Question - best dates for fall color?

[pv girl]

Hoping those of you who live in Boston area (Sail?) and Canada can advise best dates for fall color. Looking at Canada/New England 7 day cruises -

 

I have been told best color in New England is around first week in Oct. Is this true? And what about the Canada portion of this itinerary?

 

Any input is appreciated before we choose dates.:)

[KirkNC]

It will vary a little year by year but the last week of September or first week in October would be my choice.

[Krazy Kruizers]

It also depends on how much rain we get. If we get a lot, the colors are beautiful and last longer. If we have a dry season, the leaves just turn brown and drop off the trees quickly.

The first week of October should be beautiful.

We did a cruise the 3rd week of October and most of the trees were finished for the year plus many of the shops had closed for the season.

[brentp]

In addition to the above, it also depends greatly on where you are in the New England and Canada area. The colors will 'migrate south' during the fall. You can be in Boston and it can be completely green, while northern New England and Canada can be peak or, . . . done.

 

I grew up in central Vermont and this area tends to peak on average around last week Sept very early Oct. I now live in southern New Hampshire, and peak tends to be a few weeks later (Early to Mid Oct). Northern New England and Southern Canada would be a few weeks earlier (Mid Sept). So, peak tends to be available in about a 4 to 5 week window somewhere across the entire area. However, it only lasts for a few days, a week max, in any one isolated spot (there is about a two week build up this peak). Once the colors peak, the next rain/wind storm will remove the bulk of the leaves.

 

From a cruise perspective, this works out nicely. From around Mid-Sept to Mid-Oct, you would very likely see peak color somewhere along a NE/Canada cruse. That said, I too would look towards the end Sept, so you can see the progression as you sail from south to north. As soon as the color is gone, there is really only one color left until spring - Brown. Going too late in the year and that will be the bulk of the color you see. :)

[seavoyager6]

In addition to the above, it also depends greatly on where you are in the New England and Canada area. The colors will 'migrate south' during the fall. You can be in Boston and it can be completely green, while northern New England and Canada can be peak or, . . . done.

 

I grew up in central Vermont and this area tends to peak on average around last week Sept very early Oct. I now live in southern New Hampshire, and peak tends to be a few weeks later (Early to Mid Oct). Northern New England and Southern Canada would be a few weeks earlier (Mid Sept). So, peak tends to be available in about a 4 to 5 week window somewhere across the entire area. However, it only lasts for a few days, a week max, in any one isolated spot (there is about a two week build up this peak). Once the colors peak, the next rain/wind storm will remove the bulk of the leaves.

 

From a cruise perspective, this works out nicely. From around Mid-Sept to Mid-Oct, you would very likely see peak color somewhere along a NE/Canada cruse. That said, I too would look towards the end Sept, so you can see the progression as you sail from south to north. As soon as the color is gone, there is really only one color left until spring - Brown. Going too late in the year and that will be the bulk of the color you see. :)

 

Save a lot of money. Fly to NY or Boston and drive to God's Country...Vermont.

 

Best fall foliage on the planet but no sea access, sorry

[brentp]

Save a lot of money. Fly to NY or Boston and drive to God's Country...Vermont.

 

Best fall foliage on the planet but no sea access, sorry

 

I agree completely! Unfortunately, a couple of years ago, no road access either after Irene went through.

[seavoyager6]

Hurricanes can land anywhere in the South or Northeast . Last year even Newfoundland and Greenland got hit not to mention the October storm that devastated pretty much all of the NE US coast.

 

Irene was a rarity. VT with no seacoast is usually a saferbet during the corresponding Foliage and Hurricane autumn season

[Minoushka]

If I knew how to posta pc here i wouldshow you Ottawa area in fall ....gorgeous ...so who knows how to post from an ipad!!

[496and706]

Nope, nope, nope... The Caledon Hills in Ontario have the rest of you beat. Especially on Thanksgiving weekend. We have better Maple Syrup, too. ;)

[3rdGenCunarder]

We did a fall repositioning cruise from Montreal to FLL during the last two weeks of October. We saw lots of good color along the St Lawrence River. By the time we got to Bar Harbor, the color was past peak. But even after the fall leaves are down, most of the route has lots of fir and spruce trees, so it isn't just brown and dead-looking.

 

K

[sapper1]

Generally speaking, the leaves reach their peak in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia around October 10th. Now it may be a bit earlier in the Cape Breton highlands as it is cooler there sooner. It is hard to make an exact prediction because there are so many variables. One good storm after they peak and the effect is greatly diminished.

 

We tend to take the gorgeous display so much for granted that we have to stop and think that people travel great distances to enjoy the colours. They don't look quite so pretty when they have to be raked up. :)

[brentp]

We have better Maple Syrup, too. ;)

 

Better than from Vermont? Sounds like a cross border taste test is in order. :) Maybe the OP can buy some from her stops and report back!

 

We tend to take the gorgeous display so much for granted that we have to stop and think that people travel great distances to enjoy the colours. They don't look quite so pretty when they have to be raked up.

 

So true, . . . :)

 

 

Seriously, a couple of posts here have brought up a good point that I failed to factor in. The foliage near the ocean waters will turn later than inland simply due to the warmth the ocean waters provide.

 

So, from a cruise perspective, starting the cruise up through early Oct may be an good choice if one does not plan to stray too far inland for 'leaf peeping' during the cruise.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Something else to consider is that the deciduous forests in the Northeast are "mixed hardwoods," meaning several different species. Each species may change color at a different time. So even if you don't hit the peak of color, there will still be pretty colors before and after the peak. Where I am in NJ, we get several weeks of color. No single blast, but scenery that changes bit by bit, each day.

 

The posters who said to drive around in New Hampshire and Vermont (and other NE states and provinces, I am NOT taking any sides here!!! :D) are right about color. I think there are more evergreens mixed in with the deciduous trees along the coast. Inland, you'll probably see more deciduous trees, so a greater concentration of fall colors. But no cruise.

[pv girl]

I now have some good ideas of the timing, thanks to all of your input.

 

We will look at last week of Sept/or first week of Oct starting in Canada and down to Boston. Then we plan a few days by car in Boston area before flying home.

 

Now we need to decide on cheap cruise on Veendam or much more costly on Maasdam. Have been on Maasdam before and loved the ship and crew. Never been on Veendam. Four straight port days at end of cruise, so not on ship much anyway. Like the idea of the overnight in Quebec on Veendam as allows more time there. But flights to Quebec are harder than Montreal.

decisions! decisions! But we still have lots of time ---