Fall Colors Travel Tours

A Couple of Great Reasons to Head to Atlantic Canada to Bask in Fall Foliage

ATLANTIC CANADA, August, 2011 – Autumn is a wonderful time to visit Atlantic Canada. The four provinces – New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island come alive in a wash of fiery crimsons and scarlets along with bright yellows and golds, and food and music take center stage at colorful festivals. But perhaps the two best reasons for heading north is that the colors turn later than they do in New England and the Mid Atlantic.

And unlike other destinations that charge top dollar during fall foliage season, prices in Atlantic Canada are sometimes up to 50 percent lower in what’s considered the region’s off season, while the weather stays pleasant and the sun still shines.

Days are longer the further north you travel and more daylight delays the process of the leaves changing color. The temperatures are perfect for hiking and camping, and it’s the best time for whale watching. The web sites for New Brunswick Tourism and Parks and Nova Scotia Tourism have fall foliage sections with maps and blogs highlighting the best viewing spots.

Maxxim Vacations offers packages to all four provinces in Atlantic Canada. This fall, three-night packages from Boston start at about $1,019 to $1,172 per person, double occupancy and from New York, from about $1,131 to $1,325, per person, double and include roundtrip airfare, three nights’ accommodations and a rental car with unlimited mileage. Taxes and airline surcharges are extra, www.maxximvacations.com.

New Brunswick

Three quarters of the province is covered with evergreens, maples, beech, elm and red oak. Along the Acadian Coast, the autumn scenery is breathtaking. Around Charlo, the panorama takes in Chaleur Bay, one of the continent’s most beautiful, the Acadian Forest and the Appalachian Mountain Range. On nearby Lameque Island, the Ecological Park of the Acadian Peninsula offers some excellent walking trails while on the scenic island of Miscou, the area around the 1856 lighthouse turns brilliant red thanks to the acres of peat bogs.

Built in 1891, the historic seaside Hotel Paulin in Caraquet is operated by the 3rd and 4th generations of the Paulin family. The 12-room Victorian hotel is renowned for its fine cuisine and excellent wine list. The “Fall for Love” package includes accommodations for two nights, daily breakfast, one three-course dinner with wine pairing for two, an Acadian gift basket, a chocolate and port tasting and a tour and tasting at either the Oyster Museum or the local cheese maker. Starting at $331 per person, double occupancy, the package is available from September 16 to October 15. Room rates from June 1 to September 15 start at $137 per night and are $104 in the off season, www.hotelpaulin.com.

Travel Q&A: Readers' advice on New England fall foliage | TRAVEL ...

New England Fall Foliage

In fall (autumn), New England is famous for its glorious foliage as billions of leaves change from green to a kaleidoscope of colors. The air is crisp and cool – perfect for hiking, biking or a classic fly-drive break along back roads, where farm stands are piled high with crunchy apples and orange pumpkins.

When is the best time to come? The leaves start turning colors in the northern regions of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire typically around mid-to-late September and peaking around mid-October. In the more southern states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island and along the coast of New Hampshire and southern Maine, color starts later and often lasts up until November.

by Penny Walker – Aug. 5, 2011 03:20 PM