Summer is always a hot (often literally) time to travel, leaving fall in the background until it’s too late to plan a quick getaway. We’ve summarized some of the Travel Channel’s recommendations for fall travel so you can see what the country has to offer in this cool and colorful season.
Heading out west to some of the country’s great national parks – Grand Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier – is a great way to see some of the nation’s most beautiful sites in peak colors. You also avoid the high visitor numbers that you may run into throughout the summer. Hiking and camping can also be more enjoyable in the cooler conditions.
If hiking and camping aren’t in your interest, jumping on a hot air balloon in Albuquerque, New Mexico, might be your calling. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the best way to let fall colors sweep you off your feet…and into the air this Oct. 11-14.
If you don’t want to be among the clouds, enjoy the colors from your saddle in Asheville, North Carolina. October is a perfect time to see this part of the country, offering trails throughout forests and mountains. Visitors are also able to take tours in wagons and ATVs.
Afraid of getting rained out? Hit the tracks and explore the White Mountains and more in New Hampshire. The Mount Washington Cog Railway is the best way to see more of the northeast, and doing so comfortably. Remember that colors in such high elevations may peak earlier in the season than those closer to sea.
If you’ve had enough of the colors of fall, or want to try something new, metropolitan areas around the country also have a lot to offer. Boston, Massachusetts, hosts the Head of the Charles Regatta, the world’s biggest two-day rowing competition, on the second-to-last weekend in October. The city is a quick hour-and-a-half commute to Cape Cod if you’re interested in getting to the coast before it’s too cold.
Nashville, Tennessee, is also a contender for fall travel – I mean, who wouldn’t want to be there for “Music City’s” biggest party – the CMA Awards? Come to Nashville for the party in early November, and stay for more of the city’s fall-fun: including haunted houses, corn mazes, and ghost tours.
Heading to the West Coast is not a bad idea either. San Diego, California, starts to cool down in autumn and the mass crowds begin to leave as well. But the change of seasons has not changed the conditions for surfing, snorkeling or hiking – many of these activities are continually done throughout October. During the month there is also free admission to the San Diego Zoo for those ages 3 to 11.
Whether your escape is to the mountains, the city, or the coast, fall across the states does not disappoint – especially when this often means less visitors and more space to roam.
By Morgan Grunow, Communications Intern
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