Crisp air, leaves crunching underfoot and eye-popping colors make an autumn stroll soothing to the soul.
Groups will travel across the country to enjoy gorgeous autumnal colors, so destinations with plentiful foliage and activities suitable for groups make great fall tour destinations. Whether your group opts for Colorado’s golden aspens, Arkansas’ scarlet black gum trees or Vermont’s flaming yellow and orange maples, travelers will leave feeling bathed in beauty.
Stowe, Vermont
A 200-year-old village lined with quaint shops and restaurants comes to life each fall with festivals, an influx of travelers and showy fall leaf displays. Stowe, Vermont, lights up with striking yellow, orange and red hues because of its thick covering of maple trees.
The concentrated foliage colors and easy-to-find entertainment make Stowe one of the most popular fall destinations in New England. TripAdvisor also ranked the town the top fall foliage destination in the U.S.
Prime foliage season runs from mid-September through the end of October. Groups can find foliage with various scenic drives passing through the area’s rolling hills. The 10-mile route from Edson Hill Road to West Hill Road takes passenger through upland farms northwest of Stowe. Aging maples that arch over the roads turn the route into a kaleidoscope of colors that has been featured in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Trouble With Harry” and other films. When the maple trees end, groups can contemplate the view into the valley and across the Worcester Mountains.
Those looking for a slower route can cruise on the Fly Rod Shop’s Fall Foliage Boating Tour. The boat glides along the Waterbury Reservoir between two tree-covered mountain ranges.
Groups can add memorable stops during their quest for leaf color at the Trapp Family Kaffeehaus for fresh baked goodies, Ben and Jerry’s factory tours for delicious desserts and Cold Hollow Cider Mill for warm apple cider.
