Provided by Hara Cohen
From the Commack Public Library
It’s not too late for an autumn road trip to marvel at the brilliant colors of the season in New York or even the New England States. But before you go, check out some of the websites that issue reports on the foliage colors, suggest places to stay and things to do.
The Foliage Network, http://www.foliagenetwork.com, provides accurate information for various locations across the United States. During the autumn months, the Network collects data from over 567 “foliage spotters” twice a week. The data is “collected, plotted and analyzed” by the Network and their report is sent to newspapers, television stations and websites; they boast of using actual reports rather than annual averages. You can click on the region you are interested in to view the latest foliage information. There is a link for Places to Stay, but I found this information spotty at best.
If you don’t want to travel too far, New York State foliage season is underway from the Adirondacks to the Catskills. The homepage of the Foliage Report, http://fallgetaways.iloveny.com/foliage_report.html, displays a map of the state with color changes, from no change to near peak, peak, and past peak. Click on the Leaf Guide for an illustrated guide to the different leaves “setting New York State’s landscapes ablaze with color.” For the most beautiful vistas throughout the state, click on Scenic Views. Over 200 Lodging deals at B&Bs, hotels, motels and country inns are listed by region (many of them offer coupons or free nights). You’ll also find Attractions, Food & Wine, Shopping and Transportation suggestions by clicking on the tabs at the top of the page. You can even download a copy of the “Autumn Guide” brochure (PDF) from the website.
Before you head to Vermont, take a look at Guide to Foliage Time in Vermont, http://www.foliage-vermont.com. They have a neat gadget — Foliage Vermont’s Foliage Meter — that you can play to see the progression of colors across the state through September and October. I especially liked their suggested Driving Tours, which include a map and detailed directions for different routes. You can search by town or zip code to see a nice list of inns available for lodging with links to their websites.
For information on the rest of New England — Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island — go to Visit New England, http://www.visitnewengland.com. There’s a plethora of information on this site about visiting these states anytime, but click on an individual state, and then choose Foliage from the dropdown menu under “Where to Visit” for specific maps, driving tours, foliage reports, etc.
