Colleen
Fall Place to Visit – Tennessee in the Smoky Mountain
Fall Place to Stay – A log cabin (and there are tons of them) in the Smoky Mountains with a crackling (and real) fireplace.
Fall Food/Restaurant – Pumpkin Soup, Pork chops, mashed potatoes and applesauce, or anything warm and homey, apple pie
Fall Activity – Hiking among the gorgeous fall colors, bike riding, apple picking and apple baking
Favorite thing about Fall – Sweaters and boots, cool, crisp breezes, the smells of pumpkins, apples in any shape or form
Catie:
Place to Visit – Columbia River Gorge, between Washington and Oregon
Place to Stay – Columbia Gorge Hotel
Fall Food/Restaurant – A great steak and cabernet, like Chicago Cut or Owen and Engine Pub
Fall Activity – Apple picking and picking a pumpkin Garwood Farms in Indiana
Favorite thing about Fall – The smells, apple scented candles, pumpkin lattes, sweater weather, coziness
“What’s” with the “Trip Sisters”
What’s in Your Suitcase?
The HoverGlide Backpack – This ‘Floating’ Backpack Is an Overpacker’s Dream Come True. It works with bungee cords to counteract the movements of the wearer. This technology will allow someone to carry up to 12 extra pounds of weight while exerting the same amount of force. Not for sale yet, but a Kickstarter campaign by manufacturer Lightning Packs launches in September 2018, and pricing should be released then also.
What’s on your phone?
Foliage Leaf Peepr
An app that allows you to find and Report Fall Colors in New England by Yankee Publishing Inc. It helps fall-foliage fans find and report on the best and brightest colors in the United States.
What’s the tip?
Travel Tips for an Amazing Fall Getaway
- Rent a Car – One of the best ways to see New England (or any rustic area) and its variety of small towns is by renting a car. This way you can take scenic drives through the area and really take in all the beautiful fall colors. It’s also a great idea to compare prices for car rentals around different companies and locations to find the best price, as airport pickups tend to be pricier.
- Go Off the Beaten Path – According to a Trivago report on destination searches from July and August, the most-searched fall spots in New England include Boston, Bar Harbor and Portland in Maine, Newport, Rhode Island, and Burlington, Vermont. Considering avoiding popular destinations and opting for smaller towns and state parks will allow you to experience fall in New England without stifling crowds.
- Take a Hike – There’s hardly a better way to take in those beautiful fall sites and smells than on a hike through the woods. Baxter State Park, Camden and the Bold Coast near Cutler, all in Maine, are among some of the best areas for hiking in the fall.
- Travel During the Week – Fall weekends are extremely busy in New England as hordes of tourists descend on the region, so planning a midweek trip will help you save money and avoid some of the autumn crowds. If you can’t make a midweek trip work, consider arriving on a Thursday to dodge the congested roads around popular destinations leading up to the weekend.
- Consider Flexible Travel Dates – Sometimes shifting your travel date by even one day can have a drastic effect on hotel and flight prices. August 22nd is the date flights start dropping.
- Seek out Fall Festivals – Like the National Apple Harvest Fest outside Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. These are a great way to enjoy the local area, food, fall weather, and arts and crafts. Oktoberfests are also a lot of fun.
- Pack A Scarf – Great for warmth, sun protection, a makeshift towel, carrying stuff around, an eye mask, and much more (including fashion!).
