Fall is where the outdoor furniture is relocated to the basement, the dark fireplace blazes into life, and pumpkins become a regular fixture in the neighborhood. But nothing truly spells fall like falling foliage and the crunch of crushed leaves under your boots. A very good reason to choose places to visit in fall is because of the beauty of the colors that Mother Nature presents us with at this time of year. New England is so often touted as being the queen of autumn, but there are plenty of places to visit in fall in North America, where the colors are just as fabulous and the scenery just as magnificent. Here are 8 places to visit in fall where the glorious colors can be enjoyed for their simple beauty.
Nowhere in the U.S. can you see a hue of crimson dotted all over the hillsides like that of the Lake of the Ozarks. Combine this crimson hue with a still and calm blue lake and you have the perfect place for a fall vacation. This is one of the prime places to visit in fall as there’s a large choice of hiking trails in which to get up close and personal with the burnt orange and glittering gold of nature. For a truly memorable experience, take a boat out onto the aquatic trail and see the dogwoods, oak-hickory forests, and thong trees from afar.
Located a mere 100 miles from New York City, the Catskills is a bounty of fall foliage and is one of the best fall locations in the state. Known as ‘America’s First Wilderness’ for the last two weeks of September, the Catskills turns into a tempest of tones and shades of gold, orange, and brown. In addition, you can experience the annual farmer’s markets and craft fairs that come out to play during the fall season.
See some fall foliage in a variety of different ways. Columbia River Gorge in the state of Oregon has been providing nature lovers with plenty of marvelous sights for years and is one of the best locations for fall in the Northern US. Go for a family drive along the Oregon I-84 or drag the kids along for a spot of hiking. More adventurous visitors might even want to cruise past the twisted pines and Oregon ash trees on the water, on a white-water rafting or kayaking trip. Don’t forget to pay a visit to the wondrous Multnomah Falls, which pours water 620 feet down from the Cascade Mountains.
Straddling Tennessee and North Carolina, the Great Smoky Mountains is the most visited national park in the U.S. and when dressed for fall, provides a true cornucopia of color with over 100 different types of native trees shedding their summer coats. See the sugar maples and scarlet oaks with a fall vacation between early October and early November for the best sights.
The foothills of the Berkshire Mountains are one of the most relaxing places to visit in fall as rolling green hills lead into areas of foliage-filled forest. Experience something different in the biking and hiking heartland of Connecticut by bracing a hot-air balloon ride, and spot the diverse range of colors that look like an artist’s palette. See the maples and birches of the hills during mid-October for the most picturesque views.
Sometimes a whole state can make one of the prime fall locations to visit. There’s so much to see in this small U.S. state. Hike up Mt. Mansfield and Equinox. Enjoy an adventure holiday with a difference by staying in one of the small glowing towns of Vermont and witness the bright green change to gold, orange, and red. The best time to visit this state is anytime during the fall season. It really is that good!
Who said that the only places to visit in fall are in the U.S.? Canada offers just as much photogenic fall excitement. The main place to visit is the Eastern Townships in Quebec. Just north of Maine, it shadows its New England neighbor’s fall season intimately. Enjoy this fiery burst of nature by walking through the local towns of North Hatley and Knowlton, or venture forth on horseback. Visit during late September when the foliage season really kicks in!
Aspen has glorious autumn colors. Spot the combinations of golden yellows mingling with the evergreen trees that cover the hills and mountains before they receive their coat of winter snow. Whilst it does lack the burst of colors you come to expect from a radiant fall spectacle, the combination of greenery and the change to autumn colors is truly a marvel to behold. Timing is everything with this location, though, as there’s only one week of impressive color change. From mid-to-late September is the ideal time to visit.
There are so many places to visit in fall worthy of attention and they each offer a different experience. What makes visiting these locations in fall so rewarding is that you can mix the main attractions of the area with nature’s beauty. So take a fall vacation and see nature in her glorious beauty.
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