Take an Autumn Drive from New York to Vermont

Starting in New York, if you’re not already on the east side of the Hudson, cross the river and take U.S. Highway 9 into the quaint village of Sleepy Hollow, which was given its name by residents to honor the well-known Washington Irving story.

Once you’ve taken in the unblemished beauty, stop off at the cemetery, the final resting place for Irving and a number of other notable American figures. The church next door was said to be haunted by a headless Hessian ghost, which inspired the original story.

Taking Interstate 287 E., merge onto Interstate 95 N. and make a stop in the lovely coastal town of Westport, which is perched on the shores of Lake Champlain. The main street offers stunning views of the vast expanse of water — and if you look long enough, you may even see Lake Champlain’s own Loch Ness Monster, Chance, a serpent-like creature with a horse’s head.

If you want to stretch your legs, take a walk around Sherwood Island State Park; on a clear day, remind yourself of what you are leaving behind by glancing back at the New York City skyline.

For this leg of your journey, head to Interstate 91 N., making a detour at Brattleboro along Route 9 to get you to Route 100. As you head north along this photographer’s dream of a road, much of which hugs the slopes of the Green Mountain National Forest. Look out for Vermont’s best known landmarks, covered bridges, many of which date back to the early 1800s.

A few minutes after passing through the village of Granville, the breathtaking Moss Glen Falls will be visible to the west. While not the biggest waterfall in the state, it is easily the most photogenic, and you won't regret stopping to view its beauty close-up.

If you’re not planning an overnight stop and want to get the journey completed in a day, you can leave Route 100 at Waterbury and merge onto Interstate 89 N. to Burlington. This route will take you toward the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge in under two hours.

Having seen all the autumnal flora Vermont has to offer, why not take some time to enjoy the fauna, too? Within the refuge's 6,642 acres, everything from migratory waterfowl that stop here in autumn to white-tailed deer that inhabit the refuge’s wooded uplands are visible.

Heading west back into upstate New York, get onto Interstate 87 S., taking exit 35 for New York 442 before coming onto U.S. Interstate 9 S., which will take you to Ausable Chasm near Keeseville. This deep sandstone gorge, with its beautifully textured vertical walls, is one of the oldest natural wonders in the U.S.

Carved out by the Ausable River over 15,000 years, the canyon shines brightest in early autumn when the emerging orange hues of surrounding foliage add dapples of colour to the already breathtaking view.