Fall Foliage

We always get a kick out of the "leaf peepers" who pile onto tour buses and head north each fall to New Hampshire or Vermont for a glimpse of seasonal color. While we love the burst of brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges that autumn brings to the trees as much as anyone (seasonal changes are, of course, one of the real pleasures of living in the Boston area), we prefer to enjoy the fall foliage closer to home.

And why not? The trees in the Boston area are filled with color and there are plenty of places nearby where you can admire them. Here are three of our favorite "leaf peeping" spots:

Arnold Arboretum
Routes 1 and 203 (Arborway)
Jamaica Plain
617-524-1718

It is hard to believe that the Arnold Arboretum is only six miles from downtown Boston. This 265-acre oasis is home to more than 14,000 varieties of trees and shrubs, guaranteeing that you will see plenty of brightly-colored fall leaves. The paths are well maintained and most trees are labeled by the diligent staff of Harvard University, which administers the arboretum. The grounds are open daily from dawn until dusk and are easily accessible via the "T" (take the Orange Line to the Forest Hills stop) or bus (take the #39 from Copley Square to Centre Street).

Maudsley State Park
Curzon Mill Road
Newburyport
508-465-7223

Once the estate of a wealthy family, this park features well-laid out grounds and breath-taking views of the Merrimac River. As you stroll through the former estate, note the wonderful color of the trees that line the stately walkways and the care that was taken in planning a burial ground for the family pets. Maudsley State Park is open daily from 8 AM to sunset. To reach the park from Boston, take Route 128N to Interstate 95N. Exit on Route 113W and continue about a quarter mile. Turn right onto Gypsy Lane/Hoyts Lane. Go to the end of the road and turn left. Parking will be available on your right shortly after you make this turn.

Walden Pond State Reservation
Route 126 (Walden Street)
Concord
978-369-3254

Walden Pond is where Henry David Thoreau lived in solitude, reflected on the beauty of nature and wrote the famous series of essays in the book Walden. A furnished replica of Thoreau's cabin stands near the parking lot; the site of the original cabin is staked out in stone about a half mile away. We recommend a hike through this State Park on a beautiful autumn day -- thanks largely to the efforts of conservationists, the area has been preserved and appears much the way it did in Thoreau's day and offers spectacular fall color. The Reservation is open daily from 5 AM to sunset. Concord is just 21 miles west of Boston: take Route 2 out of Boston and exit on 126. Go south about 1/2 mile. Parking is available across the road from the pond.

The question we at TheInsider.com get asked most is "when will the leaves be at their most colorful?" It varies from place to place and from year to year. Recently, we've found a reliable tool for tracking New England's foliage color. You'll find it at YankeeFoliage.com.

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