Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
From the top of Grandfather Mountain, the Blue Ridge Mountains seem to roll on and on into the horizon. One of the tallest mountains in North Carolina, the peak is a favorite place to see the Blue Ridge Mountains ablaze with color in the fall. This stop, along with several other overlooks and attractions, lies just off the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is America’s longest linear park. It runs for 469 miles through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties and links the Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Groups flock to this route for the flashy autumn colors and numerous nearby attractions. Known for its biodiversity, the parkway lies in a temperate rain forest with more than 100 species of trees. Because of this diversity and an elevation that ranges from 600 feet to 6,000 feet, leaf peepers can view spectacular color not only during one peak foliage week but throughout October.
The road that leads to Altapass Orchard offers several overlooks with exceptional views. Once at the orchard, groups can embrace autumn activities with hayrides, music, apples and other fall treats. Another attraction, the North Carolina Arboretum, allows guests to walk through the woods and terraced gardens with views of the surrounding mountains. The arboretum offers several guided tours, including one with information on garden design, seasonal plants and the arboretum’s art collection.
Door County, Wisconsin
Lighthouses, rocky shorelines, sand dunes and picturesque small towns ensure that a trip to Door County, Wisconsin, will delight visitors year-round. However, in October, the autumn colors ignite the landscape with scarlet, gold, vermilion and russet leaves that line the streets and form canopies over country lanes.
In September and October, harvest festivals occur in Door County every weekend. Whether groups choose the Harvest Festival in Sturgeon Bay, the Fall Harvest Fest at Orchard Country Winery or the Townline Art Fair in Ephraim, they can enjoy tasty local food, handmade crafts, live music and plenty of pumpkins. Group travelers should also embrace their agricultural surroundings by picking some apples themselves at a nearby farm.
For a quieter experience, travelers can escape to one of the area’s five state parks, among them Newport State Park, the only designated wilderness park in Wisconsin. The 2,373-acre park stretches along 11 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline for unparalleled panoramas. Groups also seek out the uninterrupted views from atop the 75-foot-high Potawatomi State Park Observation Tower.
Visitors can hop aboard a scenic boat tour or the Door County Trolley Tour for more relaxing sightseeing excursions. Groups can also spend several days exploring the small towns, wineries and vistas featured on the Door County Circle Tour.
