Ready for a Fall Road Trip? Where Should You Go

Did summer go by too fast? Are you tired of being cooped up and want to enjoy a fall road trip? Head out to some of the most scenic places.

You can see more than colorful leaves that have turned to reds and oranges when you make some of the most scenic drives in the country. The roads that have been built carve up the landscape, but don’t ruin it for you, making it easy for you to enjoy the views you’ll see from the road.

Seven Great Fall Road Trip Destinations

Go See the Early-Season Powder

Colorado is known for skiing in the winter, but you can enjoy an early season ski trip and a scenic ride through mountains covered with early-season powder when you head to Wolf Creek. Start at Ouray, CO, and enjoy the 155-mile drive to this ski destination. You’ll see the gorgeous mountains with snow on the ground, making it look like an early winter has arrived.

A Unique Fall Road Trip; For Only This Time of Year

Make the Drive from Gauley River, WV to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park in North Carolina which is a route that takes you on a 280-mile drive. Along this route, you can stop and enjoy the Upper Gauley River with the Class IV and V rapids on the big water. After the water, move south to catch the Hound Ears which is a legendary bouldering competition outside Boone, NC. Several waterfalls and hiking trails await you in both locations to give you the experience you want to enjoy.

Best Fall Road Trip for Foodies

The journey from Freedom, ME to New Haven, CT will bring you along some of the most historic towns in New England, but it’s even more important to foodies. Along this 500-mile route, you can stop at many of the most amazing places to eat and enjoy a great meal. Whether you stop in at Treehouse Brewing in Charlton, A or you enjoy the Wellfleet Oyster Fest in Cape Cod, you’re going to be offered food that you never get to enjoy at home. Bring your appetite and your comfortable pants on this road trip.

Kiss Daylight Savings Goodbye

Visit Utah’s Dark Sky Parks along a 366-mile route and take advantage of the fact that you have less daylight than you had before. The skies are open to you and unspoiled by light pollution that you often find in and around cities. There are nine International Dark Sky Parks in Utah, more than any other state, and you can make the drive and pitch a tent in all of them. You’re sure to be greeted with a glorious view of the heavens above that you never get to see from home.

Surfing in the Midwest

Is surfing on your bucket list of things to do? You can actually take a fall road trip to a couple of different areas in the Midwest and have a great time surfing. Travel from Chicago to Sheboygan, WI, and get in the water after the 148-mile journey. Another route to take is from Minneapolis to Duluth, MN to travel 150 miles to enjoy some surfing. If you’re in the Midwest and miss the time you spend at the beach over the summer, your surfing time isn’t over when you visit one of these amazing locations along the Great Lakes.

Relive Your College Dreams with this Fall Road Trip

Make the drive from Smith Rock to Otter Rock in Oregon and make sure your college friend is with you for this 300-mile journey. You’ll be amazed by some of the parks, the climbing faces, and the off-road driving trails along the way. When you arrive at Otter Rock, you’ll find a beach break along the Oregon coast that can be where you want to surf and have some fun.

Escape Winter on the Right Road

If you want to visit a place during the fall and winter where the temperatures typically never go lower than 50 degrees, you’ll want to be in the Southwest. Specifically, take the 380-mile trek from Sedona, AZ to the Mojave National Preserve in California, and experience the pleasant temperatures, hiking trails, mountain biking paths, and natural landscape that can amaze you. Lake Mohave is the right pace for you to stop and clean off the dirt from your outdoor fun before you continue along to Black Canyon for more outdoor fun.