New England foliage tour

[Xatlatc]

First post. Just picked up a 1999 Concourse and we're considering a trip to New England this September to look at the foliage. I'm in the preplanning mode at the moment and I'm open to suggestions from those who may have experience in that part of the country. I plan to leave the Hershey, Pa RV show September 18th and head toward New England.

[Skillet]

Have never done it but post your trip here because I'd like to do it some year and am interested in tips.

[Manitou]

This isn't your first trip in any RV is it?

[Xatlatc]

This isn't my first trip in an RV but it will be my first time in New England. Last year I bought a 1988 Toyota Winnebago to see if I/we liked traveling in that style instead of tow behinds or hotel rooms. Well, after ten months and 9k miles we decided we wanted to move up to something larger and newer. Plus I wanted something I could stand up in throughout the unit. We had a blast with the Toyota traveling the secondary roads and sometimes on an interstate if the road wasn't very hilly. So I go from a four cylinder, 16 mpg, to a ten cylinder. What a difference! So it's not my first RV trip but it is with a unit that can run on the interstates if needed.

[Blue~Go]

Welcome, Xatlatc,

If it were me, and I were leaving on a set date (such as September 18), I think what I would do is monitor the various "fall color reports" and then decide on a destination/route based on where the colors are going to be peak (obviously within the parameters of where you want to go, generally), since the color "schedule" really varies from year to year.

And there are SO MANY amazing places if you hit them during peak. One of my most memorable drives was actually just a "utility" trip, but it had me driving up I-87 through eastern New York on THE peak color day. Oh my, what a drive. Rolling hills (mountains), long vistas, deep blue skies and gorgeous colors, velvety road, light traffic. Just an amazing drive. And that was just an Interstate! You can do much better of course.

I bet you will love your Chinook. I haven't had one of the official Toyota RV's, but for years I had a Toyota pickup with the 22RE and a camper/topper (small). Great rig! But the Chinook is like a palace in comparison -- yet not too big.

Again, welcome!

BG

[Concourse]

Peak foliage in the northern new England states isn't until the first or second week in October. It goes south directionally.

[Blue~Go]

That's a good point. I looked back and my amazing eastern/upstate NY trip was on October 12. Although maybe in northern Maine? But yeah, even up in northern MN it's usually late September, and that's likely earlier than anything on the east coast.

[Concourse]

Xatlatc, if you know what states you will be hitting post them and I can suggest some things (roads and places). Also let us know your time frame (ie: you have 4 weeks or 4 days).

[Xatlatc]

Thanks for your input fellow Nookers. It appears to me I'm going to be about two to three weeks early for the really good colors according to the Yankee Foliage website and from this forum. Yankee shows if I went to northern Vermont around September 24th it should be very good on the typical year, so it's still a good possibility but I'm making backup plans. We may just leave Hershey and go to Maine to experience dining on a Maine lobster and if the trees are singing, so be it. The bride has always wanted to go tour Newport so that may be on the radar too. I don't like making 'hard plans' because that makes me feel like I have a schedule to keep. Been there, done that and I don't want to do that again. Alarm clocks are discouraged too. Ha.
Since my time frame is mainly based on 'How long would you leave your 20 year old alone at home', every trip is fluid. But I expect to leave the Upstate of South Carolina on September 12th for Gettysburg and Hershey and be back around the end of the month. Give or take of course.
To be continued...

[Xatlatc]

Well, I'm leaving Hershey in the morning to go view the Fall foliage in New England. The only problem is Mother Nature isn't ready for my visit just as you guys predicted. I guess I'll have to plan the foliage trip for next year. Anyone want to caravann together for a few days next year? I think that would be would be pretty cool!
So I guess plan B will go into motion in the morning which is driving through the Lancaster area then returning to Gettysburg to tour the muesum at the visitors center. We drove the Auto tour on the way to Hershey but didn't have time to view everything we wanted to see. I plan to stay at Caledonia State Park tomorrow night and decide where to go next.
I'm a bit disappoint that I didn't plan this trip better but I'm really just happy to be on the road! Who knows what we'll discover around the next wrong turn.