Massachusetts/Maine/New Hampshire/Vermont
On the Road: The Best of Fall in New England
Program No. 20031RJ
Discover classic New England as you photograph vibrant fall foliage, explore quaint villages, visit national parks and celebrate this region with a traditional Maine lobster feast.
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Protecting the Environment
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11 days
10 nights
26 meals
10B 8L 8D
1
Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Boston, Massachusetts
2
Boston, Freedom Trail, Old North Church
Boston, Massachusetts
3
Salem, Old York, Old Gaol, Nubble Lighthouse
Ogunquit, Maine
4
Art Museum, Lobster Boat, Free Time
Ogunquit, Maine
5
From the Rocky Coast to the Granite Mountains
Bartlett, New Hampshire
6
Mount Washington Cog Railway, Rocks Estate
Bartlett, New Hampshire
7
Kancamagus Highway, Vermont History Museum
Burlington, VT
8
Shelburne Museum, Free Time
Burlington, VT
9
Back Roads & Villages of Vermont
Grafton, VT
10
Organic Farm, Stone Trust
Grafton, VT
11
Program Concludes
Boston, Massachusetts
At a Glance
Journey the back roads and byways of New England to experience the best of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Vermont during a fall foliage adventure through the region’s most picturesque countryside and into the history and culture at the foundation of Colonial America.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Climbing a few flights of stairs, standing for up to one hour, walking over paved and unpaved surfaces up to two miles over the course of the day.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Take an in-depth look at the ecology of New Hampshire’s White Mountains.
- Trace our nation's cultural history through the collections of American art at the Ogunquit Museum of American Art and the Vermont History Museum.
- Savor the tastes of New England with a culinary exploration of Portland, Maine and a lobster dinner.
General Notes
Please note the timing of the changing leaves varies annually and cannot be guaranteed. This program visits various northern and southern locations and the fall colors also vary geographically. Special note about the Grafton Inn: Rooms with two beds are reserved for our matched roommates with all other requests considered on a first come, first serve basis. Though all rooms are accessible by a flight of stairs, based on availability, a limited number of first floor or elevator-accessible rooms may be requested for those with mobility issues. All special requests must notify Road Scholar in advance.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Chris Lewey
Chris Lewey, executive director and founder of RAVEN Interpretive Programs, holds a master’s degree in environmental studies from Antioch University and attended Maharishi European Research University in France. He has taught ornithology for the National Audubon Society at their Hog Island ecology camp on the coast of Maine, where he was the director of their Joy of Birding and Breaking into Birding programs. A native New Englander and licensed Maine Guide, he has taught biology, ecology, and ornithology in both New Hampshire and Maine.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Chris Lewey
View biography
Chris Lewey, executive director and founder of RAVEN Interpretive Programs, holds a master’s degree in environmental studies from Antioch University and attended Maharishi European Research University in France. He has taught ornithology for the National Audubon Society at their Hog Island ecology camp on the coast of Maine, where he was the director of their Joy of Birding and Breaking into Birding programs. A native New Englander and licensed Maine Guide, he has taught biology, ecology, and ornithology in both New Hampshire and Maine.
Jim McAllister
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Jim McAllister is a Salem historian, photographer, author and teacher, and serves as a historic consultant to the City of Salem and the Hawthorne Hotel. A graduate of Stonehill College, his photographs of Salem have appeared in numerous publications, and he is the author of “Salem: From Naumkeag to Witch City” and co-author of “Salem: Cornerstones of a Historic City.” Jim has appeared on both the “History Channel” and “Home and Garden TV.”
Nancy Coolidge
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Nancy Coolidge graduated from Mount Holyoke College, and later attended the Harvard-Radcliffe Program in business administration and worked in a bank trust department. In 1979, she became a founding trustee of the Lynch Foundation. She later moved to the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA), where she served as staff director from 1983 to 1992. She has since led groups to maritime Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Scandinavia, and Antarctica. She continues her work with the Lynch Foundation.
Mike Fowler
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Mike Fowler is a natural born teacher. He was a teacher of history and geography for more than 18 years. His love of travel and teaching led him to leave regular classroom teaching to escort and lead the young and young at heart on journeys throughout the world. Mike is excited to share in Road Scholar learning adventures in Florida and experience the dynamic culture, people, and history. He also leads Road Scholar groups in Cuba.
Lili Murad
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Lili Murad knows firsthand the unique, life-changing moments that only travel can provide, whether it be building houses with Habit for Humanity in New Zealand, working at an eco-lodge in Costa Rica, or participating in a Bald Eagle field study project in Alaska. She made her first solo trip at the tender age of 9, and has since visited 30 countries and 29 U.S. states. In between adventures, she has put down deep roots in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Boston.
Ken McAuliffe
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Ken McAuliffe, the visitor services coordinator at the Old York Historical Society, has led the 14-person Guide Team for the last 10 years. Ken is a former history teacher and long time school superintendent in NYS. Ken is a graduate of the State University of NY with degrees in history and administration.
Suggested Reading List
(19 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
On the Road: The Best of Fall in New England
Program Number: 20031
Coastal Maine, A Maritime History
A four hundred year history of Maine, focusing on maritime traditions and seafaring, as well coastal settlement and development.
New England Wildlife
This laminated, fold-out, pocket-size guide features illustrations of almost 150 species of fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals.
Eyewitness Guide New England
This superb guide to Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine features color photography, dozens of excellent local maps and a synopsis of the region's attractions. It also devotes a section to Boston. Handsome, convenient and up-to-date, this is the guide to carry.
Founding Brothers, The Revolutionary Generation
A riveting tale of Washington, Madison, Hamilton and especially of Jefferson and Adams. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, it's a fascinating glimpse into the early days of our country.
One Man's Meat
By the author of "Charlotte's Web," a collection of observant and often humorous essays about daily life on a Maine saltwater farm. A wonderful portrait of coastal small-town life, originally published in 1938.
The Original Vermonters, Native Inhabitants, Past and Present
A highly readable, scholarly history of the native inhabitants and cultures of Vermont, covering the arrival of the Paleoindians, Abenakis and Iriquois.
New England Autumn
Magnificent photographs of farmsteads, pastures, forests, wharves and villages from Maine to Connecticut are paired with the poetry and literature of Dickinson, Thoreau and Waldo Emerson in this pictorial celebration of season. With a 14-page section of maps and practical travel information.
Reading the Forested Landscape, A Natural History of New England
In this entertaining, informative book, the history of the New England forest unfolds like a mystery novel. Wessels examines the character of the central New England forest through the clues left behind by fires, logging, storms and economic fads.
New England Map
A road map of all of New England, at a scale of 1:600,000.
Call of the Coast, Art Colonies of New England
Denenberg focuses on the art colonies that sprung up in the early twentieth century in Old Lyme, Connecticut, and Ogunquit and Monhegan, Maine, and on the great artists (including Edward Hopper and George Bellows) whose work was inspired by them. The book contains around 80 reproductions as well as documentary photography and explainers on the artworks themselves.
Inventing Acadia, Artists and Tourists at Mount Desert
The history of Acadia National Park and especially the artists Thomas Cole, Frederic Edwin Church and others who contributed to its creation. Published by the Farnsworth Library & Art Museum.
Winslow Homer, The Nature of Observation
This biography of the preeminent 19th century New England painter considers the artist’s oeuvre in the context of his psychological development. More than 75 black-and-white illustrations and 40 color plates illuminate Johns’ analysis of the American master.
The Nature of Vermont, Introduction and Guide to a New England Environment
Opening with a discussion of the geologic history of Vermont, Johnson provides a lively introduction to major habitats, plants and animals of the state. An excellent survey of natural history.
The Cider House Rules
This is John Irving's story of a teenage orphan named Homer Wells who lives in rural Maine. Growing up under the tutelage of Dr. Wilbur Larch, an abortionist and administrator of the local orphanage, Homer must face the moral dilemmas that surround him.
The Most Beautiful Villages of New England
New England's most picturesque towns and villages are presented through 240 full color photographs. Accompanying descriptions fill in details about each town's history and architecture.
The Lobster Coast: Rebels, Rusticators, and the Struggle for a Forgotten Frontier
A fascinating cultural history of coastal Maine as seen through the lobstering industry.
National Audubon Society Field Guide to New England
A compact, easy-to-use overview of 1,000 of New England's trees, wildflowers, mammals, insects and other flora and fauna. It also provides an extensive overview of the area's geology, weather patterns and natural sites.
Insight Guide New England
For a good overview of the region, you can't go wrong with this guide, noted for its wonderful photography, superb production and outstanding color maps.
Colors of Fall, A Celebration of New England's Foliage Season
Capturing the spectacular fall display from the Berkshires of Massachusetts, the Green Mountains of Vermont, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and the wilds of northern Maine in 75 color photos.