Fall Vacation: Great Fall Foliage Drives, with Video

Travel: 10 Great Autumn Drives

The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting cooler, and people are itching to get out and enjoy the refreshing fall breezes after months of stifling heat and humidity. There’s no better way to take in all the fall color than with an autumn drive. The US is blessed to have hundreds of great places to view the natural colors of fall, and below are just a few, in no certain order.

The suggestions for the best times to go are just that – suggestions. No one can exactly predict the peak color time because too many factors enter into it. You might want to call the forestry department in each state before you pack up the kids and take off.

1. Delaware: Route 896, just north of Newark. Pack a picnic lunch and take a drive to White Clay Creek Park. The entire drive has a beautiful display of fall foliage, but the area around the park is especially colorful. Park and take a walk on one of the hiking trails, and watch the sky for migrating hawks. Best time to go: mid-October – early November.

2. Vermont: Route 100 through the Green Mountains. This road follows the crest of the mountain range and provides the perfect New England autumn experience. You’ll pass by rolling pastures, horses, little towns, and covered bridges. Best time to go: early October.

3. Wisconsin: Devil’s Lake State Park in Baraboo. Begin on State Route 56 at Ash Cove and take a left on State Route 374. The gentle hills are covered with maples and birch trees. Take your bikes along to enjoy one of the biking trails at the park, or walk part of the thirty miles of hiking trails. Best time to go: mid-October.

4. Ohio: Route 33 from Columbus to Marietta. At Hocking Hills State Park, you’ll see not only gorgeous autumn colors, but also babbling creeks and waterfalls. Take a break from driving at the park and stretch your legs with a walk through the trees. Best time to go: mid-October.

5. North Carolina: Blue Ridge Parkway. If you’ve seen Last of the Mohicans, you know this area is spectacular – the movie was filmed here. The Blue Ridge region has a long fall foliage season, usually lasting three or four weeks. You’ll find several places to stop and hike up to the top of one of the knolls for an amazing view. Best time to go: October.

6. New Hampshire: Kancamagus Highway, Route 112. Begin your drive in Lincoln, and travel through the White Mountains National Forest. The climb will be fairly steep, but you’ll be rewarded with gorgeous autumn views of scarlet and burgundy maples, and even a covered bridge. There are plenty of places to pull over and take photographs. This drive is considered by many to be the best autumn trek in the US. Best time to go: early to Mid-October.

7. Virginia: Skyline Drive from Front Royal, Virginia to Cherokee, North Carolina. This has to be one of the most scenic fall drives in the world! As you drive through the Appalachians, you might encounter whitetail deer, black bears, or other wildlife. Best time to go: late October.

8. Colorado: Aspen. The best place to see the aspens in all their autumn splendor is in…well, Aspen! Or at least near Aspen. One of the best places to view the golden cascade of leaves along the steep rises is near Maroon Lake. On September weekends, you won’t be able to drive directly to the lake, but you can take one of the shuttles from town. And it’s definitely worth the trip to see the color reflected in the lake. You have to quick, however, the quaking aspens keep their color for only a week. Best time to go: mid-September.

9. New York: Upper Hudson Valley. Take State Highway 9N from Saratoga Springs to Plattsgurgh, and from Hague to Ticonderoga. You’ll wind through the Adirondacks, following the La Chute River. You’ll pass near Lake George and Lake Champlain, with spectacular views all around. Best time to go: mid-October.

10. Georgia: Richard B. Russell Scenic Highway. State Route 348. Begin just north of Helen and continue fourteen miles to Blairsville. You’ll climb to 3,644 feet, with great views of little farms, horses, rolling pastures, valleys, red barns, and white country churches. You’ll cross the Appalachian Trail and end near Georgia’s highest peak, Brasstown Bald. Best time to go: mid-October.