Who can argue that autumn is one of the most colorful times of year?

That was a rhetorical question.

Fall is pretty, mostly because of the glorious displays put on by the fall leaves changing color.  This phenomenon occurs all over the United States, but some spots offer better views than others.  Grab your camera and a road atlas and take a day trip to one of the 11 best fall foliage sites in America.

11 Places To See Fall Leaves

Fall Leaves on Carriage Road at Acadia National Park

1.  Acadia National Park – Maine

Of course anywhere in the North East is going to boast spectacular fall foliage.  The Acadia National Park offers gorgeous views and extensive Ranger-led educational programs so that you can learn more about what you’re staring at.  Make sure to head to Bar Harbor Maine before the end of October to take full advantage of the sights and services available.

Fall Leaves at Oak Mountain State Park

2.  Oak Mountain State Park – Alabama

Oak Mountain State Park is Alabama’s largest state park.  This nearly 10,000 acre forest is featured on several sight seeing lists.  Admission is only $3 for adults on weekends and holidays.  You can visit the park for fall foliage viewing from 7am to sundown.

Fall Foliage in New Hampshire

3.  Mt. Washington – New Hampshire

While it’s typical to see fall foliage while you’re driving, the Mount offers guided cruises on the M/S Mount Washington.  Starting Sunday, September 27, the Mount will offer Fall Foliage Dinner Cruises from 4:30 to 7 p.m. each Sunday through mid-October. The cruise departs from Weirs Beach, boarding at 4 p.m. Cost for adults is$43. Visit Cruise Mount Washington for more information.

Fall Color in Colorado

4.  Aspen – Colorado

It’s no surprise that Aspen, Colorado is the perfect place to watch the Aspen trees change colors with the seasons.  San Isabel National Forest offers extensive trails for viewing of some of the most fabulous aspen trees in Colorado.

New York Fall Foliage

5.  The Catskills – New York

The Catskills and Hudson Valley region is about a two hour drive from New York City.  One of the unique features of this area is that the color changing season lasts about six weeks, with colors rivaling those of its North Eastern neighbors, Vermont and Massachusetts.

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Girdwood, Alaska, located right in the crook of Turnagain Arm, in the Chugach National Forest, south of Anchorage, is a gem surrounded by outstanding scenery. Our family of 4 stayed at the Alyeska Resort last month, and enjoyed three days of relaxing and revitalizing.

Arriving on the weekend, we checked-in quickly to our junior suite, on the 8^th floor, with a wonderful view of the surrounding mountains and forests. We splurged on the bigger room, which had two queen size beds (with the most wonderful down comforters) along with a sitting area. This extra space is important to us when traveling with our two young kids. Another bonus – each room comes with a mini-fridge, and we were able to save money by bringing in milk, cereal and yogurt for breakfast.

During the day, there was plenty to do – one morning, we took a hike on the Winner Creek Gorge Trail, did a little geocaching (great for reluctant hikers), and were chased by a moose. For lunch, we took the tram to the top of Mount Alyeska. Our tram tickets included lunch in the Daylodge café – a good deal from our perspective, $28 for adults and $13 for kids under 8 for the tram ride and lunch. Before dinner, my kids had fun at the indoor pool while my husband checked out the workout center.

Another day, we drove up to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and spent the afternoon checking out Alaskan animals in a park-like setting. On our way back to Alyeska, we stopped at Turnagain Arm to view the bore tide. Lucky for us, it was a good day to see one!

The town of Girdwood has several restaurants and services to support this resort community. We enjoyed lunch one day at Chair Five, with many different burgers, and dinner one night at the Double Musky Inn, a local favorite. When we did not feel like venturing out of the resort, we had several dining options – our favorite was Katsura Teppenyaki, which reminds me of Japanese dinner theater. Our daughter was fascinated watching our chef prepare our dinner on the grill right in front of us.

During the winter, Alyeska turns into a world-class ski resort, with visitors coming from all parts of Alaska to enjoy the slopes. Fun in summer and winter!

On our recent trip to Alaska (the 49^th state, celebrating their 50^th anniversary of statehood in 2009) we spent some glorious time in Denali National Park. We saw caribou, grizzly bears, ptarmigan, snow hares, mountains, glaciers, cruise ship tourists, but not a lot of families. That is too bad, since Denali Park is completely family friendly! Here are my recommendations for a family trip to this great national park up north:

Check out the Denali Visitor Center

The friendly rangers will help you plan your trip in Denali, whether you choose to camp, hike or take a short park tour. Good to know for families – the Visitor Center has Junior Ranger Backpacks, available for checkout. They include binoculars, pens, paper and activity books. If you are only in the park for a short time, the rangers also have Junior Ranger Activity Books – help your child complete the activities and become a certified Junior Ranger!

Stop by and explore the Murie Science and Learning Center

Serving as the winter visitor center for the park, during the summer the Murie Science and Learning Center is a great educational destination for families. My kids enjoyed exploring animal skulls and touching fur. The Center also offers week-long Family Field Seminars, specifically designed for families with children under 9.

Take a shuttle bus ride into the park

For our daylong trip in Denali, we hopped aboard one of the green shuttles to visit the inner park. After picking up our tickets at the Wilderness Access Center (WAC) we boarded a bus for a 6-hour tour into Toklat, about 50 miles into the park. Shuttle and tour busses are the only way to see the park, as cars are not allowed past mile 17. Frankly, I would rather leave the driving to someone else! The bonus for families – children under 14 ride free with their parents. Word of advice; be sure to pack plenty of snacks and water for the trip, as there are no concessions past the Visitor Center.

Join a ranger-led program

One of the easiest ways to learn more about Denali is through ranger-led programs. Many programs are offered daily, including hikes and nature programs; check with the Visitors Center for details. Our family enjoyed all our interactions with the park rangers, who were a wealth of knowledge and very willing to take the time to answer our questions. We even learned that mosquitoes in the park are vital to the eco system, pollinating the blueberry bushes, which are important to the health of the local grizzly bears.

And finally, leave some time to get out of your car and explore the park on foot. The park is outstanding and the beauty needs to be explored from the ground. For more ideas, check out Alpenglow Visitor Guide, a publication highlighting current events at the park.