New England

[MustangOrange]

I recently moved to the Washington DC area and the wife and I are looking at taking a trip to New England for a week either in late Summer or early Fall (August to October time frame).

Neither of us have been up there before - where should we go to spend a week? I've heard Maine is really cool. I think we'd like to stay in one area and not hop from place to place. The beaches are supposed to be really nice from what I hear, but so is the area inland with all the trees/rivers/lakes.

Any recommendations?

 

[CougarBlue]

You could make a trip just with Maine itself. There is also Martha's Vineyard in Cape Cod, where Jaws was filmed.

 

[Mack Tripper]

Newport, RI would be nice around that time. Better after the end of summer, so its not as crowded.

 

[jimmyjazz]

I didn't like southern Maine much at all. We stayed at a B&B somewhere near Bar Harbor on the coast, and it wasn't nearly the rocky, craggy "Stephen King" experience we were expecting. Maybe it's more rugged farther north.

I guess trees will change colors earlier the farther north you go, so if that's a consideration and late summer is really desirable, then maybe northern Maine makes sense. Moving in from the coast does put you in the middle of some pretty countryside.

If you'll expand your target area beyond the usual (Vermont, etc.) you will find amazing colors and views in northern Pennsylvania and parts of western New York. Upstate New York can be fun around the Finger Lake region, too, but it's a bit more pastoral than stunning. Beautiful, though.