Fall foliage is at its finest on Cape Cod mid-September through late October—and in recent years because of global weather changes we have seen leaves change throughout November. Leaves tend to be at peak color a little later in the season, due to the Cape's coastal proximity. Many dedicated leaf peepers will begin fall touring in Bar Harbor Maine and work their way down the coast, following the leaf change all the way down the Appalachian Trail…and end their tour in North or South Carolina.
Shining Sea Bikeway Fall Travel Tip #1
In Falmouth, riding a bicycle through the colorful canopy on the Shining Sea Bikeway will take your breath away during peak leaf peeping season. We love to recommend that our guests travel around scenic Cape Cod to see the beautiful array of colors, especially the reds, oranges, and golds of the tree-covered landscape.
2. Nickerson State Park Fall Travel Tip #2
Once you cross the Bourne or Sagamore Bridge onto Cape Cod, take the scenic route on Route 6A. This road passes through Sandwich, Brewster, Orleans, and Chatham…some of the most historic towns in America…making it a great detour to take in quintessential New England. With tree lined village greens, stone walls, cranberry bogs, ancient cemeteries, apple farms, and historic homes on view, Route 6A is a perfect mini road trip to submerge yourself in the charm of Cape Cod. Plan a fall hike in Brewster at Nickerson State Park, where the Cape Cod Rail Trail provides 22 miles of leaf peeping on Cape Cod.
3. Cape Cod National Seashore Fall Travel Tip #3
Further up the route, Cape Cod National Seashore is located near Wellfleet and is a great place to hike the white cedar forest located inside the National Park. Fall colors are spattered throughout the park before you reach the seashore. A huge swath of protected beaches, dunes and marshland, the National Seashore stretches from Chatham to Provincetown and has miles of walking trails. Race Point National Park, lighthouses, and Marconi Beach. You will find plenty of scrubby evergreens, but also red maple, oak, and beech trees. Their changing colors, right next to the ocean, provide a great picture of the Cape's unique beauty in the fall.
4. Cape at Cape Cod Winery & Turo Vineyards Fall Travel Tip #4
You can also enjoy the fall bounty of the Cape at Cape Cod Winery or Turo Vineyards with a tasting of their Cranberry Seasonal Selections. Cape Cod Winey Located in East Falmouth, about a mile from Frederick William House in Falmouth Massachusetts. And Turo Winery is located at the tip of the Cape near the end point of the National Seashore National Park. Both family-owned wineries make several varieties of wine from Cape-grown fruits like grapes, blueberries, and cranberries. A $10 tasting fee (which includes a souvenir wine glass) nlets you sample a number of these great Cape wines while relaxing in the tasting rooms. A visit to either winery is the perfect cap to an afternoon of scenic leaf peeping on Cape Cod.
5. Highfield Hall & Bebe Woods in Falmouth Massachusetts on Cape Cod Fall Travel Tip #5
From Oktoberfest celebrations and activities to rotating Art exhibits and incredible hiking through old growth New England forests, Highfield Hall and Gardens is a must see stop on any fall Cape Cod vacation itinerary. Bebe Woods The woods are found within the acreage of Highfield Hall and Gardens and were created from glacial debris. The woods lie across the top of the glacial moraine that stretches from Woods Hole to beyond the Cape Cod Canal. The hills were created some 15,000 to 18,000 years ago at the close of the last Ice Age. Evidence of the glacier’s work is everywhere, from the huge boulders to the irregular shapes of the hills and the kettle holes. Planning a fall hike through these woods will be sure to impress. The canopy of colors from birch, walnut, beech, chestnut, maple, dogwood, cedar, ash, and oak trees create a living painting that will forever stay in one’s memory.
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