By Dawn S.
A campervan fall road trip in New England where you can take in the colors of autumn is a must-do! You can do this fall road trip itinerary by picking up your Escape Campervan at the New York pickup location and heading north.
Know Before You Go: Campgrounds and ferry schedules are seasonal, and many close after Columbus Day, so make sure to double-check these before your trip!
Olympic Trail Scenic Byway, New York
From Watertown, NY, travel east across the mountains of Adirondack Park in Northern New York along the Olympic Trail Scenic Byway. There are plenty of small towns and lots of lakes, rivers, and hiking trails to explore for you New England fall road trip. We enjoyed a short hike and picnic at a trailhead along the Oswegatchie Wild River. A highlight of our trip across upstate NY was taking in the views while driving the Veterans’ Memorial Highway to the top of Whiteface Mountain. They have a gondola, an elevator to the summit, and a nature trail. We camped at the Lake Placid/Whiteface Mountain KOA.
Side Trip: Thousand Island National Park
If you have the time, take a few days to explore the Thousand Island National Park on Lake Ontario in Canada before heading east. We camped with our van in a tent site at the 1000 Island/ Ivy Lea KOA.
Find other routes and scenic byways in New York.
Lake Champlain Ferry to Burlington, Vermont
Next, we put our campervan on a small ferry at Port Kent, New York, and crossed the picturesque Lake Champlain to Burlington, Vermont for a peak foliage experience. We explored this fun college town and checked out a few breweries before heading South on the Green Mountain scenic byway, Vermont Route 100 South.
Have you always wanted to see a historic, wooden, covered bridge? Vermont has over 100! It’s fun to pick up or download a list of covered bridges to seek out and explore.
We asked a local where to camp for the night, and he sent us to the Chittenden Brook Campground in the Green Mountain National Forest. It was perfect! Rustic and wooded, with the opportunity to see deer, moose, and possibly even a black bear.
We found ourselves in Plymouth, Vermont, the next morning and had a scrumptious breakfast at the historic Rochester Café and Country Store.
Franconia Notch, New Hampshire
After our time in Vermont and checking out a few covered bridges, we spent the next three nights van camping at a reserved tent campsite at Franconia Notch State Park. We used this as our base camp to explore the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire. The weather turned cold and rainy. Thankfully, the campground store was open late and was a warm, quiet place to read, write, and play cards. Numerous hiking trails are available to explore, including a portion of the Appalachian Trail.
We chose an early-morning hike on the Pemi Trail. We were rewarded with a peaceful time at the lake, which also had a beaver dam! Next up was a hike through the breathtaking, narrow Flume Gorge!
After a day of exploring, we were ready to refuel with a hearty “breakfast” at Polly’s Pancake Parlor. The scrambled eggs with locally made cheddar cheese were the best eggs I have ever eaten. The made-from-scratch pancakes and local maple syrup were delicious and memorable, too. We bought pancake mix and maple syrup as souvenirs and gifts for our family back home in Florida. They only take reservations on weekdays, but if you find yourself there on a weekend or holiday, just call ahead to get added to the waitlist; it is oh so worth it!
Kancamagus Scenic Byway, New Hampshire
Next up was a drive along “The Kanc,” New Hampshire Route 112. This is one of the best, most scenic places in the world to check out spectacular fall foliage.
Some great stops for your peak fall foliage road trip include Swift River, Lower Falls, and White Mountain National Forest. Each day, there seemed to be more color on the mountainsides. The brilliant red and orange leaves were really starting to pop.
One cold, rainy evening, John drove me out to a marshy area at dusk. We waited patiently with a dozen photographers, their giant zoom lenses perched atop tripods, for a moose to appear… but it was just another wild moose chase; nothing appeared that night. So we grabbed some hot soup at a local Subway on the way back to camp.
Rhode Island
Our trip itinerary was being cut short due to bad weather. We decided to go ahead and visit the Beaver Tail Lighthouse in Jamestown Rhode Island, and it was such a peaceful, beautiful place. A few families were hanging out on the lawn, an artist was painting the lighthouse station, and fishermen cast their lines from the rocky shore into the crashing surf.
Cape Cod and Boston, Massachusetts
We planned to take a whale-watching tour from the New England Aquarium in Boston, then explore Cape Cod, but the tours were already being canceled because of rough seas from the storm brewing in the Atlantic Ocean.
Be Flexible During Your Road Trip
Even though our fall road trip in New England didn’t end exactly how we planned, it can’t take anything away from the wonderful things we had already seen. Our campervan trip through upstate New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and the Maine coast had been all we wanted and more. The fall leaves were stunning, the wildlife was beautiful, and the coast was refreshing and fun.
Keep in mind that predicting when the leaves will change is not an exact science. Leaves change earlier further north, so the further north you are, the earlier you need to plan your trip such as mid-to-late September into early October. Further south, you can typically see leaves changing in late October to early November. It’s best to consult a leaf prediction calendar for the year you’re going.
Don’t miss out. Plan and book your fall campervan escape soon!
