Unique Fall Travel Activities

Napa Valley photo provided by Igougo.com

A rite of passage in the Fall is taking time to take in the orange, brown, and red hues. But, how many times have you actually taken a drive or a hike to embrace Fall foliage? For those of us who have been there and done that, IgoUgo® has pulled together a list of autumn activities that are beyond the usual. Don’t spend fall getaways in the car; check out the leaves while navigating a giant corn maze, or sipping wine at the vineyards in Napa Valley and beyond.

“Fall is a perfect time to enjoy the changing leaves, but leaf peeping isn’t the only way to experience the autumn glow,” Michelle Doucette, content manager at IgoUgo.com, says.  “There are a number of fall activities where the foliage can be enjoyed while experiencing something new.”

IgoUgo editors, with the help and recommendations of their members, have pulled together some unique and fun alternatives for welcoming the changing season:

Grape Harvesting: Fall is one of the best times to visit vineyards, as they are busy gathering the year’s crop of grapes. While the leaves are changing, wineries are harvesting and crushing grapes and blending the wines from the harvest. There’s usually a lot more to see than fermenting barrels; check local wineries to see if they have any special activities surrounding the grape harvest season - there might even be a chance to participate in the harvest itself. 

IgoUgo editors note that vineyards are taking root across the nation, and almost every one offers some sort of harvest festival. A favorite IgoUgo pick? The 25th Annual Napa Valley Harvest Festival, which occured in September - an IgoUgo member recently noted: “Wine country in general is absolutely a great place to visit, even if you don’t like wine all that much. Napa Valley’s autumn color was so beautiful we will be going back-and I’m from New England.”

Corn maze photo provided by Igougo.com

Corn Mazes: Corn is not just something for cookouts - this year there are corn mazes popping up in almost every state of the country, providing endless hours of fun for those not afraid to get a little lost! IgoUgo members recommend the Amazing Maize Maze in Huntersville, NC, which takes place from September through November.  “Every two years, thousands of people descend on Rural Hill Farms to get lost in a corn maze. One nice thing is you make new friends, as you will be certain to pass the same people over and over again who are as lost as you are.”

Hawk-Watching: While the birds are heading south for the season, look north to experience some of the most amazing hawk- and bird-watching. The fall is the best time to spot exquisite birds that are hard to find in other seasons. IgoUgo members recommend Lynchburg, Va., and the Appalachian Mountains: “If you come in fall, you can see the hawks as they make their way from north to south. Take a drive up or down the Blue Ridge Parkway, and pull off at many of the roadside areas to eye the terrific views.”

Igougo.com also recommends checking out the many spots along the Mississippi Flyway - one of the routes used by millions of birds to fly south for the winter. Horicon Marsh in central Wisconsin is one of the largest cattail marshes in the world, and a stopover for millions of migrating Canadian geese each fall.

Pumpkin Picking and More: There are “pick your own” farms across the country for all kinds of fruits of the harvest such as blueberries, blackberries, peaches and apples. IgoUgo members note that a trip to pick apples near Syracuse is “worth the drive to the country on a crisp fall day.” But it would not be Fall without at least one pumpkin-picking activity. IgoUgo editors suggest taking the activity to the next level and finding a festival.

The Pumpkinfest in Mishicot, Wis., “is a celebration of harvest with a parade, free petting zoo and hay maze, pumpkin-carving contest, hayrides and costume contest. The downtown area of Mishicot becomes a sidewalk bazaar with many local stores and craftsmen participating. The Fox Hills Resort hosted a bonfire just after sunset and we were given all the s’mores we could eat amid scary stories,” says one IgoUgo member.

Belated Fairs: Unlike summer’s often sweaty affairs, the straggling state fairs of autumn offer pleasant weather and a colorful backdrop to their even more colorful midways. Arizona’s state fair (October 10-November 2) embraces the season with kids’ harvest activities, while adults enjoy the dynamic show outdoors. As one IgoUgo member divulged, “Phoenix is a wonderful and unknown place to enjoy the changing of the seasons and the fall colors.”

What unique Fall activity have you discovered that might start a new ritual?