Fall Getaway Archives - My Family Travels
Practicing Tai Chi on the shores of Breakneck Lake in Harriman State Park.
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10 Reasons To Love Appalachian Mountain Club Outdoors Adventures

We know the Appalachian Mountain Club, one of the country’s original conservation groups, changes lives. It happened to me, just days after an email landed in my inbox like a...

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Waiter carrying three beer steins through Oktoberfest crows. Photo by Motointermedia c. pixabay.
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The Real Oktoberfest

Cologne is known for Carnival, Berlin has its Film Festival, and Munich -- where they adopted the beer purity law in 1516 -- may be the epicenter of Oktoberfest....

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Step into gaming at
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Surviving Halloween Horror Nights at Universal

Having survived a night of gleeful terror at Universal Orlando Resort’s Halloween Horror Nights, I can report that #HHN is a blast. Before you die, take just...

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Snoopy and family
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California Haunted Houses and Halloween Happiness

Discover ghosts, goblins and Halloween costumes along with ghoulishly fun frights at California haunted houses, theme parks and other Halloween venues. Since the fright industry...

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The turrets and castle architecture of the former Convent of the Sisters of Saint Mary, now the Abbey Inn & Spa in Peekskill, New York.
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16 Hudson Valley Family Attractions You Didn’t Know Were in Westchester

Picture Hudson Valley attractions of the 1600s: Grand schooners sailing the swift currents and Canadian fur trappers paddling the river. Times have changed, but intrepid families...

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Hello Kitty balloonical at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
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Where To Watch New York’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Putting the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City on this year's itinerary? Your family deserves a ringside seat. This amazing spectacle is outdoors, in person and even...

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girl holding pumpkin
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Haunted Houses, Halloween Ideas and Weekend Breaks

Wondering if our directory of Halloween ideas will help you get your fright on? Across the country, discover the wide variety of haunted houses for kids and other organized Halloween...

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Teens love apples too.
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Massachusetts Apple Farms – U-Pick ‘Em And Enjoy

Massachusetts apple farms are the ideal destination if you're looking for a bargain staycation. Make it u-pick fruit farm daytrip or plan a weekend at a family...

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The Guild House Hotel in Philadelphia features a Haunted Guestroom you can book over Halloween week. Photo c. VisitPA
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Halloween Fun and Frights in Philly, Scranton, Lancaster & Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

It's almost Halloween, that time of year when families search for Pennsylvania haunted houses. It's when kids don their costumes and head out looking...

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Tractor rides are very popular on U Pick weekends at Alstede Farms
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Apple Picking In New York Tri-State Area: Farms To PYO And Enjoy

Late summer and early fall are perfect for apple picking in New York Tri-state and metro area U-Pick farms. According to Lawnstarter.com, New York is #2 in the nation in the number...

Read More    9 min read

apple cluster
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Apple Picking And Pick Your Own Pumpkins

Apple and pumpkin picking U-Pick farms and local orchards are among Fall's...

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Mom and baby enjoy Boo at the Zoo event at New York's Bronx Zoo, photo by Julie Larsen-Maher c. WCS.
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Halloween in New York City for Free And Cheap Fun

Starting in early September, carved pumpkins, spooky ghosts and candy treats mark Halloween in New York City. Best yet, ghostly elves spread the spirit of autumn across the five...

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Horse skeleton in stable
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Utah Haunted Houses and Spooky Fun

Kids and teens looking for scary Utah haunted houses in rural locales or spooky urban Halloween fun? Salt Lake City and the surrounding Utah towns...

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Legoland characters greet visitors to the LEGOLAND Florida theme park where Halloween festivities are the top fall attraction.
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Orlando Haunted Houses and Spooky Thrills in Orlando

From as early as August through to early November, Orlando at Halloween is one of the most spooktacular destinations in the country. The country's leading theme park designers...

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Charlie Brown and Snoopie ride the historic East Broad Top Railway to find a Halloween pumpkin. Photo c. Matthew Malkiewicz for East Broad Railroad Foundation
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24 Fabulous Fall Getaways For 2024

Fall is a fabulous time to get away without busting the budget, whether you want to take the kids apple picking and leaf peeping, head to a festival, or revel in your first trip...

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Clowns and ghouls play on the thrill rides and around concession stands at Six Flags parks for the Halloween holidays.
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Halloween Events and Six Flags Fright Fest Extreme at Great Adventure Themepark

This year, Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey is back to its old haunts during the annual Fright Fest Extreme. It's bigger and better than...

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Vintage photo of girls dressed like twin vampires trick or treating at Pickerings Wharf in Salem, Massachusetts.
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Halloween Witches In Salem, Massachusetts

In search of Halloween witches in Salem, Massachusetts? Ready to give up the Sunday football game to take the kids exploring? Nothing is as Halloween focused as

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Haunted houses designed for all ages add to the Halloween magic. Photo c. Noes Cucho for pixabay.
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Houston Halloween Fun And Autumn Weekends

Autumn is the season to start planning the ghost stories you're going to share with the family on a scary Houston Halloween family break in Texas.

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Spooky looking bridge at sunset leads to Baton Rouge.
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Baton Rouge Halloween, Haunted Houses, and Halloween Fun

Start weaving your ghost tales now so you're all set for a spooky Baton Rouge Halloween weekend break. Baton Rouge is the perfect budget getaway with your...

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Three children playing in a pile of leaves near a tree
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Leaf Peeker’s Guide To America’s Fall Foliage

Fall foliage tours and affordable leaf peeping road trips are easy to plan if you use this How-To, Where-To Leaf Peeker's Guide with tips on the best places to see leaf colors...

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cemetery
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Upstate New York Halloween Getaways

Within a few hours of well-lit Manhattan, the dark dreary forests, fog-shrouded bogs and upstate New York Halloween haunts come to life for spooky autumn thrills. Explore the tranquil...

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Hikers walking the Badwater Trail in Death Valley National Park.
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5 Great Kid-Friendly Hikes Near Las Vegas

Traveling with young children? I want to share five great, kid-friendly hikes in the unspoiled wilderness of nearby Nevada, Utah, California and Arizona. We live in Nevada so we...

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Scary figure in clown outfit and yellow poncho walks with balloon at Scarywood, at Silverwood theme park in Idaho. Photo c. Visit Idaho.
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Fall Frights And Halloween Fun In Idaho

Shhh… even fans of “Twilight” may not realize how to find Halloween fun in Idaho. Did you know Idaho is the 14th largest state by land mass but has only...

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boy holds apple
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Pennsylvania Apple Farms – U-Pick ‘Em And Enjoy

September and October are our favorite months to tour the Pennsylvania apple farms for u-pick fruit and pumpkins. Plan a day in the fields to round out a long...

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Miniature horses tow a sheepcamp in the Trailing of the Sheep Big Sheep Parade, Ketchum, Idaho
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The Sheep Of Sun Valley

Fall in love with the sheep of Sun Valley any time of year and especially in October. That’s when thousands come down from the mountains to southern Idaho for the Trailing...

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Autumn Adventures In A Corn Maze

Visit a farm with a huge corn maze the kids can puzzle on for a great autumn family getaway. Our favorite farms feature Escape Rooms carved into living cornstalks as the main attraction....

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apple on tree
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Oregon Apple Farms – U Pick ‘Em And Enjoy

Follow us to the U-pick Oregon apple farms, orchards and pumpkin patches outside Portland. Fall in the countryside means leaf-peeping on a staycation...

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Artistically painted pumpkin
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Autumn Interludes and Fall Family Festivals

Meet some uniquely American, slightly eccentric fall family festivals and plan an autumn interlude with the kids. We encourage travelers of any age to exfoliate...

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Baby boy looks at pumpkin in his lap.
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Illinois Apple Farms – U-Pick ‘Em And Enjoy

Drive with us to U-Pick apple farms in the Illinois countryside. Pick a farm near Rockford, Caledonia, Winnebago...

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apple cluster
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Washington Apple Pick: Your Guide to Fruitful Adventures

The late summer and early fall is apple picking time at the Washington apple orchards and u-pick farms and pumpkin patches surrounding the city...

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apple on counter
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California Apple Farms – U-Pick ‘Em And Enjoy

The late summer and early fall is apple picking time for San Francisco and Bay Area families. Start with our list of California apple farms and u-pick pumpkin fields in Mendocino,...

Read More    4 min read

Costumed characters and kids at Worlds of Fun.
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Spooktacular Halloween Fun in Kansas City – A Family-Friendly Guide

Every October brings the expectation of a great Halloween, especially in places like Kansas City where the fun crosses over from Missouri to Kansas and...

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Visit Mallorca with kids during the off season to discover uncrowded beaches and milder temperatures. Photo c. effekt99 for pixabay
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The Best Spanish Destinations to Visit as a Family

Spain is the perfect vacation destination for families. The country has a wide range to offer, including an incredible culture to immerse yourself and your family in. While Spain...

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College student in a seminar class.
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Back To School: 5 Essential For College Move-In Tips For Students Flying To Campus

Moving to campus is never easy, and students who have to fly really need my college move-in tips. Not only do we have the standard stress of tracking down room keys, awkwardly...

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The Santa Float makes its first holiday appearance at Philadelphia's annual Thanksgiving Day Parade.
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All American Thanksgiving Events and Celebrations

FTF's A-Z guide to local festivals and Thanksgiving events, from traditional eats to marathons, is your Thanksgiving recipe for fun.

Read More    6 min read

New England road
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Road Trip USA: Leaf Peeking in New England

New England's beautiful display of foliage and charming towns make Vermont and New Hampshire perfect choices for a New England leaf peeping family road trip. In autumn, the friendly...

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Very enthusiastic crowd in the stands at the Camel Races in Virginia City, Nevada. Photo c. Liz Huntington for VisitVirginiaCityNV.com
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Bring the Kids to See Camels in Virginia City

Time travel to see camels in Virginia City, a Nevada town that offers families the chance to experience what life was like in a 19th-century mining boomtown. Yes,...

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Boat dock at Lake Mohonk with surrounding banks of changing leaves in autumn. Photo c. NY State Division of Tourism - I Love NY
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5 Places for Peak Fall Foliage in New York

What’s the best place and right time to catch peak fall foliage in New York State? We examined the state’s 55,000 square miles (not quite) and chose the best places for families...

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Rodeo action is non-stop. Photo by Bree Anderson, c.Cheyenne Frontier Days.
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The Cowboy Life For Me At Cheyenne Frontier Days

The annual Cheyenne Frontier Days Festival returns this July. Are you tired of bingeing on Yellowstone, 1883 and 1923 to get your cowboy fix? Unplug...

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Twilight movei poster resized for featured image format.
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The Ultimate Twilight Hotel Experience in Forks, Washington

Are you ready for a "Twilight" hotel in Forks, where you can experience the series and follow Bella Swan throughout her journey in western Washington? Forks remains a popular...

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Family relaxing at the beach at Robin Lake at Callaway Gardens, Georgia.
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Callaway Gardens Family Resort In Georgia

Reunite in Pine Mountain, where adventures in nature at the Callaway Gardens family resort...

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New Year's Eve fireworks over harbor of Puerto Vallarta
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Great Mexico Fall Festivals to Celebrate in Puerto Vallarta

Plan your visit during a local holiday or Mexico fall festival and enjoy the country's cultural traditions and heritage, often at no cost. Celebrations focusing on religion, gastronomy,...

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Travelers choose to distance themselves from others in the PUJ Airport departures lounge.
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The Latest Holiday Travel Tips and Trends for Winter 2021

Eager to travel this season and wondering about the latest holiday travel tips and hacks? We got you covered. There’s good...

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Kwazimodo is the woolly worm that won the 2014 Wooly Worm Festival in North Carolina.
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North Carolina Fall Festivals Offer Local Color

In autumn, North Carolina fall festivals abound -- they're mostly free -- and focus on an array of subjects from food to animals. Altogether, these authentic local events make...

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Girl with dog dressed up in pirate's outfit.
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High Times at Fall Beer and Wine Festivals

Fall for fun beer and wine festivals with their many free outdoor activities this season. Despite the resurgence of the pandemic, there are many options for adult getaways, whether...

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Mexico’s Day of the Dead – A Oaxaca Celebration

If you thought that in the States we had something pretty crazy with Halloween, wait until you spend Dia de los Muertos, the annual three-day holiday of October 31, November...

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Cows fighting for herd dominance in Valais. Photo by Francois Perraudin.
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Fighting Cattle in Valais, Switzerland

Fighting cattle are an unusual natural attraction and a good enough reason to go to places we've never heard of to experience such a treasure. Since we know that cattle...

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Eastern Canada And New England Cruises Star Fall Foliage

Want to cruise, but not interested in the Caribbean -- fall is the time of year to visit ports-of-call between Baltimore and Quebec, Canada. Last year, Cruise Atlantic Canada reported...

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Taboo Resort, Golf And Conference Centre, Ontario, Canada

This family-friendly resort in the Muskoka Lake region of Ontario, is the backdrop for a low key but luxurious vacation where watersports,...

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Asheville, North Carolina

With great leaf-peeking, historic mansion tours and free music festivals, western North Carolina's favorite city is always fun for a cultural family vacation. For such a quaint town in such a quiet...

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