Fall Colours from Montreal to Boston

Our trip begins today in Montreal, the world's second-largest French-speaking city. An eclectic mixture of English and French heritage has led to a city of extreme diversity, and the streets filled with 17th- and 18th-century buildings are a joy to explore on foot.

Due to the number of evening flights into Montreal, your Leader plans to do the welcome meeting on the morning of day two, and will leave a message in reception with details on timings and everything else that you'll need for the day. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to arrive in Montreal at any time. If you would like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Montreal International Airport (YUL), which is a 30 minute drive from the hotel.

If your flight arrives earlier in the day, our centrally-located hotel is a great place to explore the old port area. For food, try the famous Schwartz's Deli, a haven for Montreal's delicious smoked meat bagels. Stay: Hotel Le Faubourg Montreal (Comfortable)

Vieux Montreal is a superb area to explore on foot, and this morning we will set out with a local guide to discover it in depth. The area has still retained a distinct European flair, with buildings dating back hundreds of years. Our route takes us through winding cobbled streets, past the Notre-Dame Basilica and the Notre-Dame de Bon Secours chapel, evidence of Montreal's strong French Catholic influence, as well as City Hall and Place Royale among other sights.

In the afternoon we intend to drive out of the city into rural French Canada, making our way to an authentic 'sugar shack'. These rustic forest cabins are ubiquitous in Eastern Canada, existing to harvest the maple sap that is used to make maple syrup. Many of these shacks have been around for hundreds of years, and even outside of the 'sugaring off' season when the sap is harvested (early April), they offer a feast of maple-themed dishes, from hearty pea soup and maple-cured ham, to maple sugar pie and pancakes. Get ready for a sugar high, as we'll have lunch here this afternoon before returning to the city.

In the afternoon, we'll take a trip to Jean Talon Market, one of the largest outdoors farmers markets in North America, and take in the sunset over the city on Mont Royal. Stay: Hotel Le Faubourg Montreal (Comfortable) (B/L)

Canada's Eastern Townships are full of hidden gems that most tourists bypass on flying visits to the cities or the Niagara Falls. The area produces a surprising amount of wine, and so today we'll drive first to the small village of Dunham, where we'll visit a local winery. As well as touring the vineyard we will enjoy a glass of their own wine. From here we take a short drive to Frelighsburg Village for a stroll. This bucolic village is made up of old wooden houses with large open verandas, historic churches and surrounded by rolling hills and apple orchards. It has a 'stuck in time' quality that is particularly apparent when enveloped by the colours of Fall. There are some boutiques, quaint cafes and shops to discover on our short visit.

From Frelighsburg, we drive to the small city of Magog. We'll be stopping en route at one of Quebec Province's numerous poutine restaurants, where we'll have lunch. This famous French-Canadian dish of chips, curd cheese and gravy may sound 'interesting', but it is surprisingly delicious! If time allows, we may also make another stop at one of the regions micro-breweries on the way into Magog. It's a burgeoning culture of micro-production here, from beer and wine to cider and cheese, and you'll certainly have chance to sample local brews while out in the evening. Stay: Hotel Chéribourg (Comfortable) (B/L)

Mount Orford National Park is one of the best places in Quebec to witness the flamboyance of fall, and this morning we'll explore it on foot. We plan to undertake one of the park's many trails - one option is the Ruisseau David trail, approximately 11 kilometres in length, which is a gentle forest ascent of around 600 metres to the summit of Mount Chauve. From here, the autumn forest is laid out before us. Our Tour Leader will choose a trail depending on weather and other factors, but you can expect a hike of roughly this length, taking around four hours to complete.

In the afternoon, we drive to another stunning spot at the Abbaye de Saint Benoit du Lac. This Benedictine monastery dates back to 1912, and was built to over look Lake Memphremagog, providing an intensely serene setting for the monks who still live there today. Of course, the surrounding woodland makes the monastery's setting even more impressive during autumn. While visiting the monastery, we'll also see the cheese factory next door, and get the chance to sample some of the monastery's very own cheeses. Stay: Hotel Chéribourg (Comfortable)

We cross the border into the USA today, driving first to Lake Willoughby in Vermont. Here we'll take a moderate forest walk of around 4 kilometres total on the Herbert Hawkes Trail. This short but steady climb takes us to a viewpoint over the lake itself, before returning the way we came.

From here, we'll drive to Cannon Mountain, where we'll take the 'aerial tramway' up the mountain itself. The summit is at a height of approximately 1,200 metres, and on a clear day we have views to mountains in four different states, as well as across the border to Canada. With an observation deck and cafe at the top it's a great place to stop for a hot drink and enjoy the view.

After our descent, we drive to the nearby Flume Gorge, a natural gorge flanked by enormous granite walls rising to over 25 metres high. We'll walk the Flume Trail, a two-mile loop that is fully decked with a boardwalk and stairs.

Our final destination today is Conway, but it's all about the journey as we drive here via the 35-mile Kancamagus Scenic Byway, which cuts through the White Mountain National Forest. With incredible views of the White Mountains, the Swift River and Rocky Gorge, we'll make several scenic stops en route. Stay: Fox Ridge Resort (Comfortable)

This morning is free to spend in Conway at our leisure. The town is a mix of old-world antiques shops, historic buildings and quaint bakeries, making it easy to while away a few relaxing hours. For those who wish, there is the option to ride the 150-year old cog railway up the steep climb to Mount Washington.

This afternoon, we'll take a walk in Crawford Notch State Park. Again, the Tour Leader will choose a suitable route for us among the plentiful options on offer in the park. You can expect an easy or moderate walk of around five kilometres, with varying levels of ascent gain depending on the route.

We return to Conway for the evening. For our departures that pass through Conway in September, we will be heading out this evening on an exciting moose-watching trip. The best time to spot these immense creatures (the largest animal in New Hampshire) is at dusk, so we'll aim to start around sunset. This tour is a public trip and you may be joined by other people who are not travelling with Explore. Stay: Fox Ridge Resort (Comfortable) (B)

We'll be crossing into our third US state today, as we travel to Bar Harbor, in Maine. Lying off Maine's northeast coast on Mount Desert Island, the major draw here is the Acadia National Park. Arriving in the afternoon, we'll have the rest of the day free to enjoy the local area. Walk along the Shore Trail and check out the quintessential New England-style houses, or visit the Abbe Museum - an excellent introduction to Maine's indigenous populations. Until early October, there is also the option to take a beautiful nature cruise this evening at sunset, searching for bald eagle, peregrine falcon, porpoise, seal and other wildlife.

Make sure to try some lobster this evening, a staple of the Maine coastal diet. Stay: Edenbrook Motel (Comfortable) (B)

We aim to spend today exploring the blanketed hills and trails of Acadia National Park, where pine and birch forests cover the rolling downs, providing an idyllic setting for beaver and bald eagles, whilst the waters off shore provide rich hunting grounds for seals and cetaceans. Encompassing some 35,000 acres, the park is made up of granite cliffs and cobblestone beaches, lying in the shadow of glacier-carved mountains and covered in dense forests. As a beacon for fall colour seekers, the myriad colours on display here are astounding.

We'll explore on foot today, on some of the park's many trails. Stay: Edenbrook Motel (Comfortable)

Transferring onto the mainland we follow the Maine coastline today, passing through a landscape that is peppered with beautiful old harbour towns that testify to the colonial influx of French and British settlers. We will pass through towns that have been built on the influx of some of North America's self-proclaimed aristocracy, where the homes of America's 'old money' occupy locations overlooking some of the best real estate in the country. We will pass by Portland, Maine's largest city and a community that has a rich heritage of trade and ship building. At Old Orchard Beach we pass one of the best beaches in the state, that take us down towards Kennebunkport, famed as the domicile residence of former president George Bush Senior.

Our destination today is the town of Ogunquit, which in the language of the indigenous natives translates as beautiful place by the sea. During its heyday the town attracted the rich and famous to these stunning shores, affording it a genteel ambience that is still evident beneath the surface even today. It was also once a vibrant haven for artists and its Museum of American Art is still home to an enviable collection of 19th and 20th century works from some of the country's foremost artists. Stay: Wells Ogunquit Resort (Comfortable)

We start this morning driving down the Maine coast, cutting briefly into New Hampshire once more, before entering Massachusetts. Our first point of call here is Salem, the famed location of the tragic Salem Witch Trials in 1692. We'll have a self-guided tour of the museum, which is a fascinating insight into the history of witch-hunting, the trials of the accused and the long legacy cast by the events.

We'll then continue the short drive to the coastal city of Boston. Settled by Puritan settlers in the 17th century, the city went on to become a hotbed of revolutionary zeal against the interference of the British Crown. This culminated in the infamous Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party, events that went on to ignite a fermenting powder keg and initiate the start of America's War of Independence. A great way to absorb some of this rich history is to take a walk along the 'Freedom Trail', which links some of the most significant points in the city's historical development, including the site of the Boston Massacre, the old State House and even the 19th century warship the USS Constitution (Old Ironside), the oldest commissioned warship still afloat anywhere in the world. Stay: La Quinta Inn (Comfortable)

Even for non-Americans, the name Harvard University needs no introduction. An Ivy League school who's alumni includes Barack Obama, Margaret Atwood and Theodore Roosevelt, the campus is steeped in history that dates back to 1636 and the time of the early English settlers. This morning we'll learn some of this history, as well getting a taste of the student experience, on this student-led tour. Note that this is a public tour, so you may be joined by other people from around the world.

We'll drive back into the city after the tour, and have the rest of the afternoon free to make the most of our time in Boston. If you're a sports fan, why not visit Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, for a tour (we recommend booking tickets in advance - this is easily done on Fenway Park's website). Otherwise, get a final history fix at the The USS Constitution Museum, or stroll around one of the city's eclectic neighbourhoods. Stay: La Quinta Inn (Comfortable) (B)

The trip ends this morning at our hotel in Boston.

There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Boston International Airport (airport code: BOS), which is a 20 minute drive away. (B)