As temperatures dip and leaves change across the Northeast and beyond, many travelers take advantage of the opportunity for a picturesque fall getaway.
Boston, Seattle and New York City are among AAA’s top domestic fall destinations, with many travelers taking road trips or fall cruises to enjoy the foliage. Drivers fueling up for these excursions are finding pump prices in NYC down 74 cents from this time last year.
Drivers are discovering savings beyond the pump, too: the cost to rent a vehicle domestically is down five percent this fall and down 15 percent internationally. Hertz, AAA’s car rental partner, says cities seeing the most increased demand from last year include Boston, Denver, Portland (both Maine and Oregon), Montreal and Vancouver–all top leaf-peeping destinations.
Autumn is also an ideal time to travel internationally, especially to Europe, where this time of year is known as shoulder season. During shoulder season, travelers enjoy milder weather, fewer crowds and better prices compared to peak seasons. Based on AAA booking data, Rome, Paris, London, Vancouver and Dublin are the top five international destinations this fall.
For those across the Northeast traveling closer to home for their fall getaways, AAA offers the following tips:
- Plan your trip around the foliage calendar. Peak fall foliage is generally mid-October throughout the Northeast. Northern points like Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont are the first locations to see leaves begin their color transformation in earnest, nearing peak at the very start of October. Based on the 2024 Fall Foliage Prediction Map (www.smokymountains.com/fall-foliage-map):
Northern Connecticut is expected to peak the second week of October, with the southern half of the state following roughly a week behind.
Massachusetts foliage is expected to peak around the second week of October.
Northern New Jersey foliage is expected to peak mid-October, with the rest of the state’s leaves following about a week behind.
Northern New York foliage (www.iloveny.com/things-to-do/fall/foliage-report) is expected to peak the second week of October, whereas New York City and the southern parts of the state peak mid-month.
Northern Rhode Island foliage is expected to peak during the second week of October, with the rest of the state following a week behind.
- Take advantage of different vantage points. Beyond road trips, travelers can try train rides on a scenic railway, all-day foliage cruises or kayak trips on local rivers. Travelers can even take to the air for zip line adventures or hot air balloon rides that offer spectacular views.
- AAA Northeast recently published its guide to Northeast fall foliage trips in its magazine (www.magazine.northeast.aaa.com/daily/travel/road-trips/northeast-fall-foliage-trips) that shares top picks for regions to visit, routes to take, what to see and where to stay along the way.
Autumn road trips also bring changing driving conditions. Drivers should:
- Look out for wet leaves. Fall can bring wet weather, and many drivers may be unaware that wet leaves can pose risks similar to driving on ice. Slow down, especially around turns, and leave plenty of stopping distance between your vehicle and those in front of you.
- Enjoy the views from a safe spot. No matter how beautiful scenic areas across the Northeast may be, never stop in the middle of a busy road to take a photo or attempt to take a photo while driving.
- Remember that as the days get shorter, driving time in the dark increases. With that, clean and properly working headlights are crucial to maximizing drivers’ visibility–especially as pedestrians become more difficult to spot and deer often emerge on the roadways.
- Check your tire pressure. Extreme temperature changes–which we often see across a single day this time of year–cause tires to expand and contract, which may lead to a loss of tire pressure.
AAA Northeast is a not-for-profit auto club with offices in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire and New York, providing more than 6.5 million local AAA members with travel, insurance, finance and auto-related services.
