10 BEST Locations to Fly This Fall for Beautiful Foliage (Beneath $300 RT!)

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Crisp air. Cozy layers. Bushes placing on their finest present of the yr. There’s a cause fall journey seems like a secret season. And in the event you play your playing cards (and calendars) proper, it doesn’t need to price far more than a very good flannel.

Whereas most individuals suppose leaf season means hours within the automotive with a bag of gasoline station path combine, there’s a better transfer: fly straight into the colour. Much less driving. Much less visitors. Extra time climbing, sipping cider, and pretending you’re in a rom-com montage.

Beneath, you’ll discover the perfect locations to fly this fall for beautiful foliage, from mountain cities to lakeside gems, all with latest roundtrip flights beneath $300. These offers come and go quick, however with just a little flexibility (and a helpful alert or two), they’re completely doable.

• ✈️ Professional tip: Need fall foliage flight offers despatched straight to your inbox? Join Going. Their free service catches wonderful U.S. offers on routes like Chicago to Burlington and NYC to Portland – excellent for last-minute leaf chasing.

1. Burlington, Vermont

• ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $100–$290 roundtrip
• 🔄 High Airline Offers: JetBlue, American, United
• 🍁 Why Go: Crisp air, glowing bushes, cider all the things
• 🎯 Excellent For: Gradual weekends, flannel power, leaf-watching with out the leaf-peeper chaos

Burlington is one in every of my favourite fall spots in New England, and I’ve been to loads of them. It’s obtained all the things you need this time of yr: mountain views, native farms, walkable streets lined in pink and gold leaves, and that lakeside stillness that makes a weekend really feel twice as lengthy. 

The colour normally peaks within the first or second week of October. I attempt to go proper initially of that stretch when the bushes are simply beginning to flip, the air is cool sufficient for a jacket, and you’ll nonetheless seize a cider with out ready in line.

The flight offers look significantly good proper now. Going simply alerted me to a DC to Burlington fare for $189 roundtrip on American Airways (30% off the same old $270+), and related offers are popping up from Boston and NYC. Even throughout peak fall foliage season, when costs sometimes spike, these routes are staying surprisingly inexpensive.

👉 Professional Tip: Take the morning gondola up Stowe Mountain as a substitute of combating afternoon crowds. The early drive by means of the mountains is peaceable, and also you’ll have these well-known valley views nearly to your self. Heat up after with contemporary cider donuts at Chilly Hole. Belief me, they’re definitely worth the small detour!

2. Asheville, North Carolina

• ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $100–$250 roundtrip
• 🔄 High Airline Offers: American, Delta, United
• 🍁 Why Go: Misty mountain mornings, limitless Blue Ridge views, golden valleys
• 🎯 Excellent For:Craft beer lovers, mountain hikers, small-town romantics

In the event you’ve by no means completed fall within the South, Asheville is the place to start out. The bushes within the Blue Ridge flip each shade of pink, gold, and orange, and the mountains layer out in comfortable, misty folds like a portray. 

It’s peak colour with out the height stress. No enormous tour buses. No six-hour visitors jams. Simply simple trails, scenic drives, and a downtown that is aware of the best way to do brunch and beer proper.

Early-to-mid October is the candy spot, particularly in the event you head out on the Parkway within the morning. I normally keep simply outdoors town at The Incorrect Method River Lodge. They’ve obtained A-frame cabins tucked by the river, and you’ll bike straight into city once you’re prepared for espresso or a pint. 

👉 Professional Tip: Florida vacationers, take be aware. I simply noticed Miami-Asheville for $159 roundtrip on Going (48% off regular fares). Different Florida hubs like Tampa and Orlando usually see related offers for fast mountain escapes.

3. Denver, Colorado

• ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $140-280 roundtrip
• 🔄 High Airline Offers: United, Frontier, Southwest
• 🍁 Why Go: Golden aspens, Rocky Mountain drama, excellent climbing climate
• 🎯 Excellent For: Journey seekers, mountain photographers, out of doors beer backyard followers

Denver serves up a very completely different type of fall colour present. As an alternative of fiery pink maples, you get complete mountainsides turning shiny gold with aspens that shimmer when the wind strikes by means of. 

It’s just a little quieter than the Northeast leaf circuit, and actually, much more spacious. Denver’s a simple entry level: inexpensive flights, fast entry to the mountains, and a ton of nice day journeys in the event you’re not making an attempt to spend the entire weekend climbing.

In the event you fly in, I like to recommend renting a automotive and heading west towards Golden, Nederland, or Estes Park. You’ll begin seeing colour about half-hour out. Aspen colour peaks quick—particularly at elevation—so attempt to go by late September in the event you’re aiming for the brightest gold. I went round that point final yr with zero itinerary and nonetheless stumbled into among the finest fall views I’ve ever seen, simply from the roadside!

👉 Professional Tip: Skip the tourist-heavy Bear Lake space in Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park and head to the Wild Basin entrance as a substitute. The drive alone weaves by means of among the finest aspen groves, and also you’ll have these golden canopies nearly completely to your self.

4. Portland, Maine

• ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $80-300 roundtrip
• 🔄 High Airline Offers: Breeze, JetBlue, American
• 🍁 Why Go: Coastal air, forest trails, and lobster rolls with a facet of foliage
• 🎯 Excellent For: Individuals who need foliage and seafood in the identical day

Portland usually will get overshadowed by inland spots just like the White Mountains or Acadia, however don’t sleep on it…coastal Maine in October is magic. You get the coastal attraction (lighthouses, sea breezes, knit hats that really really feel essential) plus quick access to shiny, leaf-filled trails simply outdoors town. Early October is normally the perfect time to go for fall foliage in Maine. The leaves are turning, the air smells like pine and fireplaces, and the crowds have thinned out.

You don’t need to go far to seek out the colour. Wolfe’s Neck, Bradbury Mountain, even the drive out to Cape Elizabeth feels crisp and golden. In between, you’ve obtained espresso outlets, cider tastings, and sufficient chowder to make sporting flannel really feel like a way of life alternative.

The offers proper now are unreal. I couldn’t imagine my eyes after I noticed Charleston to Portland for $94 roundtrip right this moment on Going. That’s lower than what you’ll spend on dinner at one in every of Portland’s well-known seafood spots!

👉 Professional Tip: Hike up Mount Battie in Camden in the event you’ve obtained a automotive and some hours—it’s an hour north, however the view over the harbor with all these bushes beneath? Value it each single time!

5. Traverse Metropolis, Michigan

• ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $100-300 roundtrip
• 🔄 High Airline Offers: Delta, United, American
• 🍁 Why Go: Vivid lakeside colour, quiet backroads, small-town attraction with out the crowds
• 🎯 Excellent For: Hidden gem seekers, wine lovers, cozy cabin fans

Let me allow you to in on an area secret: Northern Michigan in fall is manner higher than most individuals anticipate. The bushes pop with shiny reds and oranges, the lake sparkles in that silvery autumn gentle, and each highway seems like the beginning of a very peaceable drive. 

Traverse Metropolis makes an amazing base. It’s obtained simply sufficient happening with out being busy, and also you’re near spots like Sleeping Bear Dunes, Glen Arbor, and the wine path out on Outdated Mission Peninsula.

The trick is getting there. Flights straight into Traverse Metropolis might be seasonal and refill quick. In the event you don’t guide early, you’ll possible be priced out. That’s why I like to recommend flying into Grand Rapids (a couple of 2.5-hour drive) or Detroit (nearer to 4 hours) and turning it right into a mini highway journey. The drive up the coast is gorgeous in October, and you’ll swing by means of locations like Charlevoix or Petoskey on the way in which.

👉 Professional Tip: I usually spot offers on Going to Detroit and Grand Rapids for beneath $150 roundtrip from main cities. You’ll save a whole bunch in comparison with flying direct to Traverse Metropolis, and the drive up M-22 is taken into account one in every of America’s finest fall colour routes anyway.

6. Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah

• ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $75-240 roundtrip
• 🔄 High Airline Offers: Delta, United, Southwest
• 🍁 Why Go: Fiery mountain canyons, crisp air, and trails 5 minutes from city
• 🎯 Excellent For: Off-beat adventurers, photographers, crowd-avoiders

Utah isn’t normally the primary place folks consider for fall foliage within the US, however Salt Lake delivers – massive time. You’ve obtained golden aspens, shiny pink maples, and burnt orange scrub oak layered into the mountains, all inside twenty minutes of downtown. The perfect time to go is late September by means of early October, particularly in the event you’re heading up into the canyons the place the elevation pushes the colour early.

I normally keep proper in Salt Lake, hire a automotive, and spend mornings exploring close by trails. Little Cottonwood and Millcreek Canyon are each unimaginable, however in order for you a quieter, show-stopping spot, Guardsman Cross is my favourite. The highway winds by means of glowing aspen groves and opens as much as enormous alpine views. You may pull over nearly wherever and it’s beautiful. In the event you’re not up for a hike, even simply driving it with espresso in hand is value it.

👉 Professional Tip: Flights to Salt Lake are persistently most cost-effective from Denver, LA, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. In the event you’re coming from a kind of hubs, you’ll normally discover roundtrip offers beneath $200. Join Going to get alerts when these fares drop.

7. Montreal, Quebec

• ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $240-300 roundtrip
• 🔄 High Airline Offers: Air Canada, American, Porter
• 🍁 Why Go: European attraction, mountain backdrops, maple all the things
• 🎯 Excellent For: Foliage chasers who additionally need wine and pastries

Need to really feel such as you’ve landed in France with out the transatlantic flight? Montreal in fall is pure magic – and proper now flights are surprisingly low-cost. I not too long ago noticed San Diego to Montreal for $296 roundtrip on Going (usually $510+). Consider me, that is the right time to find why Canadians are so pleased with their fall colours!

Early to mid-October is peak right here, and the foliage is unimaginable. Mount Royal Park is an apparent choose, with simple trails, metropolis views, and tons of colour. If you need one thing quieter, I all the time ship folks to Parc Lafontaine. It’s smaller, much less touristy, and in fall it turns into this excellent mixture of blazing bushes, peaceable strolling paths, and locals enjoyable with a guide and a espresso.

Between the French meals, European structure, and people good Canadian maples, it feels such as you’re getting three holidays in a single. Simply you’ll want to keep versatile with dates across the Canadian Thanksgiving vacation (October 13, 2025)!!

👉 Professional Tip: The perfect fall foliage views in Montreal are free! Take the #11 bus to Mont Royal Park’s Beaver Lake, then observe the winding trails as much as the Kondiaronk Belvedere lookout. Time it for sundown when town’s spires glow gold towards the mountain’s pink maples.

8. Spokane, Washington

• ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $100-250 roundtrip
• 🔄 High Airline Offers: Alaska, Southwest, Delta
• 🍁 Why Go: Alpine lakes, hidden valleys, wild river gorges
• 🎯 Excellent For: Nature photographers, out of doors soakers, waterfall chasers

Spokane is a kind of locations that individuals don’t take into consideration – till they go. In fall, the bushes flip shiny gold and fire-orange, the river stroll glows, and there’s a relaxed, native really feel to all the things. It’s not making an attempt to be a giant fall foliage vacation spot, and possibly that’s why it really works.

Late September to mid-October is the perfect time to catch it. I counsel staying downtown. Seize a rental bike and cruise the Centennial Path within the morning. You get bushes, water, bridges, parks, and quiet – like your personal little fall loop with built-in espresso stops!

If you need a hidden gem, go wander by means of Manito Park. It’s obtained Japanese maples, secret-feeling trails, and an ideal greenhouse that’s heat when it’s chilly and funky when it’s scorching.

👉 Professional Tip:  Take a detour to Inexperienced Bluff, about half-hour north of city. It’s a cluster of native farms with apple choosing, cider donuts, fall markets, and among the finest views of rolling farmland wearing full colour. I normally depart with extra jam and pie than I meant to… and nil regrets.

9. Boise, Idaho

• ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $150-300 roundtrip
• 🔄 High Airline Offers: Alaska, Southwest, United
• 🍁 Why Go: Desert meets mountains, wine nation shock, river trails
• 🎯 Excellent For: Off-radar explorers, wine lovers, surprise-and-delight seekers

I wasn’t anticipating to like Boise within the fall, nevertheless it completely gained me over. The autumn colour right here reveals up alongside rivers, in parks, and even proper downtown. Early to mid-October is the perfect time to go to for foliage. That’s when the cottonwoods begin turning gold, the mornings get crisp, and town slows down in a manner that makes it actually nice to discover.

I normally begin on the Boise River Greenbelt, a paved path that winds by means of glowing bushes and alongside the water. You may stroll or hire a motorbike and cease wherever seems to be good – there’s a lot. Hyde Park is a superb neighborhood for lunch or a espresso cease, and in order for you just a little elevation, Camel’s Again Park has brief hikes with broad views and full-on fall colour on the prime.

You gained’t get New England-level saturation right here. However the cottonwoods and aspens alongside the river trails and within the foothills pop superbly towards the excessive desert backdrop.

👉 Professional Tip: Flights to Boise are usually most cost-effective from West Coast cities like LA, Seattle, and San Diego. Join alerts from Going so that you’ll know when the costs drop – this route sees offers extra usually than you’d suppose.

10. The White Mountains, New Hampshire

• ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $100-300 roundtrip
• 🔄 High Airline Offers: United, JetBlue, American
• 🍁 Why Go: Excessive-elevation colour, dramatic overlooks, and the basic fall drive
• 🎯 Excellent For: Highway trippers, hikers, and anybody who desires to really feel like they’re inside a postcard

I’ve saved the perfect fall foliage vacation spot for final. The White Mountains placed on one of the crucial outrageous autumn reveals within the nation, full cease. It’s not simply the colour (which is unbelievable), it’s the dimensions. You’ve obtained complete valleys glowing, ridgelines lit up in gold and pink, and quiet cities that really feel like fall by no means ended.

Peak colour normally hits in early October, and the Kancamagus Freeway is the drive you need. It cuts straight by means of the mountains and round each bend there’s one other spot that makes you wish to pull over. 

I’ve seen Detroit to Boston flights for $161 roundtrip on Going. In truth, from most main cities within the US, you could find offers for beneath $250 roundtrip,which makes this complete journey far more doable than folks anticipate. From Boston, it’s a couple of 2.5-hour drive, and actually, the foliage begins earlier than you even depart the suburbs.

👉 Professional Tip: Skip the primary trailheads one morning and head to Artist’s Bluff close to Franconia Notch. It’s a brief, steep hike with top-of-the-line views within the Whites. Go early, carry a thermos, and thank your self once you’re sitting above a lake surrounded by orange bushes and mountain peaks.

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