Clear blue skies, crisp weather, and colorful fall foliage make October an ideal month to visit USA. With landscapes turning beautifully varicolored and summer crowds having thinned out, October prepares the ground for you to enjoy nature at your own pace. Moreover, the autumnal charm of typical fall activities is quite irresistible, be it apple/ pumpkin picking and hayrides or scenic hikes and long drives for leaf- peeping. Planning a US trip in October also means perks of traveling in the shoulder season – affordable flight tickets, hotel rooms, and what have you. So, what’s the wait for? Pack your bags and leave for the US. Here we have listed some of the best places to visit in October in USA for an epic fall vacation.
Asheville, North Carolina:
A typical southern fall getaway, the mountain town of Asheville puts up a breathtaking display of autumn colors. Driving the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway that cuts right through Asheville is the best way to enjoy the fall foliage. Pull over at vantage points for gorgeous clicks and hike to beautiful waterfalls. Get lost in a world of multi-hues and find yourself amid pristine nature! Other unmissable fall activities in Asheville include tours of the one and only Biltmore Estate (the largest private home in the US), River Arts District, and numerous local breweries.
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Acadia National Park, Maine:
The dense foliage of Acadia National Park assumes vibrant shades of orange, red, yellow, and green between the first and third week of October, thus making it one of the best places to visit in October in USA. Along with classic autumn scenery, this US national park offers challenging hikes (like Beehive Loop and Precipice Trail) somehow made more pleasurable by the brisk weather and breathtaking sunrise views from the summit of Cadillac Mountain, the tallest peak on the North Atlantic seaboard. Get there early and be among the first ones to behold the beauty of the sun casually rising over the eastern horizon.
Also Read: 8 Unforgettable Fall Train Rides in the US
Napa Valley, California:
Napa Valley, the country’s most famous wine region, is every epicurean’s delight. Add beautiful fall scenery to your endless wine and food tasting tours and that just sums up a heavenly vacation in Napa in October. The rolling vineyards of Napa Valley take on vivid autumn colors, and the views are as intoxicating as the area’s best-known wines, if not more so. Napa is only one and half hour drive from San Francisco International Airport. While in Napa, cycle/ bike through its vine trail, experience grape harvest, feast on the delicious farm-to-table food at the Farmstead, and drink in the intoxicating views of the gorgeous valley from the floor-to-ceiling windows of Artesa Wines’ hilltop tasting room.
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado:
What makes an experience of fall colors at Rocky Mountain National Park special is the golden splendor of the iconic Aspen trees and their graceful response to the cool breezes. October visitors are also greeted by the elk groups that migrate here. Undoubtedly, this national park is one of the best places to visit in October in USA for all nature, photography, and wildlife enthusiasts. Some of the finest scenery of Rocky Mountain National Park trails alongside Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous paved road in the US. Driving this 48-mile alpine highway from Estes Park to Grand Lake is the perfect way to enjoy leaf-peeping at Rocky Mountain National Park.
Burlington, Vermont:
Fall foliage in New England is quite a spectacle! All of its six states make for the best places to visit in October in USA, but we suggest you visit Vermont’s Burlington this time. Avail Indian Eagle’s last-minute flight deals and fly to Vermont. This city overlooking Lake Champlain is known for its beautiful hillside neighborhoods and pedestrian-friendly downtown peppered with mom-and-pop stores, coffee shops, art galleries, boutiques, farm-to-table restaurants, and craft breweries. Hang out at the Church Street Marketplace during the day and as dusk falls on the city, get to Lake Champlain for a scenic sunset cruise along the glittering lake.