Planning a Fall trip to New England? Autumn is a season that sneaks up on you in New England. One minute, you’re frolicking in beach waves along the coastline; the next, you’re wrapping a fleece blanket to your nose.
You’ll be better prepared once you check out our “Packing checklist for fall in New England,” below.
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What to Pack for a Fall Trip to New England?
With the cooler temperatures also comes a crescendo of color, from bright yellows and warm oranges to brilliant reds.
You’ll find apple picking and delicious apple-filled treats, fall fairs, cider donuts and pumpkins almost everywhere you look.
Fall is also a great time of year for taking walks or hiking in the crisp fresh air. On mountain summits, you’ll discover the vibrant tapestry created by autumn foliage that cloaks quaint New England villages below.
New England’s weather is notorious for being unpredictable.
It can range from dry daytime temps in the low 70s to cool damp evenings below 50 degrees F.
You may luck out with a short “Indian Summer,” where temps briefly soar into the 80s for a last warm “hoorah,” or encounter a damp raw rainy day that makes your bones ache.
So, you’ll want to be prepared for this ever-changing weather. The key to it is:
- Dress in layers, and
- Pack a variety of outerwear
- Wear comfortable, waterproof shoes for hiking.
- bring along a pair of light gloves
It also helps to color coordinate the layers so you can mix and match. I like to stick to one color family for short trips, two for longer ones.
And, be sure to bring something that transitions well for a dinner out.
If you love seafood, skip the chains. You’ll have no trouble finding hidden gems with some of the freshest seafood in the country, like this seafood restaurant in Brunswick ME.
And New Hampshire makes a great day New England trip – even better if you can stay over in Portsmouth.
Don’t forget to check out our Beginner’s Guide to Road Trips so you’ve got everything covered before you hit the road!
Free Printable Packing List [New England / Autumn]
I’ve prepared this packing checklist for Fall in New England to make it easier for you to plan your fall trip to New England.
It includes a free printable you can customize depending on how long your visit to New England is.
If you find it useful, I’d love to know! Drop me a comment below.
Here it is:
"Fall in New England" Packing Checklist
Pack so you're prepared for New England's unpredictable Fall weather.
Download your FREE Printable Today.
Great list!!! I always loved reading about packing lists as I suck at packing big time!! I would either pack the most irrelevant things or not pack anything at all. I love the fact that you mentioned packing some colorful and vibrant color clothes as winter tends to get really gloomy sometimes.
Thank you, Dan! Packing can be a bit of an artform, LOL. You got this.
Fall is a great time to be in New London and yes, just as you mentioned, I have heard about the many moods of the weather. Be prepared is the best way to tackle it. Layering up is the best way to cope up different temperatures. Will use the list when need be.
I’m glad you agree and will use my packing list. Enjoy!
I still struggle in packing usually I over packed my luggage or packed clothes that haven’t got to use during the trip. I think layering is cool, coz it saves ideas on what to wear, and would look like you wear it multiple times. Did you got an awesome vacation in New England?
True, layering is a good strategy when packing for any destination. It’s so easy to overpack…! I always enjoy exploring New England. It’s one of my favorite places. 😀
Good to know that Boston is a good base to experience fall in New England. I find your suggestions for Fall very helpful. Layering is really important as weather changes and that too very unpredictable. Sticking to one color family during layering is also another good idea given by you. Thanks for sharing some useful tips in a very simple manner.
You’re very welcome. Yes, Boston is a great home base for exploring New England–you get to experience the best of the city and the country.
As a light packer, layering and sticking to one color family are tricks that have always worked well for me. I’m glad you found this tips useful!
Visiting New England in the Fall is my dream. It’s great to know that the temperature there is also unpredictable. I thought it’s not that way. The packing checklist will be helpful when I finally get a chance to go there.
Yes, it can be very unpredictable. This checklist will come in handy when you visit.
Great list of ideas! New England is stunning, but I haven’t made it there in the fall yet. It’s a dream of mine though! Good to know about the ever-changing weather. Layers seem to be the key this time year.
Thanks, Leah. There are many good times of year to come to New England, but Fall is especially beautiful. Bring layers!
This is such a useful packing list Jackie! Fall is one of those seasons where it can be tricky knowing what to pack, because the weather can change from one minute to the next. Being in London, England, I completely relate to New England! I’ll be downloading this for future reference.
That is exactly right, Lisa. I’m glad you appreciate the list and can relate. Hope you find it helpful!
Wow what a cool packing checklist for New England! Thank you so much! It will be very much helpful for my visit to New England in fall! The weather sounds unpredictable so I better be prepared!
Yes, I hope you put this list to good use! You never know what to expect with New England weather…
I’ve never experience autumn season but we are traveling to shanghai this November, hopefully we can see some fall foliage there. I’d love to visit New England during fall too, this packing list will definitely be helpful when I plan a trip to New England during fall
Autumn in Shanghai will be amazing, especially if it’s your first autumn! I think this packing list will be helpful there, as well. Enjoy!