Four reasons to spend autumn in New England

Ever heard of ‘leaf peeping’? It’s the act of admiring the vibrant autumn leaves in New England, which paint the region’s parks, woodland and tree-lined streets all shades of red, orange and yellow. Some of the most iconic spots for leaf peeping are the 63-mile-long Mohawk Trail in Massachusetts, a scenic byway that winds from Athol to Williamstown through the stunning Berkshire Mountains, and Acadia National Park in Maine, a 47,000-acre natural expanse of mountains, forests, beaches and lakes. Another way to see the seasonal phenomenon is via a ‘fall foliage’ train ride on the Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad. Journeys are round-trip from the town of Unity (also in Maine), which is a couple of hours’ drive from the port stop of Bar Harbor.

Typically, whale watching season in New England runs from April to October (and some tours run to the end of November), so autumn is an ideal time to witness the majestic creatures in their natural habitat. One of the best spots for whale watching is the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, which you can visit on a catamaran tour from Boston, offering you the chance to see humpbacks, finbacks and critically endangered North Atlantic right whales.

Come autumn, lots of local farms in New England transform into family-friendly pumpkin patches, offering pick-your-own and a range of other fun activities, too. In Levant, Maine (accessible from Bar Harbor), don’t miss Treworgy Family Orchards, where you can pick handfuls of apples and pumpkins as well as visit their award-winning corn maze – it has a different, elaborate design each year. Elsewhere, Queen Anne Square in the centre of Newport, Rhode Island opens its pumpkin patch from mid-October to Halloween and displays over 1,000 voluptuous, orange-hued squashes for the public to admire. The annual event also includes live music performances, hot cider stands and stalls selling locally made sweet treats.

Taking place every October, Salem Haunted Happenings is a month-long festival of all things witchcraft in one of the ‘spookiest’ cities in the USA. Located half an hour north of Boston, Salem is best known for its 17th-century witch trials, which saw some locals executed for allegedly practising witchcraft. From 1st-31st October, visitors can enjoy an array of daytime and evening events taking place all over the city, many of which are free and suitable for all ages. You’ll find guided seances, a psychic fair and witches’ market, magic workshops, historic walking trails, haunted house tours, and much, much more. If you’re visiting Salem outside of October, but are keen to learn about its frightful past, you can book your place on Princess’ Salem Witch History shore excursion at any time of year.