* Leaf peeping is the name given in the United States and Canada to the activity of traveling to areas where the leaves change color in the fall to view and photograph the fall foliage.

On the long drive from Toronto, we passed Niagara Falls, the Finger Lakes and the Adirondacks left and right. We wanted only one thing: to get right into the fall colors of New England. After a long drive, we reach our first destination in southern Vermont. The scent of firewood and damp leaves lingers in the cool evening air. Maple leaves fall on our heads as we make our way to the front desk at Hill Farm. In the darkness, the 200-year-old property radiates its cozy warmth far into the night. The former dairy farm in the Equinox Mountain Valley is now an inn for New England travelers. With its own vegetable farm and quality regional cuisine.

After a quiet night in the cottage, we set out to explore the area before breakfast. Wisps of mist nestle in the colorful treetops. Thick bushes line the path down to the Battenkill River. Something rustles in the bushes.

What happens here, stays here. But nothing ever really happens
Vermont is self-deprecating. In fact, the small US state of green mountains is not exactly a place where the (black) bear is on the prowl. But it can give you an adrenaline rush early in the morning. Even if it's just feasting on blueberries. After this early morning encounter we make our way back. Breakfast awaits. And the Equinox Skyline Drive is beckoning.

The road winds steeply up the mountain and then along a ridge to a viewpoint with Vermont at your feet. The weather may not cooperate up here, but the views into the colorful heart of fall are always breathtaking.

We descend from the mountain on winding back roads along streams and rivers through the amber hardwood forests of Bennington County. Every so often, a white church steeple rises above the red-and-gold treetops. Then we come to another historic Vermont landmark. More than 100 covered bridges were built here from the early to mid-19th century.

Weather is what you make of it
Rain is on its way, obscuring the view of the splendid colors. We make the best of it and look for the colors not in the woods, but in cultural institutions. At the Southern Vermont Arts Center we get a glimpse of the local art scene. Founded more than 50 years ago by a group of local artists, the arts center includes a beautiful Georgian mansion with rotating exhibits, the Arkell Pavilion, a performing arts center, and the Elizabeth de C. Wilson Museum, which houses the center's permanent collection of more than 700 paintings. The 100-acre campus, nestled in the foothills of the Taconic Mountains, features stunning sculptures that punctuate the forest.

A general store as a cultural landmark

General stores were once what shopping malls are today. The Vermont Country Store in Weston was opened by the Orton family in 1946 and has changed only in that it has become a true place of pilgrimage. The 4th and 5th generations of Ortons still adhere to the old-fashioned values of their father and grandfather and pride themselves on offering practical and hard-to-find products from around the world.

We spend the next night at a ski resort in the Okemo Mountains. After all, Vermont is not only popular with leaf peepers, but also with winter sports enthusiasts. And since the first Burton snowboards were invented and built nearby, we think it's fitting.

Welcome to New Hampshire
From the Green Mountains to the White Mountains the next day - the route takes us from Vermont to New Hampshire. Again accompanied by rain for long stretches, we treat ourselves to a New England clam chowder for lunch at the Littleton Freehouse Taproom and then the Crisby Cobb salad before continuing on Interstate 93 to Franconia Notch State Park.

Finally we see some color again. The autumnal forests of the White Mountains spread out like a giant carpet of color. We are happy that the weather is more or less on our side. In terms of timing, we hit the bull's eye - on this day we experience the foliage peak - the absolute peak of the foliage coloration. This means that fall is slowly but surely giving way to winter.

Crowning Finale - Autumn Awakening in Boston
We end this eventful day in Concord, the capital of New Hampshire. The next day, we travel on to Boston. This city is always worth a visit. Especially in the fall. Even in the city, the air is crisper and the colors more vibrant. At the Boston Harbor Hotel on Rowe's Wharf, we are greeted with a picnic basket from the High Street Place Food Hall which we enjoy on the Harborwalk along the waterfront.

And then we get into the water. Or rather, into the kayak. From Kendall Square, we'll paddle through the heart of Boston and Cambridge, taking in phenomenal views of the Boston skyline and Esplanade, as well as other nearby attractions such as the Zakim Bridge, M.I.T., the Museum of Science, and Boston University.

In the afternoon we stroll through Boston Common, up to Beacon Hill and back down to Newbury Street, which is closed to traffic on this Sunday. We walk past mile after mile of high-end fashion stores. The restaurants and bars are open. We immerse ourselves in the Sunday fun, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere and the performances of street artists and musicians with locals and tourists alike.

We end the glorious fall day at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The woman who gave the museum its name was as rich as she was extravagant and had her own museum built in the style of a Venetian palazzo.

To wrap up our road trip, we will enjoy a final dinner on Sunday evening at the historic Smith&Wollenski Steakhouse with breathtaking views of Boston Harbor.