Ready to get out of the car? Leaf peeping through the windshield is so 20th century, not to mention boring. Why not zipline above the fall foliage, bike amid the changing leaves, see the foliage from a train—or a vineyard, perhaps, time- traveling back in history.
These days, there are more active ways to enjoy changing leaves. The Farmers’ Almanac offers a 2024 fall foliage color map, noting that depending on where you are, leaves can change color through early November. Mid-October typically are peak times to see the reds, oranges, yellows, and golds.
In case the kids are asking, the combination of reduced light in fall, less nutrients and less water triggers the trees to start breaking down chlorophyll, a natural compound responsible for absorbing sunlight and giving trees their green color. Who knew? The green was actually masking the other color pigments. That’s why maple, aspen, birch, and oak are among those with the most spectacular fall colors.
Now that we’ve got that question answered, here are some ways you might not have thought of to experience fall foliage.
Take a train ride. Ride the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, from Manitou Springs, Colorado, to the summit of Pikes Peak where Katherine Lee Bates was inspired by her experience in 1893 to pen the poem that became the patriotic song“America the Beautiful”. On the East Coast, ride to the summit of Mount Washington on the “Railway to the Moon” (Northeast’s highest peak). And in the Midwest, board the Hamilton County Harvest Train through the heart of Indiana every weekend in October.
Look down at the fall foliage from a zipline like Camelback Mountain Adventures in Pennsylvania’s Poconos, one of the longest in North America; New York Zipline Canopy Tours in the Catskill Mountains or The Branson Zipline at Wolfe Creek Reserve in Missouri. There are many to choose from around the country.
Time travel back in history to colonial times, just before the American era. Watch as a colonial soldier loads and fires a musket or fires the noon gun. Engage in a military drill. Stop and chat with some of those who helped build the new nation. If you are brave enough, spend the evening listening to period ghost stories and perhaps meet a modern-day ghost. You have your pick of Colonial Williamsburg accommodation, from modern hotels or historic colonial houses.
Birdwatch in Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine. With a record 338 bird species, Acadia is considered one of the premier bird- watching areas in the country. (Check out my Kid’s Guide to Maine and Kid’s Guide to Acadia National Park.)
Fall is a terrific time to visit many national parks. Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 202 4, free admission day. See the dazzling lake at Crater Lake National Park, 88 miles north of Ashland, Oregon, the glacial lake is the deepest in the U.S. At Yosemite National Park in California, Dogwoods, Big Leaf Maples, and the Black Oaks are just a few trees that put on a showy display of autumnal color, often lasting throughout October.
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon. Dreamstime/TCA
Grandparents can obtain a lifetime Senior Pass for $80, granting them the ability to bring their entire group into a park while the Every Kid Outdoors program enables fourth- graders and their families to get free access for a year.
Another tip: The educators’ section on each national park site, specifically tailored for teachers organizing field trips, can serve as a valuable resource for families as well.
Hike with a llama in New Hampshire at the Mountain View Grand, a renovated historic resort that has faced the Presidential Range from a ridge in Whitefield since 1865. Or for an upscale experience, there’s Brush Creek Ranch where we appreciated the pluses of hiking with llamas (they carried our packs) in Medicine Bow National Forest in Wyoming.
Soak in a hot springs amid the foliage. There are more than 250 develope d hot springs in the U.S., according to Hot Springs of America. (You can search based on location.) Hot springs properties are adding more wellness options (think massage or mud baths, for example). Strawberry Park Hot Springs outside of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, (get reservations!) is in a wilderness setting. You can stay in a rustic cabin, a covered wagon or even a train caboose complete with bathroom, solar lights, and more.
Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort and Spa, about an hour outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, is another good bet for teens or grown kids. (Kids 12 and under are only welcome in the large pool.) Ojo Caliente is one of the nation’s oldest health spas and one of the only hot springs resorts with four healing minerals: Arsenic, Lithia, soda, and iron.
Look for Orcas on a w hale watch while visiting the San Juan Islands in Washington State. These islands, in the heart of the Salish Sea, are home to five different types of whales, making this area one of the best places to see whales in the wild, especially Orcas.
Rent an e-bike (or a regular bike ) from Four Mountain Sports at the base of Aspen Highlands for the 8.6 mile ride up Maroon Creek Road through the forest to the famous Maroon Bells. Discover other places to ride with Aspen’s e-biking guide. To visit the Bells without the workout, check out information on the shuttle here.
See the foliage from a bike in many places (just remember the helmets). Tennessee Tourism has just launched a new statewide road cycling program, BikeTN with 52 new road cycling routes. (Use the app Ride with GPS.)
Play pickleball in Park City, Utah where, of course you can also bike or hike. The Snow Flower Condominiums offer access to pickleball courts, outdoor soaking pools and, of course, the changing mountain colors.
Empty-nesters can vineyard hop during harvest season in Sonoma Valley, a 17-mile-long valley within Sonoma County, that encompasses the city of Sonoma and the villages of Carneros, The Springs, Glen Ellen, and Kenwood. Bring your pooch as there are plenty of dog- friendly lodgings, including the Sonoma Valley Inn, Fairmont Mission Inn, and the Olea Hotel.
Enjoy!
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