Having spent the majority of my life in Florida, I never really understood what the big deal was about fall. Changing of the seasons? Cool weather? Fall colors? Leaves? Did not register any of it. One year my mom had my grandpa actually mail us leaves so I could understand. Not even kidding – mail ordered fall direct to sunny South Florida from Brooklyn New York! This helped my 9 year old self sort of understand, but not until my New England Road Trip did I finally understand the magic of this season. Have I really been missing pumpkins piled on doorsteps, hot apple cider, maple syrup, apple cider donuts, colors like you WOULD NOT BELIEVE all my life?!? More than 30 years later I finally get it, and man, let me tell you, I am finally on board!
The Best Eats in New England in the Fall!
Visit Ben and Jerry’s in Vermont
The first order of business was visiting the mecca of the ice cream gods. Ben and Jerry’s. Headquartered in beautiful Vermont is the king of all ice cream. So naturally, we HAD to make the very first stop the ultimate sweet treat haven.
Ben and Jerry’s is a cute little facility that has a park for the kiddos, the flavor graveyard to reminisce the long gone flavors that are created no more. With your ticket purchase you also get to try a tasty sampling of ice cream. There is a cute little gift shop to remember your Ben and Jerry’s experience. The whole tour is about 15 minutes long, so it definitely worth a quick pit-stop to check it off your bucket list!
Cold Hollow Cider Mill is a Must-See in Vermont in the Fall
For a true New England experience, you MUST visit the Cold Hollow Cider Mill. Here you can grab a steamy cup of hot cider, fresh apple cider donuts and peruse the expansive shop for some local Vermont goodies: jams, jellys, spices, butter, honey, cheese, the list goes on! I think I got all my Christmas shopping done here, there were just so many amazing looking treats here, I wanted to buy the whole shop! If you’re a little hungrier or looking for something harder, make your way over to the Apple Core Luncheonette for breakfast, lunch and hard cider tasting. I could easily have spent half the day here wandering the shop and filling up on awesome food, cider, and donuts all day.
von Trapp Brewing in Vermont
What trip to New England is complete without a visit to von Trapp Brewing in Stowe, VT. von Trap Brewing is a gorgous brewery created by the youngest son of Maria and the Baron. We stopped here for a Bavarian pretzel with beer cheese and some Austrian food and man it did not disappoint!
Must Stop places to Explore in New England in the Fall!
Lost River Gorge and Boulder Caves in New Hampshire
The Lost River Gorge and Boulder Caves hike in the White Mountains New Hampshire was an awesome little trek along a wooden boardwalk trail. This 1 mile trail takes you through magnificent boulder caves that you can explore. This was such a cool hike because the Ice Age had created this cave network so it was interesting to see how high the water once flowed and how it created these amazing rock formations. Continuing through the boardwalk we followed the water upstream for views of breathtaking waterfalls and expansive views of the White Mountains. And bonus, the boardwalk made this a super easy hike!
Franconia Notch State Park in New Hampshire
Franconia Notch State Park is located in the heart of the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire. This hike starts begins by taking you through the Flume Gorge. It was amazing to be surrounded by these towering rock walls. Continuing along the river through the gorge we saw some awesome waterfalls and quaint covered bridges. We continued along the Franconia Ridge Trail (also the Appalachian Trail) for amazing expansive views of the White Mountains.
Places you Have to Visit in the Fall in New England!
Billings Farm and Museum in Vermont
The Billings Farm and Museum was not a planned stop on this trip, but driving by we saw the CUTEST cows and I intended to just stop for a quick photo. But this adorable farm drew me in, “Meet the Sheep” was just about to start and I wanted in! Tickets were bought and meet the sheep I did! We were so glad we made this stop because this was the most beautiful farm, with gorgeous rolling hills, friendly animals, fresh ice cream and, – surprise – more hot apple cider! I was in my glory! This was a really cool historic site as the Billings Farm was established in 1871 by Frederick Billings, a native Vermonter known for his work as a lawyer, railroad builder, and pioneer in scientific farm management and reforestation. The museum was beautifully created and super interesting. Ice cream, apple cider, and happy animals, I don’t know what more a girl can ask for!
If you’re interested in visiting New England to get fantastic shots of the most pictureque scene, check out my blog post for The Most Instagramable Places in New England in the Fall for some of the more secret spots! And be sure to follow @Amanda_Meets_World_ on Instagram for more photos and info!
Have you been to any of these spots? Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!
