10 Best New England Fall Weekend Getaways

New England in the fall is tough to beat. The weather is amazing, the foliage is stunning, the fall activities are endless, and there are so many great options for weekend getaways in driving distance of one another! I love fall in New England and have put together a list of some of my favorite weekend trips to take in New England in the fall! Keep reading below for details on my favorite spots and the top things to do there!

I love all of these spots, but my absolute favorites for fall are North Conway, Portland, & Boston!

Jump To:

New Hampshire:

• North Conway – best for Foliage & Mountain Lovers
• Portsmouth – best for bars, restaurants & shopping

Maine:

• Portland – best for foodies & brewery lovers
• Acadia/Bar Harbor – best for hikers & sunrise chasers
• Ogunquit – best for rocky New England coastlines

Vermont:

• Stowe – best for a quintessential New England fall getaway
• Burlington – best for beer enthusiasts

Massachusetts:

• Salem – best for fans of spooky season
• Boston – best for fall in the city
• Newburyport – best for charming coastal towns

Rhode Island:

• Newport – best for beaches

New Hampshire

North Conway

My family heads to North Conway at least one every summer, spends most Thanksgivings there, & snowboard there in the winter. So, I’m a little biased when I say this is one of my favorite places not just in New England, but anywhere!

North Conway is the fall is insanely beautiful & it’s one of the absolute best places in New England to see the foliage & experience all the fall New England things! Some of the top recommendations for fall

• Take a drive down the Kancamagus highway from North Conway to Lincoln to see all the foliage views! There are many cutoffs to stop at along the way for great pictures (Lower Falls, Rocky Gorge, Sugar Hills Scenic Vista & more!)
• Take the North Conway Scenic Railroad (or drive the railroad route)
• Hike into Diana’s Bath
• Explore the shops in Downtown North Conway, especially Zeb’s
• Drive or hike up to Cathedral Ledge!
• Check out the White Mountain Cider Co for apple cider donuts
• Explore the nearby town of Jackson, home of the infamous pumpkin people displays!

Portsmouth

Portsmouth is one of my favorite cities to take a weekend trip to. It’s close to Boston, small & walkable, but with tons of things to do. I love the rustic look & feel with the working harbor and all the old brick buildings and streets! Most times I go to Portsmouth we spend about 85% of the day just wandering, eating and drinking. Some of my top recommendations are:

• Drinks on the water at Lazy Jack’s
• Exploring the shops on Congress & Market Street
• Prescott Park
• Rooftop drinks at the Envio Hotel
• Dinner on the water on Bow Street (Top picks: River House or Surf)

Maine

Portland

Portland is one of my favorite cities to visit in the fall! It’s a short drive from Boston, has amazing food, tons of awesome bars & breweries, and is so pretty just to walk around all the winding streets lined with old brick buildings! Some of my favorite recommendations for Portland are:

• See Portland Head Light
• Grab drinks by the water & catch some live music at The Porthole
• Get donuts at the Holy Donut
• Check out a few breweries. My top picks: Bissel Brothers, Shipyard (fall is a great time to try their Pumpkinhead) & Liquid Riot
• Head to the speakeasy at Blyth and Burrows
• Barhop on Wharf Street. My top pick: Bonfire

Acadia/Bar Harbor

Acadia is a long drive from Boston, but it’s so beautiful up there and definitely worth a trip! The hikes and views (especially the fall foliage) are stunning! Some of my top recommendations for a trip to Acadia are:

• Hike Cadillac Mountain (preferably for sunrise)
• Check out the Gorham Mountain trailhead & Thunder Hole
• Drinks at the Thirsty Whale
• Seafood at Geddy’s
• Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse (for sunset)

Ogunquit

Ogunquit is a tiny coastal town in Maine that’s a great spot to spend a weekend. There’s tons of cute shops, bars and restaurants surrounded by those quintessential rocky New England coast line views! Some of my top Ogunquit recommendations are:

• Walk Marginal Way
• Check out Ogunquit Beach
• Head to some of the best bars: Maine Street, The Front Porch & That Place
• Do some shopping on Main Street & Shore Road
• Take a drive to the Cliff House for dinner or drinks

Vermont

Stowe

Stowe is a great fall or winter destination in Vermont! It’s consistently voted as one of the best places to see the fall foliage in New England and is a great place to head for a fall weekend exploring.

• Take a scenic drive to see the foliage – this guide has some awesome route recommendations
• Take the gondola up to the top of Stowe Mountain Resort
• Explore the cute ski village around Stowe Mountain Resort
• Take one of the scenic hikes Stowe has to offer – Sunset Rock or Stowe Pinnacle

Burlington

Burlington, the town where the University of Vermont is located, is a great summer weekend trip spot. It sits right on the beautiful Lake Champlain and has lots of great breweries for weekend exploring! Some of my top Burlington recommendations are:

• Visit the Ben & Jerry’s flagship shop. They were founded in Burlington!
• Explore the UVM campus
• Do some shopping on Church Street
• Check out some breweries (Top picks: Zero Gravity, Switchback)

Massachusetts

Salem

Salem is a unique town not far from Boston, most known for the infamous Witch Trials, but it’s actually a great spot to spend a day or a weekend. It’s a cute coastal town with nice views, bars & restaurants, and plenty of Witch-y things to explore, if that’s what you’re interested in. Some of my top recommendations in Salem are:

• Check out all of the Halloween festivities through October
• Beers at Notch Brewing
• Drinks with views at the Roof
• Explore Salem Willows Park
• Visit the House of Seven Gables
• Grab dinner downtown (My picks: Finz for seafood on the water or Howling Wolf for Mexican!)

Truthfully, I find all the witch museums/attractions a bit tourist-y and not totally worth it BUT if you want there are tons of options for that stuff, like:

• The Salem Witch Museum
• Witch History Museum
• Witch Trials Memorial

Boston

I may be a little biased because Boston is home for me, but Boston is incredible in the fall! The weather and the foliage are amazing during this time of year and it’s one of the prettiest times to explore the city! Some of my top recommendations for Boston in the fall are:

• Explore scenic Beacon Hill
• See the foliage at the Boston Commons
• Catch a Red Sox game
• Try some fall beer at Sam Adams or Harpoon
• Take a Boston Harbor cruise to see the city from the water

Newburyport

Newburyport is another Massachusetts coastal town on the North Shore that’s a good spot to spend a day exploring! Some of my top recommendations in Newburyport are:

• Wander through the little shops downtown
• Drinks with views at the Deck
• Walk the boardwalk at Waterfront Park
• Catch some live music at the Grog

Rhode Island

Newport

Newport is another great oceanside town to visit in New England. It’s known for it’s infamous mansions lining the coast, but the downtown has a fun, casual vibe that makes for a great weekend trip. Some of my favorite things to do in Newport are:

• The Cliff Walk
• Explore the coast by taking Ocean Drive
• Catch some live music at Pelham (One Pelham East)