The bad news: summer is almost over. Indeed, no matter the temperature outside or the date on our calendars, for many of us, those wonderful sunny days of leisure and relaxation end the day our kids go back to school. The good news: fall is just around the corner, which means stunning foliage, crisp breezes, and still another reason to get away.
On page 56, freelance travel writer Malerie Yolen-Cohen lists 23 terrific B&Bs, hotels, and resorts that have undergone extensive makeovers in the past few years and that will make wonderful fall escapes.
Need more recommendations? Here’s where some of the staff likes to go once the weather turns from hot and humid to cool and comfortable:
“For me, the fall season is never complete until after a foliage pilgrimage to New England—especially the Berkshires in western Massachusetts, the Green Mountains in Vermont, and Cape Cod. Crisp, clean air scented by an abundance of evergreens, clear starlit skies, and sun-dappled main streets of quaint villages canopied by tree branches brimming with colorful leaves. There are hidden treasures ’round every corner in antiques shops, art galleries, and other non-chain stores—and scant cellphone service to boot (Hooray!). What’s not to love? If only there was a way to bottle the experience and enjoy it year-round.”
—Robert Schork, Senior Editor
“My favorite fall getaway? I’d have to make it ‘getaways.’ Abroad, it’s my birthplace: Kyoto, Japan. At home, it’s Teatown Lake.”
—Aiko Masazumi, Creative Director
“Fall is my very favorite season, and I like to celebrate it right here in Northern Westchester where I can watch the leaves change right in my backyard or while hiking in Ward Pound Ridge Reservation; eat fresh cinnamon donuts; and stock up on just-picked apples at Salinger’s Orchards and then make apple pies, crisps, and cobblers with my daughters.”
—Nancy Claus, Features Editor
“For me, any fall getaway is my favorite fall getaway.”
—Marisa LaScala, Articles Editor
“September is a great time to get away for three reasons: it’s still warm but not as hot as during the summer months; it’s less crowded because all the kids are back in school; and it’s less expensive—it’s not, in the parlance of the tourist trade, ‘high season.’ My all-time favorite getaways for this time of year are the Grand Canyon—you can’t beat the amount of fall foliage in our Number One national park—and Malaga, Spain.”
—Halina Sabath, Deputy Art Director
And as for me? Sorry, but I don’t have a favorite getaway (not even a favorite color or favorite song or favorite food). But here is what I hope to get to do this season:
- Climb Mount Marcy, the highest point in New York State, in Keene.
- Hike part of the Appalachian Trail.
- Buy a bunch of new sweaters.
Esther Davidowitz
Editor-in-Chief
