Fall Getways 2026: Spectacular leaves, festivals, and of course Halloween!
We love fall—the festivals, the foliage, the weather… all-out Halloween celebrations.
Whether you are an empty-nester seeking a kid-free getaway, grandparents who want some quality time with young grandchildren, or just looking for a new adventure or experience, there are plenty of fall options here and abroad that won’t bust your budget, whether you have a day or two or a week or more.
According to the latest Longwoods International tracking study of American travelers, 74% of them are planning a fall day trip or overnight trip in the coming months.
However, half of travelers (51%) who are planning fall trips cite financial constraints and travel costs as factors which may limit their travel plans this fall, while 32% point to economic uncertainty as a limiting factor. To cope with high gas prices for travel in the next six months, 40% of American travelers are choosing destinations closer to home, and 37% are reducing the number of trips they plan to take.
With the midterm elections in November, it’s a good time to stay closer to home, encouraging kids to understand issues that impact them and older kids to volunteer for local candidates.
Nearly half of fall travelers say that visiting friends and family is the primary purpose of their trip; More than a third indicate they want to enjoy cooler weather and fall scenery.
They also don’t seem deterred by long drives these days. More than a third of Americans are more willing to drive long distance than fly compared to two years ago, according to a survey from Upgraded Points. Travelers suggested they’d be willing to drive more than nine hours!
School schedules don’t seem to be an impediment to fall getaways. 67 per cent of parents of school age children report they have taken kids out of school for a family vacation and 24 per cent say they would consider it, according to a new survey from Omio, the multi-modal booking platform. Parents appear to prioritize family experiences over missed school days, especially if they can save money. Nearly half of parents report they would take kids out of school if they could save even less than $1000.
Parents also believe getaways can be opportunities for enrichment with 28 per cent suggesting that travel can be as educational as classroom time.
Of course, educators may not agree but remote learning options-and remote work—certainly can make such trips possible without the kids missing too much. Here are 10 of our favorite Fall Getaways.
EUROPE WITHOUT THE CROWDS ON A CROISIEUROPE RIVER CRUISE
CroisiEurope Cruises offers plenty of options whether you want to cruise from Paris to Normandy, cruise aboard a paddle wheel boat with a focus on Breton Culture, cruise the Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel, among the options. There are fall festival cruises that focus on French cuisine and Impressionism on the Seine. no traipsing from city to city lugging suitcases. These cruises are mostly all inclusive. Experts on board and the cuisine can help you take a deep dive into the regions you are visiting.
The family-owned CroisiEurope has been in business for 50 years, celebrating its half-century anniversary year in 2026. Besides the paddlewheel boat on the Seine, the MS Wayedelich, there is a grand musical cruise on the cruise in Bordeaux, Christmas and New Years Eve cruises and a redesigned itinerary in Southern Africa.
Book a trip now to experience the Christmas markets in Alsace and in Europe. For more than 400 years, the Strasbourg Christmas market has been welcoming many visitors every year. It has now become the largest in Europe, sail on the Elbe between Prague and Dresden; Cruise from Seville to Cadiz and see magnificent nativity scenes that make Spanish holiday celebrations. Check out the latest deals. Book by Sept. 30 for 2027 early booking deals.
LEAF PEEPING IS EARLIER IN THE WEST
Because of the extended drought, leaves have already started changing in the High Rockies. The Old Farmer’s Almanac has an interactive Fall Foliage Timeline. The Town of Breckenridge, CO are expecting leaves to reach their peak earlier, between Sept. 11-27 and you can track fall foliage with photo and video updates on BreckLeafBrief.com and @GoBreck social media twice a week through the peak of fall. New this year, the Town of Breckenridge is launching a free shuttle to Aspen Alley, the town’s most photographed leaf-peeping trail, to ease parking crunches at the trailhead. Rocky Mountain National Park experts suggest peak foliage will arrive between mid and late September, likely mid-September in Grand Lake at the West Side of the Park. Come to hear the Elk bugle during their mating season. Stayin Grand Lake for a more relaxed, less crowded experience than in Estes Park. Opt for Grand Lake Lodge with cabins built in the 1920s from Sears & Roebuck kits. Kayak, canoe, paddleboard, and tool around on a motorboat or pontoon on Grand Lake, Colorado’s largest and deepest natural lake.
You have plenty of leaf peeping options into October in New England, into late October in Shenandoah National Park, the Ozarks.
BEST FALL FESTIVALS
Celebrate apples and cranberries, Beer, hot air balloons and music, Pumpkins, and animals. Across the country, you will find plenty of festivals large and small to choose from. The biggest fall festival in the US is said to be the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival in Indiana that draws millions (Oct 9-18) and showcases the county’s 31 historic covered bridges.
All of these festivals include music and local eats. Many feature kids’ activities and artisan crafts.
Hot air balloon enthusiasts converge on Albuquerque, NM for the nine-day Albuquerque International Balloon Festival. (Oct 3-11)
One of the most unique might be the Trailing of the Sheep Festival in Ketchum, Idaho with its parade of 1500 sheep. (Oct 7-11)
Neptune Festival Boardwalk Weekend (Sept. 26-28 features the International Sand Sculpting Championship, Parade, concerts, and an outdoor Art & Craft Show. There is plenty for kids at Poseidon’s Playground.
The Ellicottville Fall Festival in Ellicottville, NY (Oct 11-12) during prime leaf peeping season features a 4-block arts and crafts show.
Muertos Fest in San Antonio (Oct. 25-26) brings together Latin American art and culture including two drum and puppet processions, dance and the city’s largest altar exhibit honoring lost loved ones.
FOOD FESTIVALS IN EVERY CORNER OF AMERICA
The Warrens Cranberry Festival (Sept 25-27) celebrates one of Wisconsin’s iconic products: the cranberry. For three days, the small village of Warrens buzzes with hundreds of exhibitors, cranberry-based treats, craft markets, and plenty of entertainment. Expect some 800 vendors, hundreds of flea market booths, more than 100 food booths, marsh walking tours and more.
The National Apple Harvest Festival (Oct. 3-4 and Oct 10-11) in Biglerville, PA is near Gettysburg. It includes hundreds of exhibitors, apple treats, music, crafts, and plenty of family activities. In the Midwest, Bayfield Apple Festival in Wisconsin draws people from all over the Midwest. Ever seen an apple peeling contest?
For autumn in Dallas, the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens put together displays with 100,000 pumpkins, gourds, and squash of every size. The popular Pumpkin Village
Running for over a century, the Circleville Pumpkin Show in Ohio (Oct. 21-24) is one of the oldest pumpkin festivals in the United States.
The Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival in northern Ca is among the most famous for its giant pumpkin weigh offs.
The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze in New York’s Hudson Valley features over 7,000 carved pumpkins with light shows, projections and sound. Some of the displays feature enormous characters and scenes. (weekends starting Sept. 18 until Nov. 8)
Sever’s Fall Festival in Shakopee, MN is considered the Midwest’s original fall festival complete with a huge corn maze, petting zoo, giant slide and more. (Sept. 14- Oct. 27)
OKTOBERFESTS EVERYWHERE
There are more than 150 local Oktoberfest celebrations hosted across the United States and Canada each year, according to Germanfoods.com. The historic event in Munich, Germany runs from September 19 through October 4, 2026, local American versions take place in almost every state from mid-September through October. My Wanderlusty Life lists the Best Oktoberfests in All 50 states
The largest Octoberfest in the US is Oktoberfest Zinzinnati in Cincinnati (Sept. 17-20) showcasing German heritage. Don’t miss the Running of the Weiners all dressed like hotdogs. l
The Zeeco Oktobertfest in Tulsa, OK (Oct. 22-25) is often voted number one in USA’s Today’s 10Best Rankings.
The Leavenworth, WA boasts a replica Bavarian village for its Oktoberfest (Weekends Oct 2-3, 9-10 and 16-17) Three stages will provide non-stop music, there will be a 15,000-square-foot Kinderplatz kids’ area with a Ferris wheel and carousel.
Helen Oktoberfest in Helen, GA (September 10 to November 1) is one of the country’s longest running.
Denver, CO draws craft beer lovers and features thousands of different American brews to the Great American Beer Festival.
MUSIC ALL OVER AND THEN SOME
Making Time (sept 18-20 Philadelphia focuses on electronic music and takes place at the historic Revolutionary War site Fort Mifflin.
Oceans Calling Festival (Sept. 25-27) is a massive seaside music festival in Ocean City, MD.
Austin City Limits in the heart of Zilker Park balances concerts by internationally known musicians with local food and food trucks. (Oct 2-4 and Oct. 9-11) The (free) Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Music Festival in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park features bluegrass, folk, country rock and more (Oct. 2-4).
SAN DIEGO FOR KIDS FREE DEALS
October brings the return of the 145h Annual Kids Free San Diego. Take advantage of the deals, free admission and added perks offered by San Diego hotels, restaurants, attractions, tours, and transportation companies to kids 12 and under.
At the famous San Diego Zoo, for example, kids 11 and under get free admission, even to seasonal events like the fun lightshows and dance parties at HalGLOWeen. See the panda pair, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, at SeaWorld San Diego. Strap into the Emperor, a tall, fast dive coaster. In addition to kid-friendly rides like Tentacle Twirl and Aqua Scout, catch SeaWorld’s marine life exhibits and animal show.
Take your pick of 18 major museums in Balboa Park with 1200 acres that locals say is San Diego’s backyard with gardens, hiking trails, a miniature train, The entrance to the San Diego Zoo is here. The Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park boasts Kid City for the youngest museum goers and more than 100 interactive science exhibits. Families also love the San Diego Model Railroad Museum and the San Diego Natural History Museum with exhibits on everything from insects to dinosaurs to geology.
As the public outreach center for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Birch Aquarium will bring you onto the world of marine research through interactive exhibits and the chance to get face to face with amazing sea creatures.
LOT’S NEW IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL CITY
Fall is a great time to visit the nation’s capital—especially this year. It’s the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s 10th anniversary. The nation’s largest and most comprehensive cultural destination devoted to the African American story marks its first decade with a packed weekend of activities from Sept. 24-27. After four years of construction, the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden will reopen Oct. 31 as the easiest-to-access American space for the presentation of outdoor sculpture. On Nov. 11, the National Air and Space Museum will complete a renovation that began in 2018, with 20 galleries reimagined for immersive learning. The Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial, honoring those who served in the 1990-91 Gulf War, will be dedicated on Oct. 24, The newly reopened National Geographic Museum of Exploration features an immersive view of wildlife and visitors can now explore what’s under the Lincoln Memorial, where images of historic events are projected onto the foundation.
HALLOWEEN SPECIAL EVENTS WORTH THE TRIP
Hope you have your costume ready! Halloween events start in September these days whether you want to hit a Halloween-themed festival, mega-theme park event, visit a haunted house or stay in a “haunted” hotel. RV Trader has compiled a list of the spookiest highway exits with locations in the Midwest and East and West Coasts.
All October, Salem, Massachusetts, a.k.a. Witch City, celebrates its haunted happenings with costume parties, magic shows, movie nights, ghost tours and a Zombie Walk Oct. 5 for all ages.
Over in Boston, guests can book the Salem in a Day from Boston: The Legacy of Witches tour. Learn about the history of the Salem Witch Trials, as well as numerous pop culture moments and movies set in Salem.
Every Saturday night throughout October, the Royal Gorge Route Railroad transforms into the ultimate family-friendly Halloween celebration. Guests are encouraged to wear their best costumes for a chance to win prizes before boarding an unforgettable evening ride through Colorado’s most spectacular canyon.
Jellystone Park Camp-Resort locations across the U.S. and Canada have scores of fall and pre-Halloween themed activities taking place—everything from crafts to scarecrow dress up and witches’ broom relay races. Several locations will offer haunted trails or haunted houses in addition to trick-or-treating, costume contests, and campsite decorating.
And in Buena Park, CA, home to Knott’s Berry Farm, Halloween takes over with celebrations, dinner shows, haunted houses, and the three-day Silverado Days festival Oct. 16-18. There’s even a witch-themed restaurant, The Cauldron Spirits & Brews, complete with spooky décor.
Knott’s Scary Farm, Southern California’s largest and longest-running Halloween event, returns with 10 haunting mazes, 5 sinister scare zones, 3 chilling shows, and thrill rides for those ready for a fright-filled night. Family-Friendly Halloween Fun
For younger visitors, Knott’s Spooky Farm returns to Knott’s Berry Farm on select dates from September 24 through October 31. The daytime Halloween celebration transforms the park with kid-friendly trick-or-treating.
SLEEPY HOLLOW COUNTRY BACK TO LIFE EACH FALL
We still review the photos from “Blaze,” the pumpkin extravaganza we experienced at Van Cortlandt Manor. Artists sculpt, paint, position and fasten more than 6,000 gourds and Styrofoam facsimiles into remarkable tableaus. We saw Miro and Banksy works in a fanciful Museum of Modern Art Gallery, and a life-size Statue of Liberty!
The Great Jack-o-Lantern Blaze is back most nights Sept 18-Nov. 8 with 7,000+ pumpkins and plenty of photo ops. (For #America250 buffs: Owner Pierre Van Cortlandt was a leader in New York’s revolutionary government, supplied flour to General Washington’s troops during the Revolutionary War.) This season, try the new Headless Horseman’s Hideaway. Packaged with tickets to the enormous outdoor carnival that is “Blaze,” this is a heavily themed indoor bar for a drink (21+), beverage, snacks, and ghost sightings. You can cobble together a meal, shop for souvenirs and enjoy terror all night.
If you read “Legends of Sleepy Hollow” before your visit, the tour of author Washington Irving’s estate, Sunnyside, will be more engaging for all ages. Stick around long enough to watch the video recounting the famous legend of Ichabod Crane, take selfies in the spooky garden displays and enjoy the grounds for a rich, half-day outing. Several tour departures take place Friday through Sunday in September and almost daily in October. Literature fans will enjoy Evenings with Poe done by storytellers and actors at the local library who brings his tales to life.
Select nights between Oct. 2-31, entertain the budding magicians in the house with “Spirits of Sleepy Hollow Country,” an evening of sleight of hand from Mark Clearview & Nick Wallace. Read more about Historic Hudson Valley, including Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, Irvington, and Croton-on-Hudson here.
THEME PARK AND HAUNTED HOUSE FRIGHTS
There are Halloween doings at major theme parks, including Disneyland and Disney World which also host several fall events. Howl-O-Scream is at both Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Williamsburg, Virginia parks. Halloween Horror Nights, one of the scariest events we know, takes over Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood. Art the Clown takes over Terror Tram, Slash composes music for an original house and Freaky Nikki obsesses over Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood. Evil Dead Burn, New Line Cinema’s latest film in the iconic Evil Dead franchise is the newest Halloween Horror Nights haunted house. The screams began on September 3.
This Halloween season, the dark forces of the Diablo universe come to life at Cedar Point and Kings Dominion with the debut of DIABLO: The Infernal Path, an all-new haunted maze inspired by the iconic video game franchise. As guests navigate the maze’s corrupted pathways, they will encounter some of the franchise’s most infamous demons.
Base your family at the scenic Coeur d’Alene Resort. The nearby Silverwood theme park features Scarywood, the seasonal makeover for ages 12+ which has been voted one of “Halloween’s Scariest Thrills” by the Travel Channel. Stick around till mid-November when the resort’s annual lakefront “Journey to the North Pole” holiday lights event begins. Learn more about Idaho’s family Halloween events here.
Book The Stanley Hotel‘s night ghost tour – this historic hotel, which inspired Stephen King’s “The Shining,” is said to be at its most haunted in fall.
From California to Rome, City Experiences offers numerous spooky and fun-filled urban adventures. They’re perfect starters for Halloween travel across the globe. Out on the West Coast, book the Alcatraz Night Tour and break out of jail in San Francisco. In Rome, explore the Crypts, Bones & Catacombs: An Underground Tour of Rome for an unforgettably ghoulish night.
Currently in the us there are over 1200 professional haunted houses and 300 theme parks that operate horror themed exhibits or events.
THEME PARK HALLOWEEN FUN FOR YOUNGER KIDS
You don’t have to go far to celebrate Halloween with memorable special events that keep the focus on family and younger children.
Boo at the Zoo events, for example, occur all around the U.S., from the Denver Zoo to the San Diego Zoo. Check out the scheduled programs at the Philadelphia Zoo, San Antonio Zoo, Little Rock Zoo, Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, the Roger Williams Zoo in Providence, Rhode Island, and the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, among others. Search for a zoo or aquarium near you holding family Halloween events at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums website. Just like your local museums and theme parks, you may have to book reservations in advance.
Kid-friendly scares by day and grownup frights at night are part of the annual holiday fun at many theme parks. Fright Fest Halloween at the Six Flags amusement parks is just one example. From late September to early November, weekend days at most of their 27 parks are devoted to Kids Boo Fest, a “G-rated” adventure with costume parties, trick or treat trails and a Monster Mash dance party. It’s especially affordable for season passholders.
Younger kids will love the clever Brick or Treat trails at the LEGOLAND New York, LEGOLAND Florida and LEGOLAND California parks. In addition to costumed mascots and decorated rides, these parks show seasonal Lego films so grownups can rest their feet.
Weekends until the end of October, bring little ones to the SeaWorld Spooktacular in San Diego, San Antonio, or Orlando. Save the after-dark Howl-O-Scream (select dates at all parks; separate tickets required) for your teens.
Another family favorite is the Count’s Halloween Spooktacular at Sesame Place in Pennsylvania. There’s more California family fun at Knott’s Berry Farm, where Knott’s Scary Farm returns at night on select dates through October.
WELLNESS AND WINE IN NAPA VALLEY
Ready for a mud bath? This is special mud that is a combination of organic peat moss, volcanic ash, and geothermal mineral water. In Calistoga, California, just 75 miles from San Francisco, soaking in a mud bath, followed by lounging in a geothermal pool has drawn visitors for more than a century. And then you have your pick of 550 wineries in the 47-mile stretch of Napa Valley—55 right around tiny Calistoga. We found the kid- and dog- friendly Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs, the ideal getaway, whatever your age. The iconic 50-room resort has been a fixture here since 1952 when “Doc” John and Edy Wilkinson founded this wellness resort. Though the resort has been completely renovated, the design honors its past with a mid-century vibe. Guests are still welcomed with the same neon sign, and the Wilkinson home is now five guestrooms that sleep 15, some with bunks. A blue 1952 Buick, like Wilkinson drove, is still in the driveway. (Rates start at $256 a night. Check out special offers.) Wilkinson popularized mud bath treatments, today the cornerstone of the region’s spa scene. Today there are eight resorts and day spas that offer volcanic ash mud bath treatments, each a little different with a different recipe of mud.
SANTA FE WITH KIDS
Santa Fe, NM is a great adult getaway with its galleries and many restaurants. But there’s plenty for families including the Museum of International Folk Art and the Georgia O’Keefe Museum where kids get a booklet with questions to help them engage with the art. And of course there is Meow Wolf. This is an immersive experience like no other that has exploded in popularity since it opened here a decade ago. Today there are five open exhibits (Las Vegas, Denver, Grapevine, Texas, and Houston. Los Angeles is expected to open at the end of the year and NYC next year. The New Mexico Capital feature more than 600 works of art created by New Mexico Artists. Check out the multimedia buffalo head, one of the most famous.
The Four Seasons Rancho Encandado, with just 65 casita-style rooms on its 57-acre property north of Santa Fe. Let’s not forget The Game of Thrones. Author George R.R. Martin lives in Santa Fe and oversees a local cultural empire, including the themed Sky Railway Beastly Books, Milk of the Poppy, a medieval apothecary-themed cocktail bar, and the Jean Cocteau Cinema all in the Railyard District. A highlight was our visit to Kakawa Chocolate House (the name means cacao or chocolate). They produce authentic drinking chocolate elixirs that date back to ancient times dating back to 1000 BC to the mid-1900s, ice cream and all varieties of chocolate, some infused with chili.
TRAVELING THE MOTHER ROAD
This year, the “Mother Road” celebrates its centennial with great fanfare. (November 4, in case you are wondering, is the exact anniversary of when the road officially opened). The 2,448-mile highway ran from Chicago to Santa Monica, California, crossing eight states. Tulsa will host a statewide Route 66 Centennial Celebration presented by Cherokee Nation Businesses in the Tulsa Arts District on Nov. 11, 2026, There are many unique places to stay if you are driving a stretch:
Blue Swallow Motel, Tucumcari, NM The gold standard of vintage Route 66, known for its glowing neon and lovingly restored mid-century rooms.
Wagon Wheel Motel, Cuba MO Operating since 1938, this stone-front classic offers beautifully updated retro rooms.
Wigwam Motel (Holbrook, Arizona & San Bernardino, California): Sleep in a distinct concrete-and-steel teepee village first built in the 1930s and ’50s.
Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven, Springfield, MO A 1938 roadside motor court with retro flair and Elvis Presley themed suites.
El Rancho Hotel, Gallup, NM Once used as a base camp for Hollywood western stars.
The Inn at Five Graces, Santa Fe on the oldest street in America, now offers a tour of the last stretch of the original unpaved Route 66.
Hotel Monte Vista, Flagstaff, AZ An historic downtown favorite steeped in local lore, ghost stories, and vintage charm.
Some ads or images within this seasonal travel guide have been brought to you by our duly-credited sponsors. All other content and opinions are based upon the authors’ actual travel experience and knowledge.