We decided to spend our first afternoon in Montpelier, the capital of Vermont. It was a clear, warm day and the drive from the airport gave us our first taste of New England fall. The colors were spectacular and at their peak (fortunately it was a late year for color- normally this area peaks around the first week of October so we were about 10 days late). The very distinctive capital building has a golden dome and a vast perfectly manicured front lawn.