Fall is a great time to travel, not only to enjoy beautiful scenery that’s often enhanced by autumn foliage, but it often means fewer tourists, lower airfares and better bargains all around. If you’re thinking about a fall vacation, you can’t go wrong with any of these fabulous destinations.
Though the weather is brisk, the Highlands are one of the most amazing places in all of Europe for viewing gorgeous autumn colors, in a country already renowned for its out-of-this-world scenery. The rivers and lochs reflect the array of copper and gold covered hillsides, and in Perthshire, also known as Big Trees Country, some of the best views can be found at Knock Hill, near Loch Tummel and the pass of Killiecrankie. By taking the steep, but not too strenuous walk to Knock Hill through mixed woodlands to heathery viewpoints, you can enjoy especially amazing views from the summit of the Highlands to the north. Perthshire is also home to the highest hedge in the world which stands nearly 100 feet tall. The leaves start to turn in early autumn, and are in their fully glory by the end of September through the end of October.
Autumn is also one of the best times of year for spotting some of the country’s rich and varied wildlife. From September you can hear the echoing sound of red deer stags roaring and clattering antlers as they gather in the sheltered glens for the annual rut, competing to mate with the females.
There are few better places than Romania for taking advantage of all that is Halloween and beautiful fall scenery at once. Stop in Bucharest first to get a better idea of the nation’s history, visiting the Palace of Parliament as well as the National History Museum, surprisingly filled with Roman artifacts. Once you leave the city and head into the Carpathian Mountains, you’ll enjoy breathtaking vistas of stunning autumn foliage along with some rather spooky sites like Dracula’s Castle. The connection to the fictional vampire is slim, but Romania is where myths such as vampires and werewolves first took hold. Transylvania has long been a place steeped in legend, stunning imagery of medieval castles and misty moonlit nights. Take the 56-mile drive through the Fagaras Mountains, the highest mountains of the Southern Carpathians with over 20 peaks rising more than 8,000 feet, famous for its hairpin curves and especially jaw-dropping views.
West Virginia is home to some of the most picturesque fall colors in the eastern half of the U.S, with an extensive array of gold, crimson and pumpkin shades. Just an hour from Washington, DC, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, offers a multitude of hiking trails that offer amazing views, like the less than one-mile Jefferson Rock hike with spots that overlook the Blue Ridge Mountains, while River Riders, also in Harpers Ferry, is a great option for those who want to enjoy a more active trip with zip line canopy tour, rafting, kayaking canoeing or mountain biking.
Southern Germany is home to some of Europe’s most breathtaking scenery with endless Alpine forests that pop with brilliant color against mountains dusted with snow during the fall. Bavaria is like the Vermont of Europe when it comes to the amount of deciduous trees, with every turn like walking into a different Bob Ross painting. This is the season for Oktoberfest and plenty of wine festivals, as well as being ideal for hiking through the Alps and horse-drawn carriage rides. When visiting the roughly 25 historic castles and palaces like famed Neuschwanstein Castle, Linderhof Palace, Nuremberg Castle and the Burghausen Castle, you’ll have less crowds to contend with too.
England’s Lake District is renowned for its scenic beauty, and with the autumn light, it becomes even more spectacular. With its numerous lakes surrounded by gold and ruby covered hills, the region makes an ideal spot for hiking. Cumbria is home to beautiful woodland areas like Grizedale Forest Park, with green pines and copper beech trees that frame mountain views as well as cozy pubs, like Kirkstone Pass Inn where you can stop in for a glass of local ale or cider. While the weather is notoriously unpredictable , meaning, it’s not at all unusual to experience all four seasons in a single day, the showers and passing clouds only serve to emphasize the grandeur of the scenery.
Colorado is well known for its gorgeous display of Aspens that blanket mountains across the state with incredible hues of golden bronze and dazzling yellow, and there are few better places to experience it than in the state’s magnificent Rockies. Independence Pass, the highest paved pass in North America, peaks at more than 12,000 feet above sea level, with jagged mountain peaks soaring into bright blue skies above an incredible array of fall colors.
Another one of the most colorful autumn routes in the state is Ohio Pass, between Gunnison and Crested Butte. North of Gunnison the road follows the Ohio Creek Valley with its fields and cattle ranches before reaching the peaks of the West Elk Wilderness and The Castles, pictured above, spectacular eroded volcanic remains that rise to the west.
The days remain long and temperatures are still more than manageable in Iceland in the fall. After mid-September is also when the dark night sky begins to put on its spectacular natural light show known as the aurora borealis as a a blanket of illuminations made up of countless shades of green, blue, red and yellow returns and lasts until the end of the winter. In Thingvellir National Park, renowned for its breathtaking beauty, willow, birch and plants of the heath family transform their appearance into an even lovelier place. The largest natural lake in Iceland, Lake Thingvallavatn, is found in the park, and in the autumn months the great northern diver gathers in flocks and breeds along its banks.
Thingvellir is home to Gullfoss, also known as Golden Falls, sometimes referred to as Iceland’s version of Niagara Falls. This magnificent waterfall, located in the upper part of River Hvita along the renowned Golden Circle, cascades down in two steps, one 36 feet high, and the other at 72 feet high, plunging into the more than one-mile long canyon below. Strokkur geyser, which sits in the middle of a geothermal field surrounded by bubbling springs, is also a must see. It erupts once every four to eight minutes, and soars as high as 65 feet.
There’s really no better time to visit Switzerland than the fall, especially from September through mid-October, when the weather is most likely to be cooperative. In the southern region of the country, you’ll find the especially picturesque city of Lugano, set along the shore of Lake Lugano on the border of Italy. Summer’s sizzling temperatures have given way to a milder climate and a choreographed setting of spectacular colors. Visit during the first weekend of October and you can attend the annual Autumn Festival which features folkloric music as well as celebrations of grapes and fine wines.
Wine enthusiasts may want to head to the northern shores of Lake Geneva, where each autumn, the 2,050 acres of ancient vineyards known as the Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, blanket the lower mountain slopes. Hikers can walk and taste their way along this 21-mile Swiss wine route, stretching from Ouchy in Lausanne to Chateau de Chillon Castle. Follow the yellow arrows that mark the path leading through working vineyards and medieval villages, with pubs, eateries and local wine cellars making ideal pit stops.
The Berkshires in Western Massachusetts offer great leaf-peeping as well as fantastic museums, like the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in Williamstown and the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in North Adams, home to one of the largest collections of modern art in the U.S. Enjoy the striking fall foliage by taking a scenic drive along the winding roads lined with reds, golds and occasionally dark scarlet hues, passing glistening lakes, lush meadows and farms along the way. Jacob’s Ladder Scenic Byway, a 35-mile stretch in the southern Berkshires, is ideal. Be sure to stop at Bash-Bish Falls State Park to take in the awe-inspiring three-state views of a landscape dotted with crimson and gold.
This popular national park is one of the best in the country for fall foliage. It puts on a magnificent show of color with miles and miles of landscape ablaze in a gorgeous tapestry of brilliant hues. Drive the scenic six-mile Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and enjoy plenty of great fishing and hiking too. While you’re here, you might want to spend at least a day at Dollywood, hopping on some of the heart-pounding thrill rides as well as enjoying food and authentic Tennessee music. Gatlinburg is a great place to base your stay and is also home to the highest point in the state, Clingman’s Dome, as well as Newfound Gap Road where visitors can view the autumn scenery at 1,400 feet above sea level
“The Land of Enchantment,” as New Mexico is called, is certainly exemplified here, and autumn seems to bring out its best. Many of the art galleries are filled with paintings that reflect the colorful surrounding mountains, and some of the best fall foliage in the southwest can be found by taking the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway loop from Taos to Eagle Nest and Angel Fire. You’ll see Aspens that range from luminous yellows to dark orange along with golden and red cottonwoods as well as the occasional bald e agle soaring through the brilliant blue skies, and even black bear and elk in the forests. Don’t miss visiting Taos Pueblo while you’re here, one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities on the continent, drawing artists and photographers year-round.
In Nova Scotia you’ll encounter especially friendly locals, some of the freshest seafood you’ll ever taste – whatever is on your plate for dinner was probably taken out of the surrounding cold waters that very morning – and a real European feel. A visit to Old Town Lunenburg provides the opportunity to step back in time into an 18th-century village, strolling past brightly colored wood-framed houses and eateries with incredible chowder and traditional Lunenburg fish cakes. Head to Nova Scotia’s Highway 2 for a beautiful autumn drive, lined with scenes of quaint farm houses, river views and fiery red blueberry fields. The province also plays host to numerous Oktoberfest and craft brew festivals during the season.When the leaves on the 185,000 acres of grapevines begin to turn and the summer tourists head home, there’s no better time to visit the Loire Valley of France. As the pageant of colors blanket the hillsides and valleys in late October, it’s truly an unforgettable sight.
Some compare the valley to New England in the fall, with its colorful autumn displays and vineyards ablaze in fiery reds, brilliant orange and gold, with the addition of fairytale-like chateaus. This is also harvest time, so you can watch the grapes being picked in the fields, and then find a cozy spot along the riverbank to take in the views with a glass of local tipple.
Fall in Waterton Lakes is an especially tranquil time, ideal for peaceful solitude. The days are still long and often unseasonably warm, while the landscape takes on gorgeous new colors as it transitions into the new season, bringing a whole new face to this spectacular mountain park. Enjoy fishing on serene lakes and hiking quiet trails as well as plenty of wildlife watching opportunities. Mule deer, elk and Bighorn sheep are quite visible during autumn, preparing for the long winter ahead. A multitude of migratory birds also pass through when summer turns to fall.
Netherlands’ largest park at 13,343 acres offers incredibly diverse landscape that includes lush forests, heathlands, sand drifts, meres, grasslands and ponds that become even more beautiful during the autumn months. It’s ideal for walking, but if you want to see the most of the park you can, the easiest way to explore it is on a bicycle. The park has 25 miles of biking paths, and, 1,800 bicycles available to use for free. They can be found in various locations throughout the park, allowing you to hop right on as soon as you enter. Whether on two wheels or two feet, watch for wildlife, like red deer, roe deer, mouflons and wild hogs along the way. The best chance to spot them is in the late afternoon or evening from one of the observation posts that can be found throughout the park.
If you want awe-inspiring scenery, friendly western hospitality and an abundance of wildlife in your fall vacation, Yellowstone is hard to beat. The “closest thing to a safari experience in the lower 48,” its home to 67 species of mammals, like moose, bears, wolves, bison, elk, and lots more. In September the elk often have begun rutting and can be seen around Mammoth Hot Springs. Bears and other animals become more visible as fall goes on. You’ll also have the chance to enjoy hiking on the more than 1,000 miles of trails, often in idyllic weather, although early snows can occur. Yellowstone National Park Lodges typically offers a number of excellent fall packages for those who want to stay in the park that including lodging, food and tours.
Fall is a fabulous time to visit the Emerald Isle. Going in the offseason not only means lower airfares, but fewer tourists, B&B hosts who have more time to spend with guests and, frequently, great weather too. While there can be no guarantees of course, the air is crisp and cool but there are often bright blue skies, while the trees are covered with a brilliant, golden hue. The Wicklow Mountains are especially stunning during the autumn season, offering numerous scenic hiking trails, including an especially amazing trek from Lough Tay to Lough Dan, pictured here. You can also visit historic sites like Glendalough, one of the most important monastic sites in Ireland, founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century. If a storm happens to roll in, there are plenty of cozy pubs where you can enjoy the warmth of a crackling fire along with an Irish coffee or a pint of Guinness.
The Bahamas don’t exactly have much in the way of autumn foliage, but if you’re looking for an affordable tropical vacation, visiting the islands in the fall is just as enchanting as it is any time of year, only it costs a lot less. n. The islands’ offseason runs from late spring to late fall, when tolerable temperatures prevail and trade winds ensure comfortable days and nights, even in accommodations without air-conditioning. No more endless waiting either, you probably won’t have to wait long for a golf course tee time or a rental car, and you’ll have quicker access to watersports not to mention fewer crowds on the sand and at the pool. The Bahamas feel less rushed and hurried during this time of yea, providing a better opportunity to get to known the locals for a more authentic Bahamian experience.
