NorthEast Fall Getaway Suggestions

Fall is a great time to get away with your family or special someone.  The scenery is superb and the temperatures are cooler.  Many mountain resorts and towns throughout the east will be hosting a variety of events and activities Columbus Day Weekend Oct. 12-14. Here is a sampling:

Outside of Albany, the Flaming Leaves Festival: Blues, Brews, BBQs  will be going full blast on Whiteface Mountain, Oct. 12 & 13, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Take a ride to the top of the 12-meter ski jump, play lawn games, enter a horseshoe tournament, check out the craft vendors in addition to listening to live Blues bands and enjoying ribs and hamburgers. Admission is $16 adults; $10 for juniors 7-12/seniors 65+ for one-day admission; $27 for adults and $16 for junior/senior for two days.  I love looking at the Olympic sites and they offer a special Passport giving you access to all Olympic venues for $32.

If you were at our 'Taste of Country Music Festival' this past Summer, you know how much fun Hunter Mountain can be.  This time of year you can enjoy German and German-American entertainment at Hunter Mountain’s Oktoberfest Festival, Oct. 12 & 13 from 11 a.m.-6:15 p.m., rain or shine. Admission is free. Polka to Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra or browse vendors’ offerings. The Kids’ tent features puppets, wildlife shows, and other kid friendly activities.

Everybody in the Southern Tier should see Vermont this time of the year.  Vermont’s Sugarbush Resort is having their Oktoberfest Oct. 13 at Lincoln Park. Live music from Opa’s Oompah Band, beer garden from the Van Trapp brewery, Bavarian Buffet and German games. I've been to Sugarbush and highly recommend this trip.

Stratton Mountain's Columbus Day Weekend is full of activities for the whole family. Saturday is a brewfest, chili cook-off, games, and live music. There’s also a 5K Fun Dog Walk and Run for dogs and their humans.  Sunday is the two-mile Race to the Summit, gondola rides, and live music.  Hike to the Summit Monday.  Stratton is a fun place too.

If you like Jimmy Buffet, you’ll love Okemo Mountain’s 7th annual Parrothead Festival Oct. 12. The Cocabanana Band, a Buffet tribute band, takes the outdoor stage at the Jackson Gore base area at 2 p.m. Don’t forget your “cheeseburger in paradise.” Admission free; bring lawn chairs or a blanket.

Nearby, New Hampshire’s Waterville Valley Fall Foliage Festival is Oct. 12-14. It’s full of family events, pumpkin painting, pie-eating contest, ski and snowboard swap, beer garden with samples of Sam Adams and Harpoon fall brews, live music, and much more. Sunday is a 5K walk/run sponsored by the Waterville Valley Recreation Department to benefit a local charity.

Mont-Sainte-Anne, a 30-minute drive from Quebec City, is the place for the Great Color Adventure, Oct. 12-14. There are pumpkin hunts and decorating for the kids whose “best costume” will win a prize; a ski and snowboard bazaar; and activities such as hiking, mountain biking, paragliding, and trampoline.

Some great Fall getaways that won't cost an arm and a leg, except for gas money of course. If you go, share some photos on the Hawk Facebook page.  We would love to see them!