Get a Bird’s-Eye View of Fall Foliage from a Chair Lift or Hot Air Balloon

Maine

Sunday River in Newry - Bring your dog on the Chondola or the chair lift that travels up to North Peak, offering foliage views of the Mahoosuc Mountain Range. Hiking trails give you the choice of riding up and walking back down. The Mountain Park activities also include ziplines, mountain biking, a climbing wall and bungee trampolines.

More to do...
The Old Port neighborhood is a revived waterfront district, just packed with fun shops of all kinds and good dining. For historic Maine sights, visit Cape Elizabeth’s Portland Headlight at Fort Williams Park.

Hot Fun Balloons in Portand and Southern Maine
Hot Fun can take a pilot and two adults up for an hour’s leisurely float in a hot air balloon with views of the Presidential Range, Maine little villages, and a busy coastline. Flights usually take off just after sunrise and in the evenings.

Let’s eat!
Camp, in the lobby of the Grand Summit Hotel at Sunday River resort, blends a rustic atmosphere with modern touches, serving comfort food and Maine specialties. In nearby Bethel, Smokin’ Good BBQ is great for lunch, and Dicocoa’s serves vegetarian choices.

Portland is Maine’s culinary capital, so lobster is king at places like J’s Oyster on the Portland Pier. We also love Diamond's Edge Restaurant & Marina and Eve’s on the Garden at Portland Harbor Hotel.

New Hampshire

Loon Mountain in Lincoln NH - A mile-and-a-half gondola chair lift ride to the top of Loon Mountain displays the Whites Mountains all around you. At the summit, explore glacial caves and 50,000-year-old granite formations by walking a system of boardwalks. There’s a mountaintop playground for kids and the Summit Café, with Caribbean dishes.

More to do...
Lincoln and Conway are the end points of the 36-mile Kancamagus Highway ( “the Kank”). A drive on the Kank has glorious mountain views. Clark’s Bears in Lincoln (formerly known as Clark's Trading Post) is a day of fun, with a Victorian Main Street, gift shops, and a bear performance. North Conway is a mecca for interesting shopping.

Derry, in southeastern New Hampshire, is an easy 40-mile drive from Boston and close to Manchester, with the Currier Museum of Art and the kid-friendly SEE Science Center in a restored textile mill.

Let’s eat!
Great places for a hearty and casual lunch in Lincoln start with the home-grown Common Man Restaurant, followed by Black Mountain Burger Co., Gypsy Café, and the The Purple Tomato Farmers Market.

Lunch choices in Derry and Londonderry includes Greek food at Amphora, South Side Diner, Chinese at Crazy Noodle, and hearty fare at Janie’s Uncommon Café.

Connecticut

Berkshire Balloons in Litchfield CT - Balloon pilot Robert Zirpolo has been taking guests of expeditions through the skies above western Connecticut since the 1980s. The balloon moves above woods, farm land, lakes, villages and reservoirs in a dreamy part of New England noted for its peaceful beauty.

More to do...
The town of Kent is picture-perfect and it has some special charms. Two covered bridges in the area are Bull's Bridge in Kent and Kent Falls Bridge in Kent Falls State Park. The House of Books on Main Street in Kent is packed with high-quality literature and a whole room of children's books.

Let’s eat!
Stop and enjoy wine and a light meal (on weekends) at Haight-Brown Vineyards, Chestnut Hill Road in the town of Litchfield. For heartier meals, New Milford has the Alpenhaus Restaurant, serving German cuisine; The Cookhouse, with hard-core barbecue; and the Three Brothers Greek Diner.

Rhode Island

Newport Helicopters Tours in Middletown RI - We’ve seen plenty of helicopters in the movies – often with a show of fisticuffs on the pontoons. Take a helicopter flight to enjoy the beauty of nature of Narragansett Bay and coastal Newport and Rhode Island during fall. Feel like you’re in the beak of a bird coasting about the treetops.

More to do...
Middletown is just down the road from the Colonial-era with very lively city of Newport . Visit the famous mansions or Bannister’s Wharf and Bowen’s Wharf in the center of town, with lots of shopping and dining. Fort Adams State Park has lots of festive events throughout the year.

Let’s eat!
Middletown is also where you find the very hospitable Newport Vineyards. On the property is Blix Restaurant, with excellent food and a fireplace for chilly fall evenings. The vineyard hosts lots and lots of weekend activities, including tastings and live music.

Drive to your flight –

On the way to your mountaintop or hot air balloon adventure, explore one or more of these scenic drives in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.