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Fall In Love With Fall In These Great Travel Spots
Here's our roundup of places to visit when the leaves start to fall.
"Summer is almost over!" says the neighbour.
"It's a clear, beautiful hot summer day, but we won't have these temperatures for too long" says the local news channel meteorologist.
With about a month of summer left officially, depressed groans and murmurs have already started to go around. As the realization of no-more 30 degrees+ temperature dawns, last minute beach and water park trips are planned.
However, thou shall not be depressed, as following summer closely is a beautiful autumn season. Think of the breathtaking foliage, the red, the orange, the brown and the remaining green leaves. We list here some of the best places to visit this fall in North America.
CANADA
Canada is perhaps one of the most beautiful(if not the most beautiful) countries to be in during the fall season. The lush greenery across the vast land gradually transforms into a colourful natural palette of warm colors.
The Rocky Mountains (Alberta)
The lovely reds and predominant yellows of the foliage can be thoroughly enjoyed with relative solitude once the summer crowd has returned home. Banff and Waterton, just to name a few, provide a breathtakingly picturesque view of all the natural beauty that Alberta has to offer. And what better than giving your eyes the great pleasure of warm fall colors. Rock climbing, hiking and wilderness camping(as it is still relatively warm around October) are some of the activities you and your family can take pleasure in. Tip: The movie Brokeback Mountain was largely filmed in Alberta's Rockies, you might come across various locations from the film.
Fall Foliage Packages (VIA Rail)
Spectacular eight-night train journeys across the forests of Eastern Canada are offered in October. A glass top portion of the train ensures great viewing pleasure is provided to the patrons, as they travel through the changing foliage of the abundant beauty that is in Canada. With packages starting at $2,200, city stops include Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax. A smaller, less expensive package includes a four-night round trip through the Laurentian Plateau, Muskoka and Lake Superior Region. Hotel accomodations are included.
Bruce Peninsula, Niagara Parkway, Algonquin Park, and a trip to Prince Edward Island are some of the other locations to check out.
Nuit Blanche (Toronto/Montreal)
The term, literally meaning "white night", refers to a worldwide phenomenon where cities transform into a night-long contemporary art festivals. Presentations include everything from museums and art galleries, to performance arts and social themed activities. All access is free to the public. This year, Nuit Blanche in Toronto will take place on September 29th, sunset to sunrise. Gather your family and friends for a great cultural night out! Do not forget to keep a light jacket handy.
Oktoberfest
Kitchener-Waterloo's yearly Oktoberfest is the largest held in North America. Termed Canada's "Great Bavarian Festival" (Bavaria is a state in Germany), it is a nine day festival that showcases not only beer based celebrations, but also hosts various family friendly activities. It is known for its grand Thanksgiving parade that brings out around 150,000 people every year.
Okanagan (British Columbia) and Niagara wine festivals provide a great get-away for wine lovers during Fall.
UNITED STATES
Emerald Coast – Florida
Gone into serious beach withdrawal symptoms? Florida's magnificent Emerald Coast may just be your savior! Rated by National Geographic last year as one of the top fall destinations in the world, the 24 mile long coast features white sandy beaches, clear green water and great summer-like temperatures for the water enthusiasts. Vast stretches of golf courses are also present, along with excellent seafood restaurants. You can also enjoy or participate in yearly Fishing Rodeos that take place in October.
State Parks across US
Oak Mountain State Park in Alabama has an abundance of valleys covered with pine trees, and often has hiking trails entirely covered with beautiful fall foliage. Nestled in the valley are Peavine Falls, a great spot to enjoy a picnic in the relatively cool and crisp weather.
Love yellow? You will love the Ridge State Park in Colorado! Forget the reds and the oranges, view the glorious yellows, golds and blonde trees. The park also provides ample bird-watching opportunities, as various species such as Mountain Bluebirds, Eagles, and Chickadees have a home there.
Adirondack State Park, New York. This enormous six million acre park hosts trees of various kinds such as pine, maple and birch, that are lit up in a beautiful color palette of red, gold, orange and rust. Various animals have also made home in this forest including White Tailed Deers, Coyotes, Bald Eagles, Beavers and Bobcats, among many more. For the hikers, Mount Marcy and Algonquin Peak are the destinations, and do not forget your camera! Campgrounds, lodges et cetera for those seeking getaways are also available.
With so many state parks sprawled across the United States, it is hard to list all. For a list of the top few: http://usparks.about.com/od/usstateparks/ss/stateparks_fall.htm
State and County Fairs
October is filled with fun and family friendly fairs throughout the country. One such example is the Georgia National Fair, held mid-October, which hosts a myriad of family fun activities while celebrating Georgia's history and agriculture.
Food lovers would enjoy Taste Of Atlanta, an open air food festival held late October. The delicious festivities include all alcohol pleasures across more than fifty participating restaurants, cooking demonstrations with celebrity chefs, general entertainment and a lot more.
The Carolina Balloon Fest is sure to provide great entertainment for the entire family, with more than fifty hot air balloons, balloon glow, rides and competitions, and everyone's favourite, aviation shows. While children enjoy the arts and craft activities and entertainment geared towards them, adults can partake in the wine tasting festival.
With abundant picturesque scenery, and amazing festivals all across the continent, you may not even realize that summer is long gone. Have a nice fall everyone!
Source: discovertherockies.com, parks.state.co.us, visitadirondack.com, georgianationalaffair.com, carolinaballonfest.com, tasteofaltanta.com
Farah Khan
Author
Farah joined ANOKHI LIFE while finishing up her degree in English Literature and Writing at the University of Toronto. Her position since then has expanded across all departments, everything from office administration and corporate affairs, to ANOKHI's online presence and events. . .
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