What is the best time to go to the New England area for whale watching and fall colors? Do the times coincide or is whale watching at a differnt time? What places are recommended? Would like to include Acadia NP also Please advise.
We made our fall trip in mid-October and saw lots of whales out of Boston, including calves. We were afraid we would miss some of the color, but it delayed a bit that year and we actually wound up in the peak. This was pre-RV, so we flew into Manchester, then drove: Boston, Maine, upstate New York, Toronto, back down to southern NY, Vermont and Manchester.
Fall colors progress from north to south, of course. Columbus Day weekend is traditionally the "best" time in Vermont, or at least the most popular. Some years are earlier than others; it depends on the overall weather.
Be aware that many campgrounds in New England (at least northern NE) are closing right around this timeframe, and also that it's a very popular time to visit so reservations are well worth making.
We fly these people Whale Counters over the course of the year tracking the various whale types year round. The right whales are in now and the hump backs are somewhere around.
Plymouth MA and Provincetown MA have the most active whale watching fleets. If you decide on Provincetown, then Atlantic Oaks is the place to stay.
In Plymouth, you can try Miles Standish State Park. This would be the most colorful area for leaf peeping late September to mid October.
You might want to check and see how the weather is doing. As the water gets cooler, the whales tend to head south for warmer water. This may precede the best time for Fall colors this year.