Autumn brings crisp air, colorful foliage, plus tasty apple and pumpkin treats. No other leaf-peeping destination is more associated with the Fall season, than the Berkshire Mountain region of western Massachusetts. As the second weekend in October was forecast to be “top peak” for foliage in the region, I packed my bags and headed in that direction for an overnight stay!

I arrived in Lee, Massachusetts; nestled in the heart of the central Berkshires. The quaint downtown area is home to restaurants, cafes, boutiques, and galleries.

Accommodations for the evening were at the historic Morgan House Inn. The 19th century inn has hosted several renowned guests including President Cleveland, Ulysses S. Grant, and George Bernard Shaw.

My room was lovely with its poster bed, antique chest of drawers, and authentic period wallpaper.

After checking in, I walked across the street to the vegan-friendly “Starving Artist Creperie”(Starving Artist Creperie) for breakfast. The spacious and casual cafe offers various sweet and savory crepes that may be veganized by selecting the buckwheat wrap and vegan cheese. I started off the day with a “Fall Favorite” beverage: a pumpkin chai tea latte with almond milk. Great choice!

My breakfast choice was the veggie scramble crepe. Filled with tofu scramble, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, vegan cheese, and scallions in a buckwheat crepe; my morning meal was wonderful.

Paintings displaying the local landscape are showcased in the adjacent gallery.

With my hunger now satiated, it was time to start my day of apple picking and foliage viewing. As I drove away from town, a small lake came into my sight and with it, the day’s leaf-peeping had begun!

Hilltop Orchards in Richmond, Massachusetts is known to be one of largest and best apple orchards in the state and most definitely within the Berkshires region. I arrived mid-morning for some prime apple picking, as the crowds were arriving as well.

A tractor drove excited apple seekers up the slight hill and into the orchards.

Rows upon rows of apple trees greeted us. For as far as the eye could see, apple trees of many a variety were growing in these fields.

Red apples such as Macintosh, Delicious, and Cortland were among those available.

Green apple varieties were available, as well.

The apples in these fields are among the best that I have ever picked! The grounds were impeccably well-manicured and no bugs were seen throughout the day. The apples did not have insect marks or rot whatsoever.

Upclose, every apple of each variety that I gazed upon, looked absolutely in perfect condition!

As I walked back to the onsite market, the orchard left an impeccable impression in my mind.

The $10 bag of apples that I picked contain several varieties of greens and reds.

Back in the gift shop, I purchased a hot cup of apple cider, maple candy, a yummy apple cider ice pop, and a decorative small pumpkin.

Lunch time had arrived and the town of Pittsfield is where I ate my mid-day meal at the vegan-friendly “Dottie’s Coffee Lounge ” (Dottie’s Coffee Lounge ). This casual dining spot offers a few vegan selections. Starting off with a hot ginger root tea, I chose the tempeh vegan wrap as my main entree. The tasty sandwich was filled with lemon zest hummus, red onion, avocado, spinach, tomatoes, tempeh, and crimson kraut and drizzled with a house balsamic vinaigrette. It was accompanied by a cup of red quinoa in a zesty vinaigrette.

Off I went on an afternoon foliage drive through the towns of Richmond, Pittsfield, Hancock, and Lenox!

Fenced in fields with a backdrop of colorful foliage, row upon row of crimson/orange/golden hues of tree-lined forests, and shades of Fall on the hilly mountain tops; met my every gaze along the afternoon drive.

A local farm displayed a wagon full of pumpkins by their field.

A train could be seen chugging along its tracks with the distant foliage along a lake, providing stunning views for its passengers.

The town of Hancock, provided a panorama of magnificent and colorful foliage among its tree-lined fields at the Shaker Village.

Dinner time had arrived. I dined at the Morgan House Inn’s restaurant(Morgan House Inn Restaurant) back in Lee. The ambiance here exudes warmth in this cozy space. Kitchen staff are amiable to offering a vegan dinner option. My evening meal was a risotto with peas, beets, string beans, carrots, and tomatoes, with a side of sauteed spinach. Everything was delicious.

The evening ended with a superb live theater performance at the Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield. This award-winning community theater offers musicals and dramas throughout their Summer and Fall seasons. The theater has gained a national reputation for its stellar productions.

My first day of sightseeing in the Berkshires had come to an end. All of the adventures on my itinerary had left a positive mark. From apple picking at Hilltop Orchards to my foliage drive around the central Berkshires to the live staged performance capping off the evening, it was a splendid day! The vegan meal options in the region were also quite amazing. I looked forward with eager anticipation to what day two in the Berkshires would bring, with its dazzling display of foliage, cultural activities, and vegan dining.

Admission to “Barrington Stage Company” as a guest of “Berkshires Visitor’s Bureau”.