HARTFORD - Fall foliage drives Connecticut’s economy. There was a 16 percent increase in visits to leading attractions during fall foliage season last year and tourism is a $14 billion industry in the state, supporting 82,700 jobs directly.
In much less time than it takes to drive farther north, visitors can enjoy beautiful fall foliage and a variety of fall activities and experiences right here in Connecticut.
Connecticut has the longest fall foliage season in New England, lasting through early November and many parts of the state are already experiencing brilliant fall foliage.
There are many ways to enjoy the leaves in addition to going for a drive, such as hiking and biking, boating and kayaking, taking a vintage steam train or trolley ride, hot-air ballooning or staying in a B&B.
There is a new online hub for all things fall including a Fall Foliage Finder (week by week report), top scenic driving loops with information about where to stop along the way, twenty pre-planned getaways with 1-5-day itineraries, a guide to picking your own apples and pumpkins, and must-do Halloween activities.
There is also Leaf Peepr (yes, that's spelled right), an app out by Yankee Magazine that covers -- you guessed it -- peak locations for leaf-peeping across New England. You can search by region to find those secret spots where the bright reds, oranges and yellows are popping.
