My latest post, fall foliage trip ideas for extroverts, is chock full of travel ideas, tips, and fun ways to say yes to fall. Autumn ushers in leaf-peeping season. It’s time to look up and delight in the colorful fall leaves. Fall is about crisp days and plenty of excuses to get outside and appreciate nature.
Extroverts, are you wondering where the best places are to leaf-peep? Relax and read on, as I’ve outlined a few extrovert trip tips that I believe fit your travel personality. If your personality is people and action-oriented, plus you love to socialize and make new friends and aren’t afraid to approach another enthusiastic leaf-peeper, read on. I’ve gathered a few places — a buzzy New England town, fabulous fall festivals, and iconic drives. Of course, they all align with YOUR unique extrovert travel personality traits.
If you prefer quiet moments and more reflective autumn escapes, check out my post for Introverts.
Fall Foliage Trip Ideas for Extrovert Travelers
Fall is an ideal time for extrovert travelers to get active and energized by a variety of fall experiences. Extroverts who are ready to meet the world head-on, take action, and mingle wherever they go will welcome the season. Please note: Not all extroverts like to be on the go 24/7. Like introverts, some extroverts need downtime.
No matter the destination, fall is a season to be celebrated. Why not book a buzzy fall favorite like Rhode Island, which shines this time of year with spectacular fall foliage displays? The Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival is a celebrated event. This year renowned chef, cookbook author, and writer Justin Chapple is headlining the event. West Coast fall lovers will want to drive one of the most iconic road trips; Highway 395. I’ve mapped a leaf-looking tour on California’s Highway 395.
New England and Beyond
Starting mid-September through mid-October, fall leaves are at their peak in New England. Like most things in nature, Mother Nature has a plan. Translation, the higher elevations of the country proudly display rich reds, deep yellows, and bright orange leaves starting in mid-September. The lower elevations show closer to mid-October, while fall lingers a bit longer on the West Coast, sometimes well into December.
New England is a renowned fall foliage getaway. It’s the world’s top pick, and if you’re an extrovert, it’s the place to be this time of year. You’ll be chatting it up with folks from around the country. Tip, if you want to enjoy New England in all of its fall splendor, plan on a mid-to-late September visit otherwise, you’ll miss it.
Solo Travelers Fall Foliage Trip Idea: Book a Tauck Tour
If you’re interested in a fall foliage tour, Tauck Tours is a top pick. Tauck Tours has been around since 1925 and is one of the oldest in the U.S. Their group tours are ideal for extroverted solo travelers. There are plenty of options. Discover the wilderness of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Or climb aboard a Maine lobsterman’s boat and savor a fresh-caught Maine lobster. Love clams? Maybe a clam back is more to your liking. Each journey is set against a kaleidoscope of fall colors, no matter which trip you choose.
Trip Ideas Couples: East & West Coast Trips
West Coast
Couples seeking romance and a unique fall-foliage getaway will find it in California. Drive scenic Highway 395 through the majestic Mojave Desert into the magical, remote area of the Eastern Sierras. Couples can appreciate hand-holding walks around June Lake. And those who need a longer respite may want to consider the annual June Lake Autumn Beer Festival.
East Coast
Two of the most coveted “Virginia” products, wine and oysters, are found at the Stratford Hall Wine & Oyster Festival. Oysters, anyway you like’em are served in a variety of styles, along with other delicious seafood dishes. In addition to tasting Tidewater and Chesapeake Bay oysters, watermen will teach you everything you need to know about shellfish, with live shucking demonstrations, and cooking classes. You’ll also learn more about the environmental impact oysters have on Virginia’s waterways. Couples can dance to live music, stroll on over to the Mustang car show, or sip beverages from Virginia distilleries while shopping for locally made arts and crafts.
Fall Foliage Trip Ideas for Families: Great Smokey Mountains and Beyond
The Great Smoky Mountains offers hundreds of native tree species with elevations ranging between 875 and 6,643 feet. Families can feast their eyes on the dazzling colors of fall from September to mid-November. Car lookers can access the beauty of the area using a variety of roads:
- Newfound Gap Road,
- Heintooga Ridge Road,
- Foothills Parkway West and East,
- Rich Mountain Road out of Cades Cove.
Waterfalls
Looking for gorgeous waterfalls? You’ll find them at Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. The trails provide six miles of jaw-dropping views of scenic mountain vistas, peaceful streams, plus mills from yesteryear. A great time to teach your children about Mother Nature and lessons on leaving a place better than you found it. Very important.
Walking
Need to stretch your legs and get the kids out of the car? Take a walk, and savor Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, which begins at the Noah “Bud” Ogle farmstead. Take a walking tour of the historic buildings, and don’t forget to pick up a tour map.
Walk the trailhead for Rainbow Falls just beyond the farmstead. It’s a moderate hike to a beautiful waterfall less than three miles one way or a 5.4-mile roundtrip. The hike is worth the climb because the reward is an 80-foot-high waterfall, which is the tallest single-drop waterfall in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Tip: Bring a picnic and enjoy lunch admiring this magnificent waterfall.
Park the Car and Visit Area’s Attractions: My Top Picks
- Nantahala Outdoor Center is a privately owned outdoor recreation area located in several states across the Southeastern United States. It’s a place to enjoy rafting tours on the river, which flows on the northern border of the Great Smoky Mountains. The outfitters provide family tours for children three and up. National Geographic gave it a nod. Need I say more?
- The Gatlinburg Mountain Coaster is a fun way to see the leaves while roaring down a mountainside.
- The Space Needle in Gatlinburg offers families 360-degree views, dripping in fall colors. The Gatlinburg Space Needle stands 407 feet tall, giving visitors the feeling of standing on top of the world.
- The Gatlinburg Mountain Coaster is a fun way to see the leaves while roaring down a mountainside.
- At Anakeesta Theme Park, take a walk under the tree canopy on suspended bridges, or choose to zip line. Adults and children alike can play at the children’s treehouse village. And don’t miss the pumpkin lattes.
- Hillbilly Golf – what’s a vacation without a round of putt-putt golf? Try the area’s top-rated, 18-hole miniature course.
Fall Foliage Trip Ideas for Extroverts
I hope you find this blog post useful. It’s always my intention to create itineraries to meet and exceed your travel personality traits. Let me know if you do happen to visit any of the places mentioned. And of course, I would love to learn if you used any of these fall foliage vacation ideas.
Feel free to contact me if you want to share your photos. I would bring a smile to my face. And with your permission, I’d share your photos on Instagram and Pinterest.
Stay Tuned — There’s More
I’ve written Unpack Your Personality©️ as a guide to planning joy-filled getaways on the road to your true self. It’s intentional travel to not only satisfy your physical desires but awaken the spiritual mind, the true essence of who you really are. The contents within are thought-provoking and soul-shifting, helping you rethink yourself.
I look forward to building a community of type seekers. Individuals who are interested in self-development. Those who desire to unite the rational mind with the spiritual mind to fully access their highest potential. The idea is to become a positive force in the world. And I’m up for whatever it takes to make this happen. My wish is to create a pathway that enables you to flow into your individual journey to yourself. 🙏 😇
Be the First
Do you want to be one of the first travelers to find out what your spiritual travel personality type is all about? Then click here to sign up for new blog posts on the topic, classes, and my soon-to-be-published book Unpack Your Personality.
You can also find me on: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest
#TravelHappier!
Happy Leaf Peeping Season!
Photo Credit: Randy Blum Photography
