Hello Massachusetts!
I will be heading to Cape Cod in early October and then driving north. Are the whales still around in October? Is Salem a good place to visit?
Any suggestion on areas that will have beautiful colors by the coast?
Thank you for your recommendations.
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I used to do foliage touring, mostly in Vermont because of the mix of colors, around that time. But that may all have shifted in time due to you know what.
So, try to check in advance when foliage peaks, and good luck.
In New Hampshire (pronounced Na Hampsha) there's the Kankamagus Highway, where I took great foliage photos.
https://newhampshireway.com/kancamagus-highway/
Forgot the names of places we stopped in Vermont.
MA? Nothing more beautiful than the Italian North End of Boston. 🇮🇹
Should be a parade around ( you guessed it) Columbus Day. I was stationed a while at Coast Guard Base Boston, and stopped at my Dad's cousin's bakery on the way home. They gave us the ends of the Anise Biscotti, which were the best part, that people wouldn't buy.
We Coasties would sometimes stop at No Name Restaurant for lunch, at 15 1/2 Fish Pier. It closed after 109 years of operation.
That's about it for now. FWIW my cousin lives in (you guessed it) Salem.
The Peabody Essex Museum is a gem, and would be outstanding even if it were located in larger cities.
Luckily for you, it's right in the central area of Salem, in the pedestrian zone at the center of town. Besides being a great museum, with well-funded permanent and topical collections, it'll be a nice space to get out of the crowds for a bit and, dare I say it, access nice restrooms! 
https://www.pem.org/