Travelers Are Heading To These Popular Fall Destinations This Year

You can’t go wrong with New England in the fall. It’s the perfect place for leaf peeping, which is one of the top travel trends for the fall this year. However, for the best views, you’ll want to visit Stowe, Vermont. Lonely Planet dubs Stowe as the unofficial “capital of fall color” with tons of hiking trails for you to explore the vibrancy around you. The travel guide also states “Stowe has a long window for leaf peeping,” so you have plenty of time to go from September to October.

Another great destination for leaf peeping is Upstate New York. Plus, according to Airbnb, two gorgeous New York stays in Rhinebeck and Livingston Manor are among the most wishlisted for this fall. Upstate New York offers the fall foliage you may be seeking, as well as the college town vibes that Airbnb says travelers are looking for now that football season is here.

The home of Chris Evans and Dunkin Donuts — aka Boston, Massachusetts — should also be on your fall bucket list. Viator, a Tripadvisor company, listed Boston on their top 10 fall travel destinations for 2022, and Expedia agrees. Since nearby getaways seem to be a big fall travel trend, people are looking to visit budget-friendly and close-to-home cities they’ve never visited before.

Not only does Boston fit that category, but it’s also a city that offers so much to do in the fall. You could grab a pumpkin coffee from Dunkin, go leaf peeping in the park, or even go on a spooky ghost tour if you’re visiting around Halloween.

For anyone on the west coast, Las Vegas may be an easier city to visit than Boston. While the desert city may not have as many colorful leaves to spot in the fall, it does offer tons of Insta-worthy experiences to fill your ‘Gram with color. Tripadvisor named Las Vegas as their top travel destination for the fall. The Seven Magic Mountains, Neon Museum, and Area 15 are all Instagrammable locations to visit. There’s also restaurants for the foodies, haunted tours for the Halloween fans, and tons of concerts to attend from artists like Usher, Katy Perry, and Miranda Lambert.

While Upstate New York is great for the fall, so is New York City. It’s not only one of the cities people are heading to this fall for a nearby break, but Manhattan offers so much autumn fun. Take a stroll through Central Park, watch a Broadway show, or just visit some filming locations from your favorite shows like Only Murders in the Building, Friends, or SATC. Meanwhile, if watching You’ve Got Mail is a fall tradition for you, you could even pretend you’re Kathleen Kelly and spend a day on the Upper West Side shopping for books, drinking a coffee, and even grocery shopping at Zabars for some autumn snacks.

Expedia also has Orlando on their list of the top 10 fall travel destinations in 2022. While the Florida city may not have crisp autumn weather, it does offer nearby beaches to fit the second summer travel trend that is going on. Of course, you can’t go to Orlando without visiting at least one theme park, and both Universal Studios and Walt Disney World are celebrating Halloween right now. This is actually one of the best times to visit the parks while school is in session and before the big holiday crowds.

Greece topped both Expedia and Lonely Travel’s lists for the top fall travel destinations this year. While staying close to home may be more budget-friendly, Tripadvisor is seeing long-haul flights to dream travel destinations as one of the trends this autumn as well. Greece is truly a wanderlust-inducing destination, and Expedia recommends Athens during the fall because the summer crowds will finally be gone. That means you can explore the historic sights, museums, and go on hikes with less tourists and better weather.

Keep your passport with you for this next fall travel destination — Seoul, South Korea. Expedia is seeing a major increase in the interest to travel to South Korea this fall. It could be the popularity of Korean artists like BTS that’s increased interest, or just South Korea’s food and landmarks. In fact, the Han River was listed as one of the top travel trends for 2022 overall, according to Pinterest, and Expedia shares that the fall is the best time to actually visit. Not only is it cheaper, but the weather is much cooler.

If you’d like to celebrate Oktoberfest this fall, there’s really no better place to do it than in Germany. Both Expedia and Hotels.com list Munich on their lists of places to head to when the weather outside gets a bit more crispy and you’re craving a seasonal beer. Along with celebrating Oktoberfest, Munich is also just a great place to go on hikes and take in the views of the fall foliage as well.

You really can’t go wrong with any city in the Pacific Northwest during the fall. Aside from New England, this is the area in the U.S. that is prime for fall foliage. Coffee lovers will enjoy visiting the home of Starbucks — aka Seattle — while Twilight fans may want to use this season to finally visit Forks and its filming locations.

However, if you just want to get away and don’t have a specific place in mind, Lonely Planet suggests Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. A drive through the scenic fall foliage-lined roads may be the most romantic setting you and your partner need for a weekend away. You could also find a farm nearby for apple picking or just enjoy some cider while getting cozy in your Airbnb. It all sounds unbe-leaf-able.