Top Small Towns for Affordable Leaf Peeping in New England

New England is famous for road trips and foliage come autumn, with good reason. These six states clustered together in the northeast experience all four distinct seasons, with fall being among the most popular times to visit for tourists. With so many parks, forests, and even highways with nearby trees changing from green to vibrant orange, red, and yellow – the area’s tourism surges to life in autumn.

Although there are thousands of quaint towns with forests and highways ripe for exploration, only a handful can be deemed the “most affordable” in New England. We’ve chosen to highlight one town per state that has the most affordable weekly vacation rental average in the months of September-November. There may be road trips or hiking trails to be seen within the town limits, or shortly nearby, but the one thing each of these towns has in common – they have insanely affordable vacation rentals and tremendous leaf peeping.

Southington, Connecticut (Avg: $1078 per week)

Connecticut is a very small state, so no matter where you’re headed to see foliage, it is a short drive away. The adorable town of Southington has an apple orchard, a ski area, a couple local museums, and a working farm. The best place to see the leaves here would be on Crescent Lake, a fine place for about a two hour hike and seeing some wonderful colors. There are a number of road trips around this tiny state that work well for leaf peeping – so try these if you’re staying in Southington: the country roads of Guilford, Madison, and Durham which is a 57 mile loop, or head to Guileford from Essex which is a 35 mile loop in the New Haven region, or lastly take the short six mile loop through lovely Old Mystic River area.

Best places to see the leaves in CT: Hamburg Cove, Devil’s Hopyard State Park, Haystack Mountain

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Augusta, Maine (Avg: $450 per week)

Maine State House, Augusta, Maine.

You’ll want to plan your trip to Augusta for the second week of October. This designated zone in Maine is in “peak season” for foliage lovers at that time. Although Acadia National Park is the star of the state, there’s plenty to see and do in the central area, especially the capital of Augusta. The city is the home of the Pine Tree State Arboretum, a 224-acre park and botanic garden, with six miles of hiking, biking and cross-country skiing trails, open for free, all year round. You’ll be surrounded by trees turning and plenty of other flora and fauna. For a leaf peeping road trip route with Augusta as your home base, try this: Start in Augusta and head through Hallowell to Lewiston/Auburn, on through Mechanic Falls to Gray, then back north through Winthrop to Belgrade Lakes and Waterville.

Best places to see the leaves in ME: Acadia State Park, Bethel State Park, Grafton Notch State Park

See all vacation rentals in Augusta, Maine

Becket, Massachusetts (Avg: $829 per week)

The beauty of the Berkshires in Massachusetts is well known. Millions of visitors come here every year to enjoy the long summers and incredible autumns of this tranquil area. You’ll love the pumpkin patches, hay rides, antiquing, hiking, haunted houses, friendly locals and small town charm found up and down the western edge of Mass. Using Becket as your low-cost home base, explore all of Western Massachusetts via highway or by trail to see some of the best leaf peeping in New England. Travel north along Route 7 from Sheffield to Williamstown to see stunning vistas swathed in array of red and golden shades. Another popular (though sometimes crowded) drive is along Route 2 through the scenic Mohawk Trail. Ride the leaf peeping train from nearby Lenox to Lee – an antique train that carries passengers along a number of different routes and schedules.

Best places to see the leaves in MA: Mohawk Trail, Route 20, Arnold Arboretum

See all vacation rentals in Becket, Massachusetts

Raymond, New Hampshire (Avg: $600 per week)

Raymond, in the southeastern region of New Hampshire, is your most affordable town for vacation rentals during the fall foliage period. Its strategic placement just happens to put you in the middle of the best area for leaf peeping in New Hampshire. The cities like Manchester, Nashua, Concord, and Keene come alive with color, it’s true, but you’ll really be wowed by the southeastern section. The Dartmouth/Sunapee region is the place for country roads, rolling farmlands, and old-fashioned covered bridges that are staples of rural New England. A good scenic ride is Route 10 North from Hanover to Haverhill. The last area in New Hampshire to peak is the Merrimack Valley region where you can expect to see great foliage along Routes 1A, 4, 101, 108, 125, and 155. If the foliage is not showing its brightest colors, or the weather turns poor, Route 1A offers a lovely 18 miles of coastline viewing to enjoy.

Best places to see the leaves in NH: Mount Monadnock, Crawford Notch, Kancamangus Highway

See all vacation rentals in Raymond, New Hampshire

Portsmouth, Rhode Island (Avg: $900 per week)

Just like Connecticut, tiny Rhode Island presents itself as an ideal road trip leaf peeping destination. Normally a summer haven for the state’s beaches and the urban activity in Providence, Rhode Island converts to a sweeping foliage landscape from mid-October through November. For the best foliage you’ll want to head to the rural, uncrowded northern or western towns in the state. Tour historic Brown University’s campus as your first taste of fall here, then drive north on 114 to Cumberland, a woodland area with maple, birch, and oak trees. On US 44 you’ll find the small town of Chepachet, a pastoral countryside with plenty of trees turning. Take off southeast towards Exeter next, a stretch of 20 miles of tree lined highway with plenty of foliage to gawk at on the way. There are also endless mansions to tour, farms to explore, lighthouses to climb, and much more in the state – so get out there and enjoy.

Best places to see the leaves in RI: Prospect Terrace in Providence, Blackstone Valley Region, Newport Cliff Walk

See all vacation rentals in Portsmouth, Rhode Island

Jay, Vermont (Avg: $570 per week)

Jay Peak in Vermont during the fall season

Vermont is known for maple syrup, Ben & Jerry’s, a liberal, laid back lifestyle, and the majesty of the Northeast Kingdom region. Up by Burlington, on the border of Canada, you’ll find Jay, a ski town with plenty of activity happening in the fall. Take a road trip around the area and enjoy stunning scenery on Interstate 91, Interstate 93, Interstate 89, Rte. 5, Rte. 114, and Rte. 302 to Rte. 2. There are also several covered bridges to explore, some hundreds of years old. Frankly, any of the roads that take you into higher elevations are excellent candidates for fall colors. The road from Montgomery Center on 58 to Lowell, is a favorite of locals. It starts off paved but soon becomes of rough dirt road as you head south and climb up towards Hazen’s Notch. The Northeast Kingdom is filled with small towns ripe for a visit with antiques, local crafts, working farms, and much more.

Best places to see the leaves in VT: Northeast Kingdom, Brattleboro, Okemo Valley

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