Heading North in September

I%26#39;m looking for suggestions for end of September activities or places to visit in the north (NY and on up into Canada). We%26#39;re planning a week long trip from Northern Virginia.

We like driving, photography, festivals, cute towns, old towns, shore towns, etc.

Heading North in September

I guess this hasn%26#39;t been answered here because it isn%26#39;t obvious that one would have to go through Maine to see New York State and Canada. Did you plan to visit Maine also?

Heading North in September

Yes, but we don%26#39;t have a plan yet, because we know nothing about it.

When does fall begin in Maine?

Fall foliage generally begins to change in northern VT, NH and ME in very late September and early October. Northern means above the White Mountains in NH and parallel in VT, and probably above a line that follows Rte 2 across Maine to Bar Harbor. You can get more precise info, especially once the season begins, at the NH State Tourism website - www.visitnh.gov. You will find a lot of other useful info there, as well as links.

September is a great time for COunty and agricultural fairs. Here is a list of fairs in September:

August 29 - September 3, 2007 Lancaster Fair

August 30 - September 3, 2007 Hopkinton State Fair

September 7 - 9, 2007 Hillsborough County Agricultural Fair

At the 4H Center in New Boston

September 14 - 23, 2007 Rochester Fair

September 27 - 30, 2007 Deerfield Fair

October 6 - 8, 2007 Sandwich Fair

This actually a line up of some of the best in the state. Lancaster, being a northern town, is unique in its own right. Deerfield, I believe, is the oldest in the state. Sandwich is quite renowned. And the Hopkinton State fair is a good one. New Boston is great for ag. stuff.

And I am sure Rochester is good, but I really don%26#39;t know anything about it.

General suggestions include the coast of Maine - you could spend a week there, easily. The White Mountains in NH. If you go, you%26#39;ll love the Kankamagus Highway, cutting through from Lincoln to COnway. For old and cute towns - just get off the interstates. I or anyone could offer particular suggestions, but you will find them anywhere you go. Once you plot out a rough route, it will be easier. The visitnh website will have a link to covered bridges in the state. It will also break the state by regions. This will help you begin to focus your direction. Also, anywhere you go in VT is cute and quaint.

Will you be driving up from VA or flying into the area? If you can work it out to fly into one airport and fly back from another, you may be able to avoid having to double back on your tracks. One interesting route would be to drive from the coast of NH/ME on Rte 4 to Concord, NH, then up I-89 through NH and VT to Burlington and into Canada and Montreal, then back down through NY State, you would have an awesome route that would give you a taste of everything you want. There a ton of good places to get off the highway, and the highway gives you the option to make time when you want to. COncord to Montreal is about a 4 hour drive, straight through. Of course, this will miss the White Mountains, but you will go through the Green Mts of VT, equally beautiful.

It sounds like I have a lot of planning to do. I appreciate your help and will repost more here once I figure it all out.

Thanks for your help!