Five amazing places to peep fall foliage on a budget
New England and Eastern Canada aren't the only places to catch the leaves turning.
The aspen leaves are bright yellow in the Colorado high country near Ward, Colo.
Jack Dempsey/AP/File
Fall is here, and with it comes the changing leaves. In many parts of the U.S., tourists flock聽from around the world to see the beautiful聽autumn colors, a practice that's colloquially known as "tree peeping."
I'm based in Scottsdale, Arizona, so I won't be having the fall experience in my backyard this year. If聽I want to see those kinds of sights, I'll have to look elsewhere. Here are my favorite places to check out fall foliage on a budget:
Check out the聽(free!) gondola in Telluride, Colorado.
Telluride, Colorado is world-famous for its beauty, and its聽聽is free year-round. Do yourself a favor and Google "Telluride gondola fall foliage" right now, and see how long it takes you to hop on a plane to see it for yourself. Of course, the closer you get to ski season, the more snow there will be on the ground, and the busier it will be. But fall is a shoulder season for Colorado, so it's a great time to save on rooms and cabins at resorts that would normally be pretty pricy.听Check out聽for some good places to stay in Telluride.
Cruise down the Mississippi or off the Eastern coast.
New England and Eastern Canada are聽often noted as places with the best fall foliage around, and several cruise lines offer autumn cruises in those areas for this very reason. You can also experience the changing leaves throughout the midwest and south with Mississippi River tours that will leave you breathless and keep your wallet聽full.听The聽聽is great for budget travelers in the Midwest, and tree peepers聽with a little more cash on hand will likely聽enjoy a.
If you want more tips on frugal cruising,聽.
Take a road trip through Missouri
, so check that out if you're thinking of taking a mid-autumn vacation. If you're looking for a destination with plenty of fall-specific sights to see, Missouri offers some of the prettiest聽foliage in the country, and with fun stops (like Branson and the Ozarks) along the way, it's a budget-friendly destination the whole family can enjoy.听Check out聽聽for ways to see the changing of the colors from the water.
Saddle up and ride around聽Wisconsin!
Wisconsin has tons of gorgeous fall views even more ways聽to see them, but my favorite is in the saddle.听聽for horseback riding exist across the state, so if you're equine-inclined, check it out!
Take a leisurely train ride through West Virginia
West Virginia is underrated when it comes to travel destinations. If you can plan a long weekend and rent a cabin in Canaan Valley and visit Blackwater Falls in mid-October, you will not be disappointed. If you're planning a trip to WV for the fall foliage, you should also book your ride on the聽.听The train runs on weekdays and weekends throughout the month of聽October.
This article first appeared in .听