Leaf Peeping and Other Fun Fall Family Weekend Activities

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

10 Oct 2008 08:58 AM

Northern Michigan, parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont are exploding with vibrant fall colors right now making this Columbus Day holiday weekend the ideal time to gather up the clan and hit the highways to go leaf peeping.

The colors are at peak in the areas I listed above, but in other parts of the country the leaves are just starting to turn or are nearing their brilliance, which means that sometime in the next couple of weeks you should seriously consider taking your family outdoors to enjoy all the season has to offer.

Leaf peeping doesn't mean sticking to the blacktop. There are dozens of state and national forests along with many family-run farms that are open to the public during the prime leaf peeping season. You and your family can take in autumn's glory by bike, canoe, or on foot.

If you are traveling with children or with adults with limited mobility consider hitting the rails instead of the trails. This time of year there are a number of companies that offer fall train rides specifically for leaf peepers. You can get an unbelievable view of the rolling countryside awash in oranges, yellows and burnt sienna in Pennsylvania. Chug along on the West Chester Railroad (a tourist train that dates back to the 1800s), which offers weekend rides in 1920s-era cars dubbed the Fall Foliage Express. For less than it costs to see a first run movie ($10 for adults, $8 for kids) you can take a 90-minute tour of the rich foliage in a picturesque valley located less than an hour east of Philadelphia. And as a special treat for mini ghosts and goblins, during the last two weekends in October, the train gets gussied up for Halloween and invites passengers to wear their holiday costumes as well. Kids are given rides and leave with bags of treats while parents depart with happy children and photos of a fun fall trip.

Michele Cheplic writes about red-hot celebrities in POP CULTURE, fiery topics in PARENTS, sizzling recipes in FOOD, calorie burning exercises in FITNESS, and hot new kid-friendly crafts in FUN. Check out all of her articles here.

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Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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