These are the 11 top U.S. locations to visit in the fall.

The Blue Ridge Parkway, which starts in southern Virginia and travels through North Carolina and ends in Tennessee, is a great place to find hikes with beautiful autumn foliage. With the Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks as endpoints, this route is undeniably one of the most beautiful in the United States. The autumn months, specifically the latter half of September and all of October, are some of the most beautiful times to visit. Merely 75 miles from the nation's capital C Shenandoah National Park has over 500 miles of trails just waiting to be explored. It has a variety of natural features, including thick forests, ancient caves, towering mountains, misty waterfalls, and more. Amazing, one-of-a-kind color changes can be seen in the Great Smoky Mountains, which can't be seen anywhere else on Earth. On display are golden poplars, maples of varying reds, scarlet sourwoods, and orange sassafras.

The Berkshires are a convenient weekend trip from Boston, making them great for viewing autumn foliage and enjoying harvest fairs. In North Adams, the Fall Foliage Festival is on the first Sunday of October, and in Lenox, the Apple Squeeze is held around the middle of the month. Roads adorned with shades of gold, red, and even the occasional deep scarlet provide excellent opportunities for scenic drives, as do the many farms, lakes, and fields you'll pass by. Numerous antique shops and abandoned diners dot the landscape, reminding visitors of the area's colorful past. Take a trip down to Bash-Bish Falls State Park in the southern Berkshires along Jacob's Ladder Scenic Byway for breathtaking views of three different states.

The autumn colors in the Adirondacks are among the most spectacular in the United States, stretching from the highest peaks to the lowest valleys. There are many vineyards and wineries in the area, making it a wonderful getaway for nature lovers, people who enjoy the outdoors, and oenophiles. In the Adirondacks, along the shore of Lake Champlain, you'll find a number of wineries and cideries, making this area one of the most exciting new wine destinations in the United States. Wine tours, scenic drives, and bike rides to local wineries and cideries are all options. The Olympic Trail, which runs between Lake Ontario and Lake Champlain, is a beautiful route to take if you want to take in the fall foliage without going anywhere in particular.

Bar Harbor, located on Mount Desert Island, is widely considered one of the best places in the United States to view the fall foliage. Acadia National Park is beautiful all throughout, but the 40-mile stretch of Acadia Byway, with its gorgeous wild coastlines and wide array of brilliant colors, is particularly breathtaking. The island has a temperate climate that is usually ideal at this time of year, and it also has delicious harvest cuisine to complement its beautiful mountain scenery. Both the Eden Farmers Market and the Southwest Harbor Farmers Market have an abundance of apples, pumpkins, squash, and preserves. Throughout the state's microbreweries are showcased in a festival setting for Oktoberfest. A bike ride through the park, a climb to the top of Cadillac Mountain, and a meal at Red Sky Restaurant by the fire are all great ways to take in the sights.

Monterey County is located on California's Central Coast, and many of the region's lesser-known vineyards harvest their grapes in the fall. It's the perfect time to visit the wineries along Monterey County's River Road Wine Trail. Produce like organic broccoli and heirloom tomatoes, grown right here in what's known as "America's Salad Bowl," are plentiful and reasonably priced at the Farmer's Market. The fog lifts earlier along the coast at this time of year because of the region's frequent "Indian summer," revealing pleasant weather and stunning beaches perfect for a stroll.

The Upper Peninsula is beautiful at any time of year, but from about the middle of September until the middle of October is when it is at its best. At this time of year, this sliver of land protruding into Lake Superior becomes a kaleidoscope of color, with a riot of oranges, reds, and golds blanketing the hills and ridges and creating vibrant tunnels across the two-lane roads. Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, which is home to nearly 100 waterfalls, and Palms Book State Park, which features a crystal clear, 40-foot-deep natural spring, both offer some of the best views in the area.

Washington and Oregon are separated by the 80-mile long Columbia River Gorge, which is carved through the Cascade Mountains. Though stunning at any time of year, the fall is when trees like cottonwoods, Oregon ash, firs, and big-leaf maples really show off their colors. There are hundreds of waterfalls in the region, including one of the most well-known in the United States. S and Multnomah Falls In addition to the many miles of hiking trails, windsurfing, kiteboarding, parasailing, fishing, and a wide variety of other outdoor activities are all available in the region. Numerous vineyards and wineries call the Gorge home due to its favorable climatic conditions, with pinot noir and chardonnay flourishing in the Gorge's west end's cool hills and outstanding syrah and tempranillo coming from the Gorge's sunnier east.

Central Pennsylvania's Amish communities are a fascinating time capsule, and the region's autumn foliage is some of the most beautiful in the country. Country of the Pennsylvania Dutch, A K A Fall in Lancaster is picture-perfect because of the harvest. This is the time of year to go apple picking in the orchards, and also to visit a roadside stand or one of the many farmer's markets to pick up some incredible homemade baked goods, fresh produce, handcrafted goods, and more. A hot air balloon ride provides a unique perspective of the vibrant landscape below.

The Cascade Mountains in Washington state are renowned as a prime viewing area for autumn foliage. Located on its eastern slope, Leavenworth is an excellent home base for an unforgettable autumn vacation. The Bavarian-style town hosts the Autumn Leaf Festival on the last weekend of September, and Oktoberfest is celebrated in grand fashion over the course of three consecutive weekends somewhere between the end of September and the middle of October. Several routes for viewing the autumn foliage begin in this area; one of these is Highway 2, which travels all the way to the Greater Seattle Area, where the trees turn a brilliant yellow and are reflected in Lake Wenatchee.

Taos has a wide variety of activities to choose from during the fall. Miles of trails covered in aspens ranging in color from bright yellow to dark orange, as well as golden and red cottonwoods, can be found in the mountains, and the weather is often picture-perfect, with clear blue skies. The town has been an important artistic center for more than a century, so it's packed with museums and galleries where you can see works that reflect the breathtaking scenery of the Southwestern United States. Just a mile to the north is the fascinating ancient pueblo of Taos Pueblo, home to the Tiwa people.

As a year-round tourist destination, Mendocino County in Northern California along the Pacific Coast Highway never fails to impress. But in the fall, it bursts into a riot of color that can compete with the best of Vermont. There are beautiful beaches, towering redwoods, apple orchards, vineyards, and even an old-fashioned steam train that runs between Willits and Fort Bragg. The Anderson Valley, spanning 15 miles between Boonville and Navarro, is a peaceful, unassuming place that is home to Philo Apple Farm, which not only grows 80 varieties of apples but also rents out charming cottages.