Roll with the changes of autumn while taking a scenic drive in the Northeast

Fall is the nicest season for rolling down the car windows, taking a drive and enjoying the scenery. Stop along the way to pick pumpkins, visit a winery or stroll a woodsy trail sparkling with reds and golds. Watch the cranberry harvest in Massachusetts or take a moose tour in Maine.

Here are a few routes in New England to consider as you plan your autumn outings.

NEW ENGLAND: Nothing compares to the explosion of red, yellow, orange, green and gold across New England each autumn.

Yankee Magazine is a great resource for planning trips in the region. Check out event listings and scenic drive suggestions at http:///www.yankee

foliage.com/. One attraction recommended by Yankee for a family outing is the 8-acre Davis’ Mega Maze in Sterling, Mass., north of Worcester, open through Nov. 11 – http:///

www.davisfarmland.com, $14.95 adults, $12.95 children.

Elsewhere in Massachusetts, head to Wareham, about an hour from Boston, for the Cranberry Harvest Celebration, Oct. 6-7. For more cranberry tours and events around Massachusetts, visit http:///www.cran

berries.org/cranberries/

bog-tours.html.

In central and northern Maine, the farther north you go on Route 201, the fewer towns you’ll see. But watch out for moose and logging trucks! Start the trip near Skowhegan (exit 133 off Interstate 95), and in 75 miles, you’ll be in Jackman. The National Scenic Byways Program refers to the winding road as the Old Canada Road Scenic Byway. Just past Jackman is the border with Quebec. Loop back south of Jackman by taking Route 15 east to Rockwood and Greenville on Moosehead Lake. While you’re at the lake, take a moose-watching tour – http:///www.moose

headlake.org/moose.shtml. Head back to Skowhegan by taking Route 15 to Dover-Foxcroft, then Route 150.

For Connecticut, you’ll find fall drive ideas at http:///www.CTvisit.com/

driving-loops/fall-loops-main

.asp. The Litchfield Hills Driving Loop, a scenic 100-mile route through small towns, begins in Torrington at the intersection of Routes 202 and 63. Head north on Route 8 to Winsted, then Route 44 to Canaan. Take Route 7 past the historic West Cornwall Covered Bridge across the Housatonic River. From there, Route 45 heads to Warren and becomes a scenic road around Lake Waramaug. In New Preston take Route 202, then south on Route 47 to Washington Depot and north on Route 109 to East Morris. Route 63 heading north takes you back to Litchfield, then east on Route 118 to Route 8 to close the loop.

Enter Vermont via Interstate 89 and start a scenic 100-mile loop at exit 9. Head south on Route 100B to Route 100 along the Mad River. You’ll see rolling hills, family farms and the Green Mountains. Route 100 is also home to interesting shops such as Mad River Glass Gallery and restaurants such as the 1824 Inn. Take a right on Route 17 west toward the Appalachian Gap (known locally as the “App Gap”) mountain pass through the Green Mountains. Stop at the top to sightsee or hike on The Long Trail. Continuing west on Route 17, look for signs to Lincoln, and loop back to Route 100. Go through Lincoln to Granville and stop by Michael Egan’s glassblowing studio – http:///www.eganglass.com/. At the junction of Route 125, stop at the Old Hancock Hotel for a meal. Follow Route 125 west from Hancock to Middlebury.

In Rhode Island, a classic autumn drive begins on Route 3 from exit 1 off I-95 toward downtown Westerly. Follow Route 1A to the seaside village of Watch Hill, and take a spin on the nation’s oldest carousel. Stroll along Bay Street before following Route 1A and Route 1 north through Charlestown, Wakefield and Narragansett Pier. From Wickford, follow Route 102 north through the Pawcatuck Borderlands. Look for signs for farmstands and pick-your-own orchards. In Chepachet Village, you’ll find antiques shops, including the Brown & Hopkins Country Store. Continue north on 102 to Nasonville and Wright’s Chicken Farm, a family-style restaurant. Head north on 102 to 146 South and back to I-295. For more information on fall in Rhode Island, go to http:///www.visitrhode

island.com.

In New Hampshire, the Connecticut River Scenic Byway parallels New England’s longest river. Meander through the towns of Charlestown and Claremont, across Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge to Windsor, Vt., and cross back to New Hampshire, where you can also stop in at the Dartmouth College and Hood Museum of Art. In Cornish, stroll through 150 acres at the former home of sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Details at http:///www

.byways.org/explore/byways/2487/.

NEW YORK: The Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway – http:///www.cayugalake.com/ – is a 90-mile loop around the longest of New York’s Finger Lakes. The route includes 19 wineries and 215-foot-tall Taughannock Falls. Routes 5 and 20 take you across the northern part of the loop, Route 89 runs on the western side, and Route 90 is on the eastern side. North of the loop you’ll find the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge, and south of the loop you’ll find Ithaca, home to Cornell University.