Road Trip

With winter right around the corner, it’s time for everyone to sneak one last road trip on their schedule this fall. If you’ve been stuck in the city, there’s no better time for a getaway than now before the streets familiarize themselves with snowplows and salt for the long cold months ahead. Consider this the ultimate guide for your late autumn road trip through the Northeast this season.

Atop the list of every road trip is amazing scenery. Fall colors are synonymous with our country’s northeast corner, and visitors travel from all over the world to set eyes upon the changing leaves of this stunning landscape.

For those who have been too busy to set out and explore this beauty for themselves, you’re in luck: warmer temperatures this past October have caused New England’s peak fall foliage time to be a little later than normal this year.

Catskill Mountain and Acadia National Park

Whether one of your favorite things consists of stumbling upon a delightful shower of twittering yellow leaves, or it’s just a phrase you use to sound sophisticated on your dating profile, be sure to go through the Catskill Mountains in New York to see the 600,000-acre state park turn brilliant auburn and gold this autumn. Then turn your attention north and spend a few days exploring Acadia National Park in Maine.

It is a beautiful juxtaposition of mountains and trees that is showcased beside an ocean clad with lighthouses. On your way there, stop through the Berkshires in Massachusetts to enjoy Thanksgiving on the Farm and view Mother Nature’s last show of color before she goes into hibernation.

Taste But Don’t Drink and Drive

On a mission to find killer views, you can be sure to expect killer brews. The Northeast is known for its love–nay, its passion–for beer and brewing. The area hosts literally hundreds of the nation’s best macro and microbreweries that satisfy both the connoisseur and the weekend warrior.

Titans of this brewing world like Dogfish Head, Brooklyn Brewery, and The Alchemist provide staples for the industry with drafts like the 90 Minute IPA, the Brooklyn Lager, and the Focal Banger.

They also boast an incredible depth of tastes with beers like The Farmer’s Daughter Belgian Style Saison and the Naranjito Orange Peel Pale that will keep you craving this craft goodness all year-round.

Tree House Brewing Company

Amidst these pillars, you’ll find the truly local gems that lend a fresh glance at the up and coming brewhouse geniuses that intend to leave a legacy of greatness on this already impeccable scene.

Elevating the beer stage begins with a terrific IPA–the cornerstone of the modern craft brewing movement–and you need to look no further than Tree House Brewing Company out of Charlton, Massachusetts.

Featuring 16 IPAs and APAs, Tree House is a place of sweet, delicious art that attracts lines of people eager to fill their growlers every weekend. Be sure to check out their Alter Ego American IPA (6.8%) or their flagship, Julius (a soft, passionfruit and citrus IPA) when you go see them for yourself.

Hill Farmstead Brewery

Possibly the most sought after and elusive beer you can hope to find on your Northeast road trip comes from Hill Farmstead Brewery out of Greensboro, Vermont.

With a very limited supply, but an excellent reputation amongst beer nerds globally, Hill Farmstead hosts weekly bottle releases every Saturday to showcase exactly what magic their small batches conjure; November’s first release was a barrel-aged Imperial Pale Ale made with Amarillo hops.

Bantam Modern American Cider

Since it is Autumn, it would only be natural to tackle some of the nation’s best hard ciders on this trip as well. Just outside of Boston, you’ll find Bantam Modern American Cider–a new face to the game that promises to incite a movement in both the cider industry as well as on your tongue. Made from local apples, be sure to check out their brand new, gluten-free Wunderkind cider.

Remember, while many of these beers are regional, several of these best Northeast beers and ciders remain exclusive to a small distribution area around their hometown. So if you want to sip the delectable draughts, you’re going to have to turn the cruiser down their stretch of highway and go pay them a visit on your epic road trip.

It wouldn’t be a true road trip guide through one of the oldest, most historic parts of our nation if we did not include the best activities and sites to see on the way. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a lesson into the American Romantic period, or just pictures of rustic brick buildings next to twisting whitebark trees to fill your Instagram with, be sure to swing by Salem, MA.

With a haunting history of witch trials and revolution, you could spend days scuttling through the old roads of yesteryear in this truly incredible town. Be sure to head a bit west towards the tremendous beauty of Niagra Falls and stop through Buffalo, New York for one of the most underrated and simply superb food scene.

Lastly, while seeing the stunning sights of Acadia National Park, be sure to take a lighthouse tour in Portland, Maine for breathtaking views of our country’s upper corner.

So gas up the car and take off on your very own Northeast adventure.