Catherine Hiles
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3 Suggestions for a Fall-Friendly Road Trip

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close-up of fall-colored leaves on a tree with a car driving in the background
Get your camera ready for some beautiful autumn drives
Photo: Arek Socha via Pixabay

Labor Day has come and gone, and the weather has begun cooling (at least for now). The leaves have begun to change color, and kids have gone back to school (making your commute last twice as long).

If you’re looking to get away solo, spend some much-needed time together with a friend or partner, or take the kids on a weekend jaunt, the fall is a great time for an entirely different brand of road trip.

There are several fall-themed road trips you can plan this autumn. Here are our top three suggestions.


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Fall foliage road trip

winding road surrounded by trees in the autumn

One of the best things about fall is the natural beauty of the season. As the trees turn from lush green to burnt orange and fiery red, it’s the perfect time to plan a trip to see nature’s splendor in person.

The Travel Channel lists several region-specific locales of the best spots for taking in the foliage. New England is one such region; in particular, an 88-mile loop in Maine that passes through the towns of Gaysville, Barnard, Woodstock, Ludlow, and Killington is quite picturesque.

Another great spot for enjoying autumnal colors is the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and Virginia. The entire route is 469 miles, so you can either make a long trip out of it or pick part of it and spend more time exploring the beautiful mountain scenery.

If you live up north, check out the Lake Superior Circle Route that stretches through Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Toronto, Canada. Out west, you can get a glimpse of gorgeous fall colors pretty much anywhere in the Rocky Mountain region.


Stadium tour

close up of football player hands and ball

With the baseball season winding down and NCAA and NFL football returning once more, why not make good on that dream to visit stadiums across the country? With pennant races rounding the home stretch and gridiron rivalries renewed, consider cheering on your home team from the friendly confines of an opponent’s field.

Make sure you check out the local area as well. If you’re heading to a Michigan game, check out what Ann Arbor has to offer (spoilers: it’s a lot). And if you’re taking in a game at LA’s SoFi Stadium, you could make a side trip to Disneyland or take a jaunt along the Pacific Coast Highway.


Spooky road trip

For the month of October, you can plan spooky Halloween travels to places like Salem and Massachusetts as well as events like the world’s biggest pumpkin festival in Keene, New Hampshire. Corn mazes, ghost tours, and hayrides are abundant and family friendly, and thrill seekers can explore some of the world’s best haunted attractions such as The 13th Gate in Baton Rouge, Netherworld Haunted House in Atlanta, and The Dent School House in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Whatever your intention and whatever your flavor, fall provides an abundance of road trip possibilities.