The Most Beautiful Places Across the US for a Last-Minute Fall Escape

Salem, Massachusetts

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The setting of the infamous 1692 witchcraft trials is now a vibrant and peaceful haven for modern Wiccans and curious souls. Voodoo drives tourism all year in Salem with tarot readings, spell jar workshops, ghost walks, and immersive tours bewitching even the most skeptical. But nowhere does spooky season quite like Witch City.

Salem Haunted Happenings, the world’s largest Samhain celebration, takes over the seaside town throughout October. Magic shows, costume balls, haunted cruises, and after-hours ghost hunts make Salem a prime fall destination for Halloween hijinks. Also a major maritime center, ferries to Salem from Boston take one hour and the city slots into a New England fall road trip. It may even be possible to fly home after crafting a broomstick at The Witchery.

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Hartford, Vermont

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Alongside New Hampshire, Vermont is New England’s quintessential leaf-peeping destination. Historic covered bridges and ruby-red barns nestle amid the crimson maple trees and there are apple orchards aplenty. Sitting at the junction of interstates 89 and 91 near the state border, Hartford is a convenient base for scenic drives and stocking up on syrup.

Emerald no more, the Green Mountain State transforms into a wonderland of reds, oranges, yellows, and golds from top down with Hartford peaking in early to mid-October. Hiking and biking trails weave through Quechee State Park’s gorge and the lower Green Mountain National Forest. Picturesque Woodstock, home of Billings Farm Museum, is 10 minutes down the road while Riverview Farm is on stand-by with pumpkins and apple cider.

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Bar Harbor, Maine

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Bar Harbor is the gateway to Acadia National Park’s hiking trails, lakes, and windswept overlooks. The park claims the eastern half of Mount Desert Island with craggy inlets and lighthouse-topped isles fanning out around the coastline. Hopping over to Bar Island at low tide and walking the Shore Path is just the start of a car-free fall getaway on Maine’s largest island.

Complimentary Island Explorer buses connect Bar Harbor with trailheads and points of interest. Besides the viewpoints, Asticou Azalea Garden and the Wild Gardens of Acadia are autumnal utopias. The night skies are at their sharpest in fall so it’s worth planning a visit purely for constellation spotting from Cadillac Mountain. Back in town, Bar Harbor Ghost Tours organizes deliciously creepy picnics for Halloween.

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Walla Walla, Washington

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Creatives, oenophiles, golfers, foodies, and historians gravitate towards Walla Walla, one of the prettiest rural towns in Washington State. Main Street hums with vintage stores, tap houses, and artisanal cafes. There’s always something going on, whether it’s a First Friday art tour, a food truck festival, or a farmers’ market.

One of the country’s most fertile agricultural areas, the Walla Walla Valley is famed for its sweet onions and grapes. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec flourish at over 120 wineries with harvest season bowing out with the annual Fall Release Weekend in early November. Wine Valley Golf Club, the state’s premium facility, welcomes non-residents. It’s a hole-in-one for romantic weekenders and late-season golf vacations.

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Eureka Springs, Arkansas

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Quirky and wholesome, autumnal adventures in Eureka Springs range from horse trekking (or zip wiring) through coppery woodlands to antiquing and chugging pumpkin ales. Cradled by the Ozark Mountains, the country’s most haunted hotel is among the resort’s Victorian-era buildings. Sleeping at the Crescent Hotel when paranormal activity ups the ante isn’t for skittish types although it’s safe to sign up for midnight ghost hunting.

There’s no swimming permitted at the Blue Spring Heritage Center but the vintage mineral suite at the Palace Bath House (and a dozen downtown salons) will ease you through those darkening days. There’s something in the diary every day in this artsy town, be it live music, trivia nights, or a festival.

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Moab, Utah

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Saving Moab for fall avoids the scalding summer heat and makes pre-dawn hikes optional. Temperatures gradually drop to daytime averages in the fifties which is far more comfortable for getting out amid the buttes and cool dusks yield deeper sunsets.

A short drive from Arches and Canyonlands, Moab is an adventurer’s playground. Hiking and mountain biking trails depart from downtown, as do Colorado River rafting tours and follow-along jeep safaris. These sandstone towers have climbers chomping at the bit while novices can scale water-carved canyons with a guide. The hardiest explorers can try out BASE jumping – an adrenaline rush that’ll see you through the holidays.

Back in town, the Moab Museum is a primer for the dinosaur track trails dotted around eastern Utah. Meanwhile, the Moab Folk Festival line-up gets better every year.

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Columbia Falls, Montana

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Marking the boundary between Flathead County and Glacier Country, Columbia Falls is a one-stop-shop for water recreation and mountain pursuits. Although open in all seasons, fall is the best time to visit Glacier National Park for access-all-areas. The trees start turning early in the season with the leaf-peeping window open until the middle of October.

Going-to-the-Sun Road, crossing the Continental Divide, is ablaze with autumnal colors while sunrises and sunsets bring dazzling photogenic ​Alpenglows. Interrupted by only the clearest lakes and wildest rivers, the Flathead National Forest offers a bounty of fishing, boating, hiking, biking, and horse riding. Camping is a popular pastime but a cabin is more tempting while the grizzlies and black bears line their tummies for winter.

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Mills River, North Carolina

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North Carolina’s best-kept secret sits right on the cusp of the Blue Ridge Parkway at the crossroads of Asheville, Hendersonville, and Brevard. Despite being at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains, Mills River is one of the most underrated fall destinations. The foliage season drags its feet more so than the northern states with moderate color lingering before eventually peaking around Halloween.

This laidback town has, seemingly, more breweries than grocery stores. As well as standard brewery tours, the eastern outpost of the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company runs guided nature hikes followed by tastings of limited-release brews. Coinciding with the spooky season, award-winning beers are paired with candy. Mills River Brewing Co and Bold Rock Cidery also host regular live music and trivia nights so don’t plan too early a start.

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Fruita, Colorado

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Guarding Rim Rock Drive’s northern entrance, Fruita is an offbeat alternative to Grand Junction for a fall escape in Mesa County. The overlooks dotting this 23-mile scenic route grant sensational sunrises, sunsets, and starry night skies to rival any foliage display. As a mountain biking hub, cyclists can pedal to Grand View or tackle the entire route. The Kokopelli and 18 Road trails are challenging whereas novices can follow the Colorado River.

Awesome for kids and would-be paleontologists, the Dinosaur Journey Museum exhibits fossils and bones excavated locally. Focusing on food, beer, music, and family fun, the Fruita Fall Festival takes place at the end of September. This is followed by the annual Moon Farm Pumpkin Patch complete with a petting zoo and hayrides. Wine lovers can pitstop at Palisade to taste Colorado’s finest wines.

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Superior, Wisconsin

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There are no tricks, only treats, for those heading to the American North and Superior’s boreal woodlands. Fall adventures on the water include paddling the St. Louis River Estuary or salmon fishing in the Bois Brule River. On nippier days, don your beanie and wave at ships passing the Twin Ports from Wisconsin Point. The red pines, cedar, and aspen trees of the Superior Municipal Forest shed their chlorophyll early in October. Crunchy walks accommodate families of all abilities and flights with Lake Superior Helicopters elevate the experience.

Superior is a thriving community with daily events including music, bingo, and sports. Oktoberfest and “Boo at the Zoo” have become October staples while downtown craft fairs and farmers’ markets run all until the holidays.

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