The weather will soon turn cooler and the leaves of maples, oaks and other trees will start to show off their brilliant colors. It’s a great time to plan a trip to view the fall foliage.
Your Travel Leaders travel advisor can help you figure out where and when to go, where to stay and what to see. Here are some suggestions:
Maine has more than a dozen scenic byways that will take you past mountains and along the state’s rugged coastline. The 40-mile Acadia All-American Road goes through Acadia National Park and the resort town of Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island. The park’s car-free carriage roads are made for walking, hiking and cycling.
In Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, you can spot more than a hundred species of trees and plants along the area’s scenic roadways. When you’re ready for a break, you can stop in small towns like Honesdale, known for its old-time charm. Popular itineraries include Route 6, ranked among the “Top Scenic Routes in America” by Car and Driver magazine.
Skyline Drive runs for 105 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. There are 70 overlooks that offer unparalleled views of the Shenandoah Valley and Piedmont region. Skyline Drive is also a regular crossing for wildlife, including deer, bears and wild turkey.
While people associate Aspen with skiing, the Colorado town is spectacular in the fall, and the weather is perfect for outdoor activities like hiking and cycling. Your itinerary should include Maroon Bells, a series of distinctive bell-shaped, wine-colored peaks. It’s one of the most photographed spots in North America.
When you think of California, massive redwoods come to mind. But in the fall, there are plenty of places to view leafy trees showing off their brilliant colors. One place to see them is Napa Valley’s vineyards, where you can take in the scenery and the sweet smell of crushed grapes. You can bike, stroll, drive or even soar over the valley in a hot air balloon.
Canada is also a great place for foliage. At Banff National Park, in the Canadian Rockies, you’ll find hiking trails and viewing platforms overlooking breathtaking vistas. In Nova Scotia, on the Atlantic coast, you can take a drive along the 185-mile Cabot Trail that weaves through Cape Breton Highlands National Park.
Another way to view the leaves is on an organized tour. You can see the vibrant colors from a coach, or take a walking or cycling trip.
For example, Globus offers a nine-day trip that starts and ends in Boston, with stops in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, Newport, Rhode Island, and Connecticut’s Mystic Seaport, along with prime leaf-peeping areas in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. Backroads has a five-day walking and hiking tour through Vermont that will take you along forest paths to covered bridges and quintessential New England villages.
For help navigating any travel plans, contact us!
Journeys Travel Group 