Fall foliage weekends peak in October. Check out excellent viewing destinations and lodging for a day or weekend away. (Train photo by Tim Wilson)
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Perhaps the best thing about changing seasons is seeing the trees “catch fire” in vibrant reds, oranges and golds. Autumn is the perfect time for a Sunday drive or maybe even a weekend (or weekdays) adventure chasing fall color. With gas prices still elevated, we’ve researched one-tank trips to view the changing leaves. We’ve added local VRBO lodging rentals so you can relax when you’re there. Plan now to collect memories and Instagram photos before the VRBOs book during the peak season.
VRBOs are a smart lodging option. You’ll find apartments for as few as two people or houses big enough for groups more than 10. When you’re looking for lodging, be sure to review number of bedrooms and sleeping spaces, as well as location, parking, amenities and additional fees. You may want to watch for restrictions such as “no dogs” or “no parties” and requests such as “two-night stays” or “no shoes in the house.”
We used Google maps to measure the distance from downtown Cleveland to the fall color destination. Distances and drive times vary based on starting point and route.
A diverse collection of trees results in a broad pallet of fall color near Lake Hope in Ohio's Hocking Hills region. (Courtesy of Explore Hocking Hills)
About three hours from Cleveland, the Hocking Hills area in southeastern Ohio has more than 10,000 acres of unbroken forest. A mix of colors -- red Maples, orange Sassafras, yellow Hickory, and brown Oak – pop against green Hemlock and Pines. Hikes through the glacier-carved rock formations are popular year-round, but dazzling fall colors make autumn a special season. Check out Whispering Cave, Rock Bridge, Old Man’s Cave, Ash Cave, Conkle’s Hollow, Cedar Falls, or any of the region’s many hiking trails.
Then, take to the air with Hocking Hills Scenic Air Tours and skilled pilot, Harry Sowers. You’ll see the area’s dazzling autumn vistas from 5,000 feet while listening to Sowers share great stories, goofball jokes and celebrity imitations for an experience that’s as entertaining as it is instagrammable.
Hocking Hills has awesome and unusual lodging options. Most are perfect for romantic getaways.
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Fishing for steelhead trout is one of many activities to enjoy during fall foliage season. (Courtesy of Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau)
Leaf-peeping is a much-anticipated fall tradition in Western New York. Locals and visitors to the Chautauqua-Lake Erie Region plan for peak season in early- to mid-October. But that, of course, depends on Mother Nature. The early fall season has much to offer with nature’s color and an abundance of activities.
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Color surrounds the Slopeside Hotel at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. (Photo by Seven Springs Mountain Resort)
Seven Springs in Somerset County, Penn., is a self-contained ski resort in the winter and offers a variety of on-mountain events in other seasons. In October, the resort dedicates itself to fall foliage. During the peak of color, Autumnfest -- Oct. 8-9, 15-16 and 22-23 -- keeps the area busy. The slopes echo with live musical entertainment. Visitors are entertained by novelty performers, chairlift rides of the fiery colors of autumn and an art festival. Fall color is varied and vivid because of the diversity of trees found in the forests.
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Riding the chairlifts at Holiday Valley is one way to get close to leaf color. Stay overnight on the slopes as well. (Courtesy of Holiday Valley)
Ellicottville, N.Y., is a charming small village in western New York and home to Holiday Valley Resort, a golf and ski paradise and a great place to experience fall foliage from different vantage points. Both the town and the resort celebrate the season. For a fee, two chairlifts on the slopes will take guests through the colorful trees on weekends through Oct. 30. Visitors can climb through the trees on ropes courses in Sky High Adventure Park. These courses, including ziplines, are available for different skill levels. Or guests can take a scenic ride on the mountain coaster.
Fall festival in Ellicottville is Oct. 8 and 9. It includes an art/craft festival, music, street vendors and more in the village. The resort will participate with food vendors and music. The destination is great for a friends trip or a romantic couples getaway.
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Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater and Ohiopyle State Park in Laurel Highlands are stunning in fall. (Photo by Alex Byers)
Laurel Highlands may be best known as the location of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural masterpiece Fallingwater, as well as the excitement of whitewater rafting through Ohiopyle State Park. If these destinations are compelling in summer, their settings make them more inspiring when the leaves change color. If you choose these destinations, early tour reservations are recommended.
Also consider the Great Allegheny Passage, 150 miles of spectacularly scenic, non-motorized trail through the Laurel Highlands. Bikers and hikers appreciate amazing views of fall foliage, rock outcroppings, river gorges and bridges. Trailheads are in Meyersdale, Rockwood, Confluence, Ohiopyle, Connellsville and West Newton.
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Fall foliage frames waterfall in Letchworth State Park, NY. (Photo by Keith Walters Photography)
If you haven’t heard of Letchworth State Park, know that this scenic “Grand Canyon of the East” is worth the drive from Northeast Ohio. The 17-mile park lies along the Genesee River, which roars through the gorge over three major waterfalls. The highest and most magnificent falls drop 107 feet and are framed by lush forests that blaze with fall color. (Compare that to nearby Niagara Falls, which drops 167 feet).
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See fall foliage by rail ... rail bike and train. (Rail bike photo mdmountainside.com, train photo by Tim Wilson)
Roughly four hours driving distance from Northeast Ohio, Maryland’s fall colors are closer than you think. View the colors as you ride a “rail bike” along the Western Maryland Railway with Tracks and Yaks. Or take a 3½-hour round trip with Western Maryland Scenic Railroad and wonder at the scenery outside your window.
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When harvest is over, the vineyards join the color explosion in the Finger Lakes fall scenery. (Courtesy of Darren McGee/Finger Lakes Alliance)
New York’s Finger Lakes region is known for its eleven long, narrow “finger” lakes. A significant grape-growing area, the region starts about three hours from Northeast Ohio in central New York. It’s a popular destination for weekend winery hopping as well as visiting breweries, distilleries and meaderies. The region is full of fall color viewing with the most interesting surrounding area waterfalls including at Taughannock State Park, Buttermilk Falls State Park and Watkins Glen State Park.
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I am a commerce writer for cleveland.com. I help readers find the best deals on life’s necessities and indulgences. You can reach me at pwolfe@cleveland.com. Here’s a directory of my posts.
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