“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” – Abert Camus
“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.” – Lauren DeStefano
The call of Fall is upon us. Mother Nature’s way of signaling for all God’s creatures as a time for shedding, clearing out and harvesting for hibernation as she gently prepares Mother Earth for a deep winter sleep.
If you’re a Midwesterner, we may take for granted that a quick hop in an automobile allows for scenic fall drives to just about everywhere. Even smack dab in Beau Satchelles’ backyard, the City of Detroit’s Belle Island State Park lays claim to a wondrous display of colors while offering a peaceful city retreat to become one with nature. Michigan’s Upper Peninsula offers a landscape of foliage colors that can be incorporated into a 3 day weekend road trip. And any neighboring state of Michigan can very well toot their horn when it comes to competing for best in show in this season of turning of the leaves.
Spanning the U.S. for best in leaves-spotting destinations, most certainly we’re including the New England region (such as the Green Mountain Highway, route 100 in Vermont), or the amazing Central Park in New York City, or our western region driving along route 550 (the Million Dollar Highway) in Colorado or sipping on vino while appreciating the change of seasons in the vineyards of Napa Valley.
Needless to say, there are numerous locations around the globe that also celebrate the transitioning of summer to autumn. If you are not tied down to children going back to school or have travel flexibility, there are a number of reasons to choose traveling during the off season (after summer and before the holidays) along with experiencing the visual masterpieces of Mother Nature, there is less traffic, more availability at restaurants and hotels, meaningful interaction with the locals, and the weather will be milder or even cooler to enjoy tourist activities, If you are able to plan a long weekend jaunt to witness Mother Nature’s glory, consider the following five delightful global destinations:
Kyoto, Japan – https://kyoto.travel/en
Autumn or momiji in Japan is different with the city of Kyoto being a popular stop for capturing the fall colors. Viewing Kyoto’s traditional temples framed with orange and red leaves leaves visitors in awe, such as Kiyomizu-dera (pictured above), gardens and parks to satisfy zen-ful nature lovers’ appetite. Leaves begin their transformation in October, with the peak of fall foliage usually in mid-November, rounding off in mid December.
Bavaria, Germany – https://www.bavaria.by
Visiting the largest state of Germany located in the southwestern region of Germany in the fall months allows you to enjoy cooler weather for sightseeing and visitors are rewarded with stunning changes in foliage color not only in the Alps but the cities as well. To not visit Germany’s greatest castle, Neuschwanstein, inspired by Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle during the fall, will have you missing out on a visual treat as the castle is embedded in colors of reds, golds, and oranges. When you’ve finished taking hundreds of scenic photos in the Bavarian Forest National park or stops along the famous 250 mile Romantic Road which include vineyards, grandiose palaces, baroque churches and medieval towns and villages. Bavarian also can satisfy your appetite for good food, drink and nightlife at numerous large metropolitan cities including Munich and Nuremberg.
Paris, France ( https://en.parisinfo.com/)
Visiting the capital of France in autumn ensures less crowds and presents the prettiest scenery for fall viewing. Paris has all of the trappings that a visitor could ask for and the pace will have slowed down to be able to visit tourist areas such as Notre Dame, the Versailles, or the Palais-Royal Gardens for spectacular sceneries. Autumn returns Paris to a normalcy for a tourist to have the opportunity to visit international fashion houses and boutique shops, Michelin awarded restaurants and attractions ranging from music to cultural and sporting events.
Hallstatt https://www.hallstatt.net/about-hallstatt/weltkulturerbe-en-US/lotse-durchs-welterbe-en-US/holiday-in-autumn/ in Salzkammergut Austria https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en –
Hallstätter See or Lake Hallstatt is a lake in Salzkammergut, Austria named after the postcard town Hallstatt. This picturesque community is wrapped in gold colors in the Autumn months of October and November. The summer tourist season will have subsided, so keep in mind that restaurants and shops may close earlier. No matter your vantage point of the crystal clear lake, the views are breathtaking. Hiking, biking, paragliding, Nordic walking, rafting, or rock climbing are offered as outdoor activities, as well as private tours by boat or historical tours of the salt mines.
Amsterdam – Capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam is the posterchild for picturesque images offering 60 miles of an intricate canal system with narrow townhomes positioned perfectly. Once you’ve finished marveling at the charming scenery, an abundance of cultural activities awaits your participation which take place from September to November including its’ film festival season. Amsterdam is home to over 400,000 trees lining the canals producing bursts of colors in gold, yellow and orange that create colorful neighborhood tree tunnels, eventually carpeting the sidewalks and streets. -AJ
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Thanks to all the embedded sites for content as well as the following:
Must See Places – guide to autumn in Bavaria https://mustseeplaces.eu/mini-guide-autumn-in-bavaria/
I Am Amsterdam https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/see-and-do/things-to-do/by-season/autumn/10-reasons-to-visit-in-autumn
Hat Tip to all the photographers of Unsplash and Pixabay for the Autumn photos!
Nicky Pe – Lake Hallstatt
Hans Braxmeier – Colorful Autumn Road
David Mark – Paris France
Claudia Lorusso –Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Johannes Plenio – Neuschwabstein Castle, Bavarian Germany
Conan Mizuta – bamboo garden Kyoto Japan
Su San Lee – Kiyomizu-dera Kyoto Japan
Joss Woodhead – Lake Hallstatt Austria
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