Here’s a thought: if you want to explore New England without getting hit by too many tourists, but still want to enjoy good weather, try the last week of August/first week of September. That’s when a lot of people leave to bring the families back home for the startup of school. This way you avoid mud season in April, the black flies and the release of the college kids in May, the release of younger school kids in June, the heat & Independence Day in July and the packed roads from vacationers in August. Once October hits, there are a crapton of leaf peepers.

If I have the timing of any of this wrong, someone else please chime in and correct me.