Your guide to fall travel, from leaf peeping to cheap flights

Foliage and Home Depot giant skeletons are here. Don’t miss your window for a fall getaway.

By Natalie B. Compton

The annual cloud of pumpkin spice has enveloped us. Fall is in full swing. That means it’s the most aesthetically pleasing time of year to travel.

Along with milder weather, autumn brings opportunities for leaf peeping, persimmon picking and cheaper flights. And because it’s shoulder season — with fewer people vacationing than busier times of year — you can still find great last-minute trips in picturesque fall settings.

To help you with your trip planning, we rounded up our best fall travel tips, from where (and when) to see peak fall foliage to camping in cooler temperatures to avoiding the crowds.

Plan a leaf-peeping trip with this tool

If you’re getting in the mood for fall trips, the 2024 foliage prediction map is an excellent place to start.

Every year, the tourism site for the Smoky Mountains region releases an interactive tool to give leaf-peepers an idea of when peak fall occurs across the contiguous United States. With an easy swipe, you can get an estimate of when regions should have minimal colors, patchy changes, full-force foliage and past-peak conditions.

Find cheaper travel in the ‘shoulder season’

The cheapest time to travel is when most people aren’t. Fall is one such season. Unless you’re going to peak foliage destinations, many of the world’s loveliest places see fewer travelers around September, October and November. So where should you go? Here are nine ideas (or ten beaches) to consider.

Embrace the clichés

Pumpkin spice lattes. Apple picking that results in $100 worth of apples. Cable-knit sweaters in 80-degree weather. The road to autumnal bliss is littered with clichés. Don’t avoid them; life is hard enough as it is without trying to be cool all the time. Embrace the classics, and take a tried-and-true fall trip the Hallmark Channel would be proud of.

Travel like your favorite fall movies

Halloween thrillers and sweater-stacked romantic comedies: There are certain movies that just feel right to watch once fall arrives. To take your fall movie appreciation up a notch, you can visit the places where they take place, such as the “Hocus Pocus” house in Salem, Mass. These 12 ideas will get you started. Just remember: Be a respectful tourist, and don’t pop up on people’s porches.

Explore ‘dark tourism’

When the fall weather creeps in, so, too, does an urge to seek out ways to terrify ourselves. Some of the scary fall activities we partake in can be casual and festive, such as visiting a “haunted” corn maze. Others are more serious, dipping into the realm of what has become known as dark tourism. Visiting these sites can be different from other types of travel, requiring a different set of manners to keep in mind. Here’s how to navigate the etiquette — no matter how dark.

But above all, be a respectful visitor

Peak fall destinations, such as Salem, Mass., or Vermont, can be inundated with visitors and worst-case scenario, bad tourists. Pomfret, Vt., has taken measures to close the road to its iconic Sleepy Hollow Farm to stem the crowds. Wherever you go, it’s important to respect locals and their hometown.

Scare yourself with a night in a haunted house

Did you know you could book a haunted house on Airbnb? Reporter Natalie Compton did just that in 2020 when she stayed the night alone in an Upper Marlboro, Md., estate built in 1852. She entered as someone who didn’t believe in ghosts and left as someone very afraid of ghosts. If camping is more your thing, you can stay in the “Blair Witch” woods near Burkittsville, Md., like Natalie did to see whether they are just as scary off-screen.

Need more options? Don’t worry, the world is full of places to scare yourself on vacation. We interviewed experienced travelers to find out which corners of the globe creeped them out the most.

Prepare for cooler-weather camping

Speaking of camping: While outdoor adventures proved alluring in the spring and summer, as temperatures begin to drop, sleeping in the great outdoors can require different rules and gear. Use these expert tips on camping during the cooler months, and before you head out, here’s the best gear to stay warm, dry and happy, plus some unexpected items to pack. If you’re worried about finding a campsite, we’ve got you covered there, too.

Take a scenic train to see fall foliage

If you’d like to avoid fall foliage traffic, skip a road trip and take the train instead. Amtrak has short- and long-haul routes to appreciate slow travel, meditative landscapes and cozy quarters with a front-row seat to natural beauty. While some of the fall-only routes can sell out long in advance, you can shop around to see what’s still available or take quicker jaunts in beautiful places, such as New England.

Book your holiday flights now

Radio stations are nowhere near queuing up Christmas playlists, but it’s time to start thinking about booking holiday flights. Travelers who shop months early tend to have an advantage over those who wait — less competition. Don’t wait too long because, experts said, fall is the sweet spot. Here are their best tips.

More travel tips

Vacation planning: Start with a strategy to maximize days off by taking PTO around holidays. Experts recommend taking multiple short trips for peak happiness. Want to take an ambitious trip? Here are 12 destinations to try this year — without crowds.

Cheap flights: Follow our best advice for scoring low airfare, including setting flight price alerts and subscribing to deal newsletters. If you’re set on an expensive getaway, here’s a plan to save up without straining your credit limit.

Airport chaos: We’ve got advice for every scenario, from canceled flights to lost luggage. Stuck at the rental car counter? These tips can speed up the process. And following these 52 rules of flying should make the experience better for everyone.

Expert advice: Our By The Way Concierge solves readers’ dilemmas, including whether it’s okay to ditch a partner at security, or what happens if you get caught flying with weed. Submit your question here. Or you could look to the gurus: Lonely Planet and Rick Steves.