New England travel tips

A popular tourist attraction didn't exactly meet Kacey Musgraves' expectations during a recent visit.

Skiing and snowboarding got a big participation boost from the pandemic, and leisure travel in general has been running at a frenetic pace, with demand often outstripping supply. As a result, many top winter vacation destinations are more expensive than ever. Because Marriott’s Bonvoy is the world’s largest hotel loyalty program, many frequent travelers and those who accrue points through business travel will be looking to redeem their earnings for much needed “free” vacation stays.

According to the popular Noah Kahan song, Stick Season is named for a term that was used by some of the older folks in the town he grew up in to describe this really miserable time of year when it's just kind of gray and cold, and there's no snow yet and the beauty of the foliage is done.

Touring New England in search of autumn’s changing colors has become so popular it has sprouted its own subculture of “leaf-peepers.”

I was in high school when "Gilmore Girls" premiered, and I watched it each week from my home in the suburbs. Though I didn't necessarily want to be Rory or Lorelai, I did covet one aspect of their life: Stars Hollow.

Acadia National Park stretches over a rocky and mountainous coastal landscape of the Maine coast. The park has a wild beauty reminiscent of the Pacific Northwest and is home to an extensive network of hiking trails (120 miles, in fact) and its 30 lakes are prime fishing, biking, and boating spots. Mount Desert Island, where the majority of the park is located, has a quintessentially New England atmosphere, with charming fishing villages, bustling lobster boats, and colorful buoys dotting the harbors. While there are no lodges within the boundaries, there are plenty of hotels near Acadia National Park for anyone who would prefer a comfortable bed after a day of adventuring.

How would you like to get a birds-eye view of the fall foliage on the way to the Green Mountains of Vermont? Or maybe sail the coast of Maine sporting a brand-new pair of boat shoes? Those are just a few ways to take advantage of the best time of year in New England. The leaves are starting to change, but there’s a respite between the summer vacationers and the leaf peepers. The ocean temperatures are still warm, and sunny days followed by cool evenings mean you can paddle, swim and hike during the day, then snuggle up with a bonfire at the end of the day. Here are three properties with special attractions to extend the season through the autumnal equinox.

There’s something magical about a rooftop pool - swimming with a bird’s eye view of the surrounding landscape feels very exclusive, and slightly surreal. After all, even a small pool holds a heck of a lot of water, suspended several stories in the air.

Autumn (or Fall) in New England is a breathtaking and beautiful season: the billions of leaves change from green to a rainbow of browns, reds, oranges and yellows across the fields and forests of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. At this time of year the air is cool and crisp, making it perfect for walking or cycling; the wildlife is abundant, with thousands of birds and wild moose to spot; and you can find top lobster in Maine to accompany the wine trail in Connecticut.