20 Must-Visit Places for Fall Travel

Is fall not the perfect season? It signals a reprieve from soaring high summer temps and provides us with an opportunity to cozy down for the winter.

It’s also a time when nature puts on her most glorious display. Right before she goes dormant, she dazzles us with a delightful array of effervescent yellows, reds, and golds.

Together, let’s celebrate the autumnal equinox — the one day of the year with an almost equal amount of daylight and nighttime — as we seek to restore our own personal balance, as well.

The Berkshires, Massachusetts

Have we really experienced the joys of the season if we haven’t dipped in and out of New England? The Berkshires, in particular, is a leaf peeper’s delight. Here, you’ll find a 98-mile stretch of picture-perfect towns and sweeping mountain vistas. 

Sip on some apple cider in Lenox before you visit Edith Wharton’s home. Cozy into a B&B in Stockbridge with a never-ending supply of hot cocoa after you’ve visited the Normal Rockwell Museum. 

No matter which small town you choose to call home for the weekend, you’ll never forget the blanket of fall foliage that surrounded you everywhere you went.

The Finger Lakes, New York

The Finger Lakes offer visitors (and residents) year-round serenity. Coming in the fall means you’ll drift away like floating leaves into wave upon wave of relaxation. With over 100 wineries to visit, this is bliss in its purest form. 

On the days you’re not touring wineries, you’ll also have the pick of the crop, in terms of pumpkin patches and apple orchards. Woven into all of that, there are also a host of harvest festivals on display throughout this time of year. You might come here for the wine, but you’ll end up finding so much more. 

New York, New York

Further down the line, you have the most magnetic city in the world. This is the perfect time to visit Manhattan and stock up on all your fall and winter fashions. The city is also starting to buzz with the energy that comes with the Thanksgiving Day Parade and Christmas season. 

Of course, it’s not just concrete pavement, either. You can still be dazzled by fall foliage in Central Park. With over 800 acres to roam, you’ll be enveloped in oodles of archways of changing leaves as you sit on a green park bench and watch the world go by. 

The famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is lit the first Wednesday after Thanksgiving. So, if you push your New York City trip to the end of November, you’ll be kissed by the start of the season. 

For additional ways to maximize your time in this sprawling metropolis, here are several other unforgettable experiences — in New York City and beyond.

Paris, France

As we know, “Paris is always a good idea.” While it’s particularly brimming in spring and summer, the fall is actually our favorite time of year to visit this serene beauty. 

For starters, you’re more likely to find lower airfare and better deals on hotels and Airbnbs. And, if you can hold out until mid to late November, you’ll also be treated to the kickoff of the Christmas season, including delightful Christmas markets and golden, glimmering Christmas decorations all throughout town. 

While you’re there, here are 20 iconic sights you can’t miss.