OK: it's easy to see why people get so obsessed with New England in the fall. It's a beautiful part of the world anyway, but when the leaves are turning and there's a little chill the air it's truly stunning.
But what's wrong with New England the rest of the year round? Very little. If you like great countryside, interesting stuff to see and do and a very warm welcome it's a great place for a vacation. Additionally, if you happen to live around any of major east coast cities it's really not very far away - a short hop by plane or an intermediate car journey.
One of the most interesting things to do while you're in the region is visit some of the great wineries and vineyards. In recent years a very big deal has been made of Californian wine as being the cream of the American crop, but it has to be said that some of the New England wineries - especially those in New Hampshire and Rhode Island - can compete with some of the best winemakers in the world for quality.
Of the best locations to explore is the Flag Hill Winery and Vineyards in Lee, NH. As well as making a large variety of red, white, fruit and dessert wines, Flag Hill also distils its own vodka. You can check out the distilling process from a viewing gallery as part of a guided tour, as well as learning about the local wines in a tasting session. The Flah Hill estate, which covers twenty rolling acres, is a beautiful sight in itself, and its interesting to talk with the winemakers about the strategies they've evolved for coping with the Atlantic climate of New Hampshire - a very different growing environment from the hot and semi-arid areas of California that are used for the same purpose. In general, too much rain makes grapes too watery for wine, or, worse, causes them to rot on the vine. Nurturing the vines to produce really great wine - as Flag Hill and the other New England estates do year in, year out - is a severe challenge to the winemaker's art.
Other wineries and vineyards that are worth checking out include the Greenvale and Newport vineyards, both on Rhode Island. If you happen to be traveling to the area in August, you can combine a visit to the vineyards with enjoying the sights - and more particularly the sounds - of the annual Newport Jazz Festival.
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