Monday, August 16, 2010

Yankee Magazine Names Middlebury #5 on its List of Top 25 Foliage Towns

Yankee Magazine Names Middlebury #5 on its List of Top 25 Foliage Towns!

Middlebury, Vermont – August 16, 2010 – The Addison County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that Middlebury has been named as one of Yankee Magazine’s top 25 towns in New England for fall foliage travel. This is the first time the magazine has ever ranked towns by this standard and Middlebury is ranked fifth. (The list includes many ties, so the ranking goes from first place to 13th place.) The September/October issue will on newsstands August 24, 2010.

In hearing the news, chamber president Andy Mayer said, “We know that Middlebury and all of Addison County is a phenomenal foliage destination. To have Yankee Magazine recognize us as such means that the word will get out to many potential visitors to our area…and that’s okay!”

To determine the listing for the article — “The Top 25 Foliage Towns in New England,” by Michael Blanding and the editors of Yankee Magazine — a variety of tourism professionals, as well as Yankee’s own writers and editors, first nominated communities for an initial review. The top contenders were then scored on a scale from 0 to 5 in 14 essential attributes of a perfect fall foliage outing: color intensity, scenery, vistas, nearby water, scenic drives, hikes, culture, farmers’ markets and farmstands, orchards, covered bridges, state or local parks, the quality and variety of shops to browse, tourism amenities such as hotels and restaurants, and a category called “uncrowded” — giving a boost to less touristy locations.

“I’ve been to every town on our list, and each one offers special, unique qualities,” editor Mel Allen says. “Locals and travelers alike will have their own opinions of what makes a top foliage town; in one sense, a New England autumn gives all of our towns a ranking of among the best in the world. But if you take all the experiences that we feel make up a perfect fall day … well, some towns just had more of them … an orchard, or a waterfall, or a covered bridge, or a terrific inn. It’s meant to be fun—but also a real guide for readers who look to Yankee to take the guesswork out of a New England trip. I say let the discussion begin!”

The article includes a write-up and a chart showing each town’s category results, serving as convenient travel guide for leaf-peepers.

The following towns are included in the list:

1.       Kent, Connecticut

2.       Bethel, Maine

3.       Manchester, Vermont

4.       Williamstown, Massachusetts

5.       Middlebury, Vermont

6.       Camden, Maine (tie)

6.       Waitsfield, Vermont (tie)

7.       Conway/North Conway, New Hampshire

8.       Sandwich, New Hampshire

9.       Rangeley, Maine

10.    Blue Hill, Maine (tie)

10. Woodstock, Vermont (tie)

10. Waterville Valley, New Hampshire (tie)

10. Amherst, Massachusetts (tie)

11. Grafton, Vermont (tie)

11. East Haddam, Connecticut (tie)

11. Walpole, New Hampshire (tie)

12. The Cornwalls, Connecticut (tie)

12. Litchfield, Connecticut (tie)

12. Jackson, New Hampshire (tie)

13. Jeffersonville, Vermont (tie)

13. Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts (tie)

13. Montgomery, Vermont (tie)

13. Stowe, Vermont (tie)

13. Hanover, New Hampshire (tie)

 

To view a slideshow of winning foliage towns and to share comments, visit: http://www.yankeemagazine.com/25towns
 
The Addison County Chamber was solicited by Yankee Magazine last month to submit several photos of the area as part of their search and selection process for New England’s best foliage towns. Images from several sources were submitted, and one of the photos selected, and seen in Yankee’s above-mentioned slideshow, was provided by local photographer and graphic designer, Mark Favreau.
 
About Yankee Magazine

Yankee Magazine was founded in 1935 and is based in Dublin, New Hampshire. It is the only magazine devoted to New England through its coverage of travel, home, food, and features. With a paid circulation of over 350,000 and a total audience of more than 2 million readers, it is published by Yankee Publishing Incorporated (YPI), a family-owned, independent magazine publisher. In 2010, Yankee Magazine was named a finalist in the national City and Regional Magazine Association’s annual awards in two categories: Multimedia and Excellence in Writing. 2010 marks Yankee Magazine’s 75th year as New England’s magazine. YPI also owns the nation’s oldest continuously produced periodical, The Old Farmer’s Almanac. More information about Yankee: New England’s Magazine is available at: YankeeMagazine.com/press

Yankee invites the media to interview our editors, who are experts on where to go and what to do during the fall foliage season in New England. For interviews, in-studio visits, artwork, listener giveaways, or more information, contact Heather Atwell, heathera@yankeepub.com or 603-563-8111 x180.

About Addison County Chamber of Commerce
 
The Addison County Chamber of Commerce (ACCOC) is an association of individuals representing business interests, working together to promote commercial business and tourism in Addison County. The Chamber can be found on the Web at www.addisoncounty.com.