Great Mid-Atlantic Road Trips for Fall Foliage

Looking for an awesome autumn road trip? Check out these great Mid-Atlantic road trip-inspired itineraries for leaf-peppers and the best times to visit:

Blue Ridge Parkway – Virginia

Peak Season: mid- to late-October

The Blue Ridge Parkway is, without question, one of the most attractive drives in autumn. The northernmost part of the parkway winds through southwestern Virginia, changing elevation like a rollercoaster as the mountains and rivers meet. Enjoy the feast for your senses—the sound of bluegrass, taste of sweet wine, smell of Catawba rhododendron, and of course, the magical views that change with the weather in nature’s IMAX.

North Carolina/Virginia State Line to Roanoke (2 hours, 50 minutes): Soak in the scenery in the Virginia highlands. History buffs will enjoy the blacksmith, grist mill and restaurant at Mabry Mill. A stop for lunch or wine at Chateau Morrisette is a treat.

Roanoke to Waynesboro (4 hours, 6 minutes): The 469-mile road that took 52 years to finish ends in Waynesboro after carving a route through the George Washington National Forest.

Scenic Pennsylvania (West) - Pennsylvania

Peak Season: early to mid-October

Much of this route traverses rural areas. In many places, trees are the main scenery for stretches at a time, so fall is an excellent time to take this trip when the trees will be colorful and add pizzazz to the scenic value.

Erie to Coudersport (3 hours, 33 minutes): Start at Erie’s scenic lakefront and enjoy the outdoor sites. Erie will have heavier traffic than the majority of towns along the route. Once you leave the city, the surroundings quickly become fairly rural: two-lane roads and heavily forested areas. A big chunk of time will be spent in Allegheny National Forest. Stop at Rimrock Overlook on SR 59 to view Kinzua Bay.

Coudersport to St. Marys (1 hour, 9 minutes): In the small town of Coudersport, a collection of brick buildings are the highlight of the downtown area. On this leg, many of your views from the two-lane roads will feature densely forested mountainous areas high up in the distance.

St. Marys (3 housr, 42 minutes): On the return trip to Erie you’ll pass through a more southern portion of the Allegheny National Forest. The drive ends with a stretch of interstate leading you back into Erie.

Hudson Valley – New York

Peak Season: early to mid-October

A favorite trip for Manhattanites eager to swap traffic noise and asphalt for birdsong and tree-lined byways, this Hudson River Valley tour is as much of an escape route as it is a scenic drive. Wealthy elites of a century ago knew it and built palatial estates here. The area’s beauty even inspired a movement in landscape painting. No doubt it will inspire you, too.

Manhattan to Kingston (3 hours, 33 minutes): As Manhattan recedes in your rearview mirror, you’ll find yourself hemmed in by trees as the route alternately approaches and veers away from the Hudson River. You’ll pass through towns with quaint historic districts, along the broad expanse of the Hudson’s Tappan Zee and into the Hudson Highlands, forested hills bracketing the river that are especially beautiful in fall.

Kingston to Manhattan (2 hours, 54 minutes):  Dense forests and majestic hills keep you company as the route returns you to Manhattan from Kingston, New York’s first state capital, not far from the Catskills. Historic sites en route include George Washington’s headquarters and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point—the latter nestled between two mountainous state parks bounded by the Hudson.

Mountaineer Scenic Expressway – West Virginia

Peak Season: mid-October

Itinerary: US 19

US 19, the Mountaineer Scenic Expressway, makes a great day trip for those who want to explore a bit of West Virginia's unspoiled countryside. The highway slices through the rugged Allegheny Mountains, providing a scenic short cut between I-79 and I-77. Leaf peepers take note: The fall foliage display, which peaks in mid-October, is nothing short of spectacular.

Four-lane US 19 offers many lovely vistas of forest-covered mountain ridges. The New River Gorge Bridge crosses the New River just north of Fayetteville. The third-highest steel span in the U.S., it is one of the most photographed places in the state. The bridge is open to pedestrians and extreme sports enthusiasts on “Bridge Day,” the third Saturday in October.

For more ideas on road trip itineraries, visit AAA.com/RoadTrips.

*Editorial for road trip itineraries was taken from AAA Road Trips.

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