Seven Sensational Scenic Drives for Autumn part 1

Hit the open road this autumn for the ultimate joyride. These seven beautiful routes will lift your spirits with stunning fall color, terrific mountaintop views, and affordable stops and stays along the way.

You can ramble through Ohio's Amish Country, hop the crush party trail in Napa, or choose another route close to home. Grab the camera and fill up the gas tank. It's the most wonderful time of the year for vacation savings.

White Mountain Trail (New Hampshire)

White Mountain Trail











White Mountain Trail
Courtesy of Dan Houde

Drive: A perennial leaf-peeping favorite, this loop route in "The Whites" takes you through mountain passes and past fabulous rock formations, waterfalls, and natural pools. Time it right at dusk or dawn and you'll see moose in the bogs along Route 302 (Moose Alley) near Bretton Woods. In September and October males bellow mightily to attract mates.

Stop: Just off the national scenic byway, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) leads easy hikes to incredible views of Crawford Notch. The hikes are free, and so are moose tours if you stay at AMC's Highland Lodge. For more great photo ops, climb aboard the Mount Washington Cog Railway or Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway.

Stay: At Appalachian Mountain Club's Highland Lodge, nightly rates in a bunkroom/shared bath are $92 per adult ($77 for AMC members), including breakfast, dinner, guided hikes, naturalist activities, and L.L. Bean gear loans. Purity Spring Resort, located on a spring-fed lake in East Madison, is an affordable family option that includes breakfast, dinner, and activities for $129 per night, per couple, or $195 per family of four.

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