spot in the new “cooking suite,” a stylish in-kitchen nook where guests can interact with Executive Chef Nathan Rich and his team as they prepare your seasonal feast.
2. Take a Leaf-Peeping Road Trip
New England’s stretches of forest reach their multi-hued finest between late September and late October. And while you’re bound to encounter many a natural masterpiece throughout the region, make sure your fall foliage road trip includes New Hampshire’s Kancamagus Highway, a 56-mile country road through the state’s White Mountain National Forest, showcasing some of the region’s most dramatic colors and natural splendor.
3. Discover the Holy Grail of Lobstering
Lobster and experiential travel unite at the must-try, two-night “Lobster Like a Maine Native” package at Camden Harbour Inn. Spend a morning at sea on a fully functioning lobster boat, and catch your own crustaceans alongside fishermen at work. After, learn how to prepare and cook your catch under the tutelage of Chris Long, Maine’s “Lobster Chef of the Year,” and executive chef of the Inn’s signature restaurant, Natalie’s. Come evening, the fun continues with a five-course, wine-paired, lobster-tasting menu. Did we mention that Camden also happens to be Maine’s most charming seaport town?
4. Be a Cranberry Farmer for a Day
Live the Ocean Spray dream and sign up to work on one of Massachusetts’s many cranberry farms for a day, such as Mayflower Cranberries in Plympton, where you’ll don a pair of overalls, grab a rake, and wade through the flooded cranberry bogs of rural Massachusetts, harvesting several tons of vitamin-rich red berries. This isn’t just for show—all locations are working farms and part of the Ocean Spray cooperative.
5. Sail (and Island Hop) From Boston
New England’s quiet seascapes continue to sparkle in autumn. Enjoy boating’s shoulder season at one of the newly renovated, coastal chic rooms at the Boston Harbor Hotel—home of the city’s best waterfront panoramas—and island hop by day to Boston’s Harbor Islands (like Georges and Spectacle Island) and other destinations accessible by boat (hello, Salem). The hotel is walking distance to all the wharfs and ferry links, and you can even take a water taxi to the hotel from the airport.
See the rest of Best Things to Do in New England in the Fall on CNTraveler.com
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