These are pleasant drives all year long. But they really come alive in the fall, when brilliant rusts, oranges, reds and golds cloak the trees along the town and city streets, as well as quiet rural lanes. There's no need to travel far to the north when this fall display is close at hand. Just follow these routes, or create a route of your own

Hartford Region Foliage Loop
Take I-91 to Exit 26 and approach Old Wethersfield via Marsh St. At the village center go left onto Main St. for about a mile where it crosses Rt. 99 (Silas Deane Highway) and becomes Wells Rd. Continue for two miles on Wells Rd. which becomes Cedar St. at the Newington town line. Proceed through Newington center to the junction of Rt. 173 (Willard Ave.) and take a left. Stay on Rt. 173 South until you take a left onto Rt. 287 East (Kobbins Ave.), continue to Rt. 5/15 (Berlin Tpk.). Turn left (briefly) onto 5/15 North then right onto Rt. 287 East (Prospect St.). After 2 1/2 miles, go right onto Rt. 3 South (Maple St.) then left onto West St. Follow West St. to end, take a left onto Rt. 99 North (Silas Deane Highway) in Rocky Hill. At the intersection of Rts. 99 and 160 (Glastonbury St.) turn right onto Rt. 160. Proceed to the Rocky Hill/Glastonbury Ferry, across the Connecticut River. Deporting the Ferry follow Ferry Lane. Take a left onto Tryon St. and a right onto Water St. to a left onto Rt. 17 (Main St.). At the island fork in the road, bear left on Main St. and continue north about I 1/2 miles to Glastonbury center. Close the loop by fuming left onto Rt. 3 South to rejoin 1-91.

Points of Interest

Glastonbury - Museum on the Green, Audubon Society of CT - Holland Brook

Newington - Kellogg-Eddy Museum, Enoch Kelsey House

Rocky Hill - Dinosaur State Park, Academy Hall Museum

Wethersfield - Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum, Buttolph Williams House, Keeney Memorial Cultural Center

Fall Fairs/Festivals

Glastonbury - Annual Antique Show on the Green (Aug.), Apple Harvest Festival (Oct.), Antique Show at the High School (Jan. 1 )

Newington - Memorial Day Parade, Mill Pond Extravaganza (July)

Rocky Hill - Ferry Park Festival (Sept.)

Wethersfield - Cornfest (Sept.), Lantern Light Tours (Oct.), Old Wethersfield Craft Fair (Oct.)

Hartford City Foliage Loop
Take I-84 to Exit 48A or 1-91 to Exit 29A (Capitol Region). Bushnell Park is located between Elm and Jewell Sts. adjacent to the State Capitol grounds. This park was among the first parks in the nation to be conceived, planned and built with public support by an American city for its citizens. It contains over 600 trees, some over 100 years old with 125 varieties. From this park take Gold St. to Main St. Go right onto Main St., straight to Charter Oak Ave. Continue to Van Dyke Ave. Take a left onto Van Dyke Ave. and continue straight to Charter Oak Landing. (Riverboat Cruises operating Labor Day through Oct. 22, Sat. & Sun. only.)

Points of Interest

Ancient Burial Ground

Butler-McCook Homestead

Carousel and Bushnell Park

Civic Center

Company One Theater

Connecticut Historical Society

Elizabeth Park

Hartford Jai-Alai

Hartford Stage Company

Lady Fenwick Cruises

Legislative Office Building

Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe Houses

Medical/Dental Museum

Museum of Connecticut History

Old State House

Real Art Ways

State Capitol

State library

The Hartford Exhibit

Wadsworth Atheneum

Fall Fairs/Festivals

Connecticats Annual Show (June) Kid'rific (Sept.) Festival of Lights (Nov.) Festival of Trees (Dec.) Annual First Night (Dec.)

Farmington Valley Foliage Loop
Take I-84 to Exit 39. Proceed to the center of Farmington (junction of Rts. 4 and 10). Follow Rt. 10 North. Turn left on Rt. 44 (Albany Ave.) to Rt. 10 (Avon Old Farms Rd.). Continue North to Route 309 (Farms Village Rd.). Take Rt. 309 to a left onto Rt. 179. Follow Rt. 179 to a left onto Rt. 44. Follow Rt. 44 to a right onto Rt. 177 (Lovely Rd.). Follow Rt. 177 to a left onto Rt. 4 . Continue to the center of Farmington where Rts. 4 and 10 intersect. Follow Rt. 4 to a right onto Rt. 218 to Main St. Follow Main St. to I-84.

Points of Interest

Avon - Farmington Valley Arts Center, Avon Old Farms School, Riverdale Farms. Horse Cavalry Museum

Canton - Canton Historical Museum, Gallery on the Green, Roaring Brook Nature Center

Farmington - Stanley-Whitman House, Hill-Stead Museum, Unionville Museum

Simsbury - Tulmeadow Farm, Heublein Tower, Phelps Tavern Museum

West Hartford - Sarah Whitman Hooker House, Noah Webster House and Museum, Science Center of Connecticut, Museum of American Political Life

Fall Fairs/Festivals

Avon - Annual Open Horse Show (June)

Burlington - Annual Summer Festival (July)

Canton - Annual Strawberry Festival (June), Annual Firemen's Jamboree (June), Lobsterfest (Aug.)

Farmington - Antique Weekend (June & Sept.), Craft Fair (July), Farmington Horse Show (July), CT River Powwow (Aug), Annual "Dickens Of A Christmas" (Nov.)

Simsbury - Annual Dance Performance (June), Annual 4th of July Celebration (July)

West Hartford - Annual Teddy Bear Picnic (June), Annual CT Antique Show (Oct.)

East of the Connecticut River Foliage Loop
Begin in Hartford, take I-84 East to Exit 60. Go left onto Rt. 44 toward East Hartford. Continue West on 44 to Rt. 5. Turn right onto Rt. 5 North. Approximately one mile north of the Bissel Bridge turn left onto Chapel Rd. Turn right onto Main St. through South Windsor to East Windsor Hill. Travel east on Rt. 194 to Rt. 74. Take Rt. 74 to Rt. 83 North. Take Rt. 140 East to Crystal Lake (just past Rt. 30 jct.). Return to Rt. 30 South. Take Rt. 74 East to Tolland. Take 1-84 West to Exit 66. Left at ramp end, left onto Tunnel Rd., left onto Lake St. to Rt. 85 South. Turn right onto Rt. 94 West. Proceed to Rt. 83. Travel on Rt. 83 to Hartford Rd. Turn left on Hartford Rd to Keeney St. and entrance to Rt. 384. Travel West on Rt. 384 to 1-84 to close loop.

Points of Interest

Andover - Townsend Cemetery, David Burnab Farm

Bolton - Fish Family Farm

East Hartford - Huguenot House and Goodwin One-Room Schoolhouse

Ellington - Nellie McKnight Museum, Johnny Appleseed Farm

Hebron - Gay City State Park

Manchester - Lutz Children's Museum, Cheney Homestead, Firemen's Museum

Marlborough - Old Country Store, Century Cemetery

South Windsor - Wood Memorial Library and Indian Museum

Tolland - Hicks-Stearns Museum, Old Tolland Jail, Benton Homestead

Side Trips

Vernon/Rockville - Walking Tour of Historic Rockville

Fall Fairs/Festivals

East Hartford - Fall Festival, CT River Duck Race (Oct.)

Ellington - Vol. Fire Dept. Annual Lawn Party (Sept.)

Hebron - Annual Gala Maple Festival (March), Hebron Harvest Fair (Sept.)

Manchester - Craft Art Show (June), Independence Day Celebration (July), Band Shell Concerts (June, July, Aug.), South Windsor - Wapping Fair (Sept.)

Tolland - Artist Harvest (Sept.)

Vernon - Rockville Festival (Sept.)

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