A Road Trip Playlist for Every Northeast Foliage Drive

A favorite pastime of many leaf-peepers in fall is to take a long, winding drive through their favorite fall foliage spots. But how are you supposed to enjoy any sort of drive without a road trip playlist ultra-tailored to your experience? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Note: Due to the ever-changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, please check official websites before visiting to check for restrictions or closures.

New York Road Trip Playlist 

In terms of fall foliage (and just about everything else) New York has it all. From the Long Island Expressway, to Central Park, to the rolling hills of upstate New York, the autumn here is beautiful. For the perfect fall foliage drive around the Empire State, I’ve cobbled together a road trip playlist. The New York playlist is made up of songs by New York locals, songs about New York, and songs that recall the feeling of autumn in my home state. Put your feet up on the dashboard and remember late afternoons on your stoop, hikes through the woods and the tinny jukebox music at your local diner.

If there was a separate playlist for Long Island, it would be all Billy Joel.

“Autumn in New York” – Billie Holiday
“Uptown Girl” – Billy Joel
“New York State of Mind” – Billy Joel
“Piano Man” – Billy Joel
“Jenny From the Block” – Jennifer Lopez
“Rockaway Beach” – The Ramones
“Empire State of Mind” –  Jay-Z and Alicia Keys
“America” – Simon and Garfunkel
“The Only Living Boy in New York” – Simon and Garfunkel
“Brooklyn Baby” – Lana Del Rey
“Young and Beautiful” – Lana Del Rey
“Tapestry” – Carole King
“The Lady is a Tramp” – Lady Gaga and Tony Bennet
“Another Hundred People” – Pamela Myers
“New York, New York” – Frank Sinatra

Want to listen right now? Here’s our New York road trip playlist on Spotify.

New Jersey Road Trip Playlist 

For your foliage drive through New Jersey, our road trip playlist is comprised completely of local New Jerseyans. From Frank Sinatra to Bruce Springsteen, some of the greatest American musicians have come out of Jersey. They don’t have bad fall foliage either. It is called the Garden State, after all. And the best part? During this road trip, you’ll never have to get out and pump gas.

“The Best is Yet to Come” – Frank Sinatra
“I Get a Kick Outta You” – Frank Sinatra
“My Way” – Frank Sinatra
“Out in the Street” – Bruce Springsteen
“Dancing in the Dark” – Bruce Springsteen
“Born in the USA” – Bruce Springsteen
“Working My Way Back to You” – Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
“Maps” – The Front Bottoms
“I Will Survive” – Gloria Gaynor
“American Slang” – The Gaslight Anthem
“I Wanna Dance With Somebody” – Whitney Houston
“Livin’ on a Prayer” – Bon Jovi
“I Like Jersey Best” – John Pizzarelli

If you’re ready for your foliage drive, check out our New Jersey road trip playlist on Spotify.

Fall Fun in the Northeast

Our favorite places and fall events throughout the region to make the most of fall foliage season. 

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Connecticut Road Trip Playlist 

With songs about Connecticut and songs by locals themselves, this road trip playlist is sure to put a kick into anybody’s quiet, suburban foliage drive.

“Connecticut” – Judy Garland and Bing Crosby
“Weekend Wars” – MGMT
“Siberian Breaks” – MGMT
“How Am I Supposed to Live Without You” – Michael Bolton
“Close to You” – The Carpenters
“Island in the Sun” – Weezer
“Only in Dreams” – Weezer
“Our Most Fragile Things” – Erica Buettner
“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” – Diana Ross
“Love on the Weekend” – John Mayer
“Kylie From Connecticut” – Ben Folds
“We Are All Made of Stars” – Moby

Listen to our Connecticut road trip playlist on Spotify.

Rhode Island Road Trip Playlist 

For such a small state, Rhode Island has an abundance of fall foliage. While you’re driving down sun-dappled streets lined with sugarleaf maples and sawtooth oaks, pop in this road trip playlist. These songs about Rhode Island and songs sung by Rhode Islanders are the perfect score for your afternoon in the Ocean State.

“Rhode Island is Famous for You” – Blossom Dearie
“Sea of Clouds” – Deer Tick
“Smith Hill” – Deer Tick
“This Must Be the Place” – Talking Heads
“Take Me to the River” – Talking Heads
“Rhode Island Bound” – Seth McFarlane
“Not Too Soon” – Throwing Muses
“Bright Yellow Sun” – Throwing Muses
“On the Dark Side” – John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band
“January 2008” – Math the Band
“Sweet Rhode Island Red” – Ike and Tina Turner

Take a listen to our Rhode Island road trip playlist on Spotify.

Vermont Road Trip Playlist 

In fall, the slopes of Vermont are blanketed with crisp, bright foliage. It might not be ski season just yet, but that doesn’t matter. You’re here for the leaves. Tuck into some luxury ice cream and enjoy this road trip playlist while you drive down forest roads and country lanes.

“Farmhouse” – Phish
“Divided Sky” – Phish
“Eve and Adam” – Cricket Blue
“Long Vermont Roads” – The Magnetic Fields
“Low Road” – Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
“Stars” – Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
“Something That I Want” – Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
“Yip Yip Yow” – Caroline Rose
“Here Comes the Rain” – Caroline Rose
“Fable” – Sam Moss
“Beast” – Sam Moss
“Moonlight in Vermont” – Willie Nelson

Check out our Vermont road trip playlist on Spotify.

Massachusetts Road Trip Playlist 

Take advantage of the highways and byways of this historic state to see the beautiful fall foliage lining Massachusetts roads. The songs in this road trip playlist, written entirely by Massachusetts locals, recall Boston’s Irish roots and the state’s revolutionary history. It’s also got a little bit of rock and roll.

“Walk This Way” – Aerosmith
“I’m Shipping Up to Boston” – Dropkick Murphys
“For Boston” – Dropkick Murphys
“The Warrior’s Code” – Dropkick Murphys
“More Than a Feeling” – Boston
“Peace of Mind” – Boston
“Rock and Roll Band” – Boston
“Drive” – The Cars
“Birdhouse in Your Soul” – They Might Be Giants
“Photosynthesis” – They Might Be Giants
“Don’t Let’s Start” – They Might Be Giants
“Sweet Baby James” – James Taylor

Don’t start your drive without our Massachusetts road trip playlist on Spotify.

New Hampshire Road Trip Playlist 

New Hampshire’s got woods. It’s got an embarrassment of riches (if those riches were woods). While you take a drive through the lush, rural landscape, take a listen to this road trip playlist comprised entirely of folk music and Aerosmith. If that’s not culture, I don’t know what is.

“Autumn in New Hampshire” – Leo Austin
“New Hampshire Naturally” – The Shaw Brothers
“Write Me a Letter” – Aerosmith
“Mama Kin” – Aerosmith
“Dream On” – Aerosmith
“Leaving New Hampshire” – Andy Leftwich
“Remember Song” – Tom Rush
“Urge For Going” – Tom Rush
“Voices” – Tom Rush
“Birches” – Bill Morrissey

Here’s our New Hampshire road trip playlist on Spotify.

Maine Road Trip Playlist 

The northernmost state in New England has a wonderful, early-peaking foliage season. Maine’s coastal cities are no stranger to tourists, but if you venture further inland you’ll find autumn forests as ripe and crisp as an apple. With most of the foliage peaking in mid to late September, make sure you have your road trip playlist prepped early. The Maine playlist is filled with songs of longing by outsiders, and deep-cutting, hollering folk and rock songs by locals. Also David Bowie is in here somehow.

“Portland, Maine” – Donovan Woods
“Hardest Way Possible” – Rustic Overtones
“Sector” – Rustic Overtones and David Bowie
“A Hilly Town” – Phantom Buffalo
“Ballad of the 20^th Maine” – The Ghost of Paul Revere
“Wolves” – The Ghost of Paul Revere
“After Many Miles” – The Ghost of Paul Revere
“Between Two Trees” – Lady Lamb
“Crane Your Neck” – Lady Lamb
“Going to Maine” – The Mountain Goats
“The Falling of the Pine” – The Mallett Brothers Band

If you’re leaf-peeping in Maine, don’t forget our Maine road trip playlist on Spotify.

What would you add to your fall foliage road trip playlist? Tell us below. 

To plan your own fall foliage road trip, visit AAA.com/Travel. 

And for more fall fun, head to AAA.com/FallFest!