After looking at photos of Dartmouth as part of his job at the University of Illinois, Vaughn Blankenship and his wife Irene decided to make the trek to Hanover this fall to watch the leaves change colors.
The Blankenships are among the thousands of "leaf peepers" who flock to Vermont and New Hampshire every fall to view the colorful foliage. The peak viewing time for leaf peepers is from mid-September to mid-November, though trips are often led in the area as early as June or July.
"We've never been to New Hampshire until this visit, but we've been here since Friday and it has been breathtaking -- so beautiful," Irene Blankenship said. "We don't see much of this color in Chicago or around Illinois."
Tauck Worldwide Discoveries leads many of these group tours through their trip called the New England Classic. The excursion leaves from Boston, travels up the coastline and down through the interior of New Hampshire, giving travelers the best opportunity to view the foliage.
According to Tauck's "in-house foliologist," Scotty Johnson, such trips often begin near the coast or farther north where the leaves change earlier due to the colder climates.
Tour buses stop in Hanover several times a week and large groups often eat lunch at the Hanover Inn or Lou's Restaurant or shop in town, thereby contributing to the local economy.
"The fall period is a very high demand for the hotel and the surrounding area," said Michael Hartson, director of operations and sales at the Hanover Inn. "We see a lot more general traffic in the area because of football games, alumni activities, Homecoming and the fall foliage."
Many families who do not participate in guided tours often stay in Hanover for several days exploring the campus, visiting the Hood Museum of Art and enjoying Hanover.
Dartmouth is a popular choice for leaf peepers because of its location near the intersection of two interstates, I-91 and I-89.
Hanover also differs from other small New England towns because of its vibrancy and youthful atmosphere, Hartson said, and because the College offers diverse activities through the Hood Museum of Art and Hopkins Center.
"I think one of the things people enjoy is the quality and diversity of Dartmouth's campus," Hartson said. "There's a lot of energy here."
