Boston leaf peepers looking for a colorful fall weekend should set their sights on Burlington, Vermont. The Lake Champlain city was recently named the No. 8 best place to visit in the U.S. this fall by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, recognized for its bright New England foliage, crisp weather, and full calendar of seasonal events.
Here are 10 of the country’s top autumn destinations, with the closest New England spots leading the way.
- Mackinac Island, Michigan
- Allegany County, Maryland
- Woodstock, Georgia
- Gatlinburg, Tennessee
- Lafayette, Louisiana
- Rochester, New York
- Saratoga County, New York
- Burlington, Vermont
- Yakima Valley, Washington
- Sleepy Hollow, New York
Foliage in Burlington and the Champlain Valley typically peaks from mid- to late October, later than northern Vermont’s mountain regions. For a fuller fall itinerary, pair a waterfront day in Burlington with a drive toward Smugglers’ Notch or Stowe, where higher elevations often color up earlier. The city sits on Lake Champlain, where visitors can take in autumn color against a backdrop of the Adirondack Mountains across the water.
