Pictured Above: Gatlinburg Skyline
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Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Sitting on prime real estate at the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this lively mountain town is a leaf-peeping paradise—and then some.
STAY
Views of the Smoky Mountains stretch wide and history runs deep
at the 1937 Historic Gatlinburg Inn, featuring 70 guest rooms with
retro decor, a sprawling front porch and a celebrity-studded guest
list. Want water with your mountain views? Bearskin Lodge on the
River offers 96 rustic-chic guest rooms, including those with private
balconies overlooking a mountain stream, and an outdoor pool with a
lazy river. Reminiscent of the Adirondack Great Camps, the Lodge at
Burberry Creek oozes luxury with 14 all-suite guest rooms featuring
private balconies, soaking tubs and gas fireplaces. Opened in June
2018, the seven-story Margaritaville Resort Gatlinburg brings the
islands to the mountains with coastal décor, indoor and outdoor
pools, a full-service spa, and a tropical-themed bar and restaurant.
EAT
Gatlinburg touts some of Tennessee’s best barbecue, and you’ll find
plenty of it at local faves Bennett’s Pit BBQ, legendary for its hickorysmoked
ribs; Delauders Smoky Mountain BBQ, which embraces its
“dive kinda feel”; and Calhoun’s, boasting award-winning smoked
meats and scratch-made sides. For breakfast, it doesn’t get better
than Croquett’s Breakfast Camp, named for none other than
David C. “Croquett” Maples, which has been serving up homecooked
breakfasts for more than a century and is famous for its
cinnamon rolls. At Three Jimmy’s Good Time Eatery, Southern
comfort food (try the Gouda macaroni and cheese) is complemented
by live music and karaoke nights.
Gatlinburg SkyLift Park
Courtesy of Gatlinburg SkyLift Park
SEE
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP)—the mostvisited
national park in the US—puts on a jaw-dropping show of
fall colors thanks to its diversity—some 100 species—of native
deciduous trees. Take in the autumnal display via hiking trail or
auto route. For an aerial view of fall foliage, head to Gatlinburg
SkyLift Park, where you can take a chairlift ride on the SkyLift some
500 feet up Crockett Mountain. At the top, take in the sweeping
scenery from the SkyDeck, or walk 680 feet across a deep valley
on the SkyBridge, the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in
North America. Seattle isn’t the only place with a space needle; the
Gatlinburg Space Needle ferries riders more than 400 feet via a
glass elevator to an observation deck for 360-degree mountain views.
DO
Mountains of fun await at Ober Gatlinburg Amusement Park and
Ski Area, where you can do everything from ski, snow-tube and
ice skate to experience a wildlife encounter, take a scenic chairlift
ride and enjoy a carousel and other amusement rides. Anakeesta
outdoor theme park also delivers big on family fun with Chondola
rides, a tree house-themed village, dueling ziplines, mountain
coasters and more. Quirky can describe several local museums,
including the Museum of Salt and Pepper Shakers, the Hollywood
Star Cars Museum and the Gatlinburg Pinball Museum. And back
in GSMNP, pick your adventure: hiking, biking, whitewater rafting,
fishing, horseback riding, camping and the like.
Kent, Connecticut
A bucolic setting. A vibrant downtown. Historic attractions galore. This Litchfield County hill town provides the complete leaf-peeping package.
STAY
Even before Yankee Magazine named Kent the best fall-foliage town in
New England in 2010, you’d need to book super-early to nab lodging
reservations during leaf-peeping season. If you’re fortunate enough to
snag one of the 13 country-quaint guest rooms at the pet-friendly Fife
’n Drum Inn, you’ll also enjoy proximity to the Kent Green. Built in 1741,
The Inn at Kent Falls exudes character throughout its common living
areas and six guest rooms, some with claw-foot bathtubs and candlelit
fireplaces. Unconventional lodgings await in the converted post-andbeam
barn, which sleeps six-plus, at The Spirit Horse Farm, home to
rescue horses, doves and chickens. Set on a private lake, the 300-acre
Club Getaway puts an all-inclusive spin on camping with three types
of cabin accommodations, meals and adventure sports aplenty.
EAT
Farm-fresh ingredients star on area menus. Along with serving up
traditional pub fare, Kingsley Tavern sources ingredients from
local farms for such creative offerings as Locally Foraged Chicken
of the Woods Mushrooms. Aged steaks and fresh seafood are
the headliners at the Bull’s Bridge Inn, housed in a 200-year-old
building, and the farm-focused food, including wood-fired pizzas,
at Swyft follows seasonal flavors. At Fife ’n Drum Restaurant,
house specialties Filet Mignon au Poivre and Roast Half Duck Flambe
are prepared tableside, and live bands entertain on select nights.
Cap off any meal with handmade chocolates and truffles or a
flavored coffee from Kent Coffee & Chocolate Company.
Housatonic River
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SEE
Fall foliage dazzles in all its crimson and gold glory on a drive
through the Litchfield Hills along scenic Route 7, paralleling the
Housatonic River. The 2,300-acre Macedonia Brook State Park
offers hiking trails for breathtaking views of the Catskill and
Taconic Mountains. Nature and history converge at the 19th-century
Bull’s Bridge, one of only a few such covered bridges in the state,
where river hikes along the Housatonic reward with views of
waterfalls. Dotting the downtown landscape are a handful of ogleworthy
art galleries, including the Gallery at Kent Art Association
and The Good Gallery, featuring established and emerging artists.
DO
Immerse yourself in fall’s dazzling showcase of foliage with a hike
along a five-mile portion of the Appalachian Trail, with easy access
from town. Hikers, bikers, photographers, birdwatchers and more
can absorb the beauty of the Kent Land Trust’s system of trails
and nature preserves. Biking the Litchfield Hills is an adventure
with the Bicycle Tour Company, offering guided excursions
and rentals for self-guided tours. Interested in older machinery?
The Connecticut Antique Machinery Association’s volunteer-run
museum displays everything from locomotive engines to farming
equipment. Farming takes a tasty turn at Kent Falls Brewing Co.,
Connecticut’s first farm brewery, where its beers contain ingredients
sourced from its 52-acre farm. Try a brew in its tasting room, and
savor the pastoral scenery that is quintessentially Kent.