Greetings from New England, and Welcome to "The Weekly Peepcast" for October 26, 2006, brought to you by explorenewengland.com.
I'm Kim Knox Beckius, your fall color commentator, and as the leaves begin to give up the ghost here in New England, I'm back with one final report to help you find the region's last vestiges of brilliant fall color and some wonderful festivals and events for the final weekend of October.
First, let's take a look at what the leaves are up to and where you should go if you'd like to increase your chances of viewing foliage at its peak.
Greater Boston and the Massachusetts south shore continue to offer leaf peepers an opportunity to view foliage at near peak conditions. There is some rain and wind in the forecast for this weekend that may send leaves fluttering to the ground, but you should still be able to enjoy scenic views as you explore the eastern part of the state. Route 16, also known as the Mystic Valley Parkway, will be a particularly pretty drive as it follows the Mystic River through Medford and Winchester.
With Thanksgiving just four weeks away, this will be the perfect time to find inspiration for your own holiday celebration at Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, Massachusetts. I just checked lodging availability at the John Carver Inn in Plymouth, and you can still reserve a room starting at $155 for a family of four. If it rains, the kids will love the hotel's Pilgrim Cove themed indoor pool.
Make your reservations online at johncarverinn.com or by calling toll free, 800-274-1620.
In Connecticut this weekend, the coastal areas are the best bet for travelers still searching for strong fall color. Leaves are also approaching peak on New York's Long Island, so why not plan a ferry trip from New London, Connecticut, to Orient Point? There are more than a dozen vineyards situated along Long Island's North Fork, and you can spend a very enjoyable day tasting their wines and doing some early holiday shopping. Visit liwines.com for a helpful map.
The leaves may be past peak in Vermont, but visit the Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area on Route 17 near West Addison this weekend, and you may see an equally compelling sight. This is the time of year when thousands of snow geese stop by on their way south for the winter.
As always, keep in mind that there is so much more to do in New England than look at pretty leaves, especially as Halloween draws near. Here are my five picks for this weekend's best fall events:
1. In Boston, the Seaport World Trade Center will be transformed into Halloween Town on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Boston's biggest Halloween celebration is fun for all ages, and funds raised support The Kids Fund at Boston Medical Center. Activities include story telling, pumpkin decorating, laser tag, appearances by the New England Patriots cheerleaders and interactive exhibits such as Frankenstein's Lab.
I'm Kim Knox Beckius, your fall color commentator, and as the leaves begin to give up the ghost here in New England, I'm back with one final report to help you find the region's last vestiges of brilliant fall color and some wonderful festivals and events for the final weekend of October.
First, let's take a look at what the leaves are up to and where you should go if you'd like to increase your chances of viewing foliage at its peak.
Greater Boston and the Massachusetts south shore continue to offer leaf peepers an opportunity to view foliage at near peak conditions. There is some rain and wind in the forecast for this weekend that may send leaves fluttering to the ground, but you should still be able to enjoy scenic views as you explore the eastern part of the state. Route 16, also known as the Mystic Valley Parkway, will be a particularly pretty drive as it follows the Mystic River through Medford and Winchester.
With Thanksgiving just four weeks away, this will be the perfect time to find inspiration for your own holiday celebration at Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, Massachusetts. I just checked lodging availability at the John Carver Inn in Plymouth, and you can still reserve a room starting at $155 for a family of four. If it rains, the kids will love the hotel's Pilgrim Cove themed indoor pool.
Make your reservations online at johncarverinn.com or by calling toll free, 800-274-1620.
In Connecticut this weekend, the coastal areas are the best bet for travelers still searching for strong fall color. Leaves are also approaching peak on New York's Long Island, so why not plan a ferry trip from New London, Connecticut, to Orient Point? There are more than a dozen vineyards situated along Long Island's North Fork, and you can spend a very enjoyable day tasting their wines and doing some early holiday shopping. Visit liwines.com for a helpful map.
The leaves may be past peak in Vermont, but visit the Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area on Route 17 near West Addison this weekend, and you may see an equally compelling sight. This is the time of year when thousands of snow geese stop by on their way south for the winter.
As always, keep in mind that there is so much more to do in New England than look at pretty leaves, especially as Halloween draws near. Here are my five picks for this weekend's best fall events:
1. In Boston, the Seaport World Trade Center will be transformed into Halloween Town on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Boston's biggest Halloween celebration is fun for all ages, and funds raised support The Kids Fund at Boston Medical Center. Activities include story telling, pumpkin decorating, laser tag, appearances by the New England Patriots cheerleaders and interactive exhibits such as Frankenstein's Lab.
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