Top spots to leaf peep as foliage peaks in Boston
By Terry Eliasen, WBZ-TV Meteorologist, Executive Weather Producer
BOSTON - The foliage parade has arrived in the City of Boston and the nearby suburbs. We are now past peak just about everywhere north of the Mass Pike, certainly north of Route 2 and also northwest of 495.
I gotta say it was a pretty good year in central and northern New England but in southern New England it has been spotty at best. I think you can clearly thank (or blame) the drought from the spring and summer. The areas that were driest have had a very quick and fleeting peak foliage.
If you are headed up north this weekend, there are still some nice colors around. While most of the bright reds and oranges have fallen, there remains a lot of goldish-yellow color from the beech and oak trees.
Peaking this weekend...
The City of Boston! This will be a great weekend to be in the city with near perfect weather for late October and lots of good color left on the trees.
The coastline! While we still may be a week away in some areas, the color is definitely coming on strong now along the South Shore, Cape Cod and South Coasts of Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Jim Salge, foliage expert from Yankee Magazine gives us some of his picks for this weekend...
The world renowned Boston Public Garden, next to The Common by Beacon Hill is where your Boston leaf peeping day should begin. Trees from all over the world turn in waves of fall color from Mid-October to Mid-November every year and the landscape is perfectly designed and aligned for great photography with city skyscrapers looming behind. The swan boats should still be in too!
From there, wander the Beacon Hill neighborhood for perfect fall décor on every door and step, and don't miss the leaves falling upon the cobbles on Acorn Street! From there, it's only a fifteen minute walk to the Charles River Esplanade, where hundreds of cherry trees line the walking route, all turning vibrant crimson in early November.
Traveling a bit further west, the Mount Auburn Cemetery also doubles as a fantastic arboretum, with Japanese Maples as the big draw, but the wider foliage views from the elevated vantage back to the city skyline are just as inviting. And the parks down the hill near Harvard along the river continue the show if you aren't ready to end the day.
Other Spots to Leaf Peep:
• York, Maine
• Lyme, Connecticut
• Salem, Massachusetts
As always, we want to see your pictures! Send them to weather@wbztv.com