Fall is in the air. With so many beautiful places to visit nearby, let’s talk about getting out of the house. These ideas range from a short drive to longer ones or a quick flight, whichever makes you happiest.
1) Go apple picking in Alabama.
What’s better than sharing fresh, seasonal, local produce and supporting the communities that grow them? These day trip destinations offer various apple varieties and sweet treats to bring home for your neighbors:
- Scott’s Orchard in Hazel Green
- Crow Mountain Orchards in Fackler
- Steele Orchard in Cullman
- Mountain View Orchards in Jemison
- Isom’s Orchard in Athens
- Homestead Farm in Talladega
2) Hit the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky.
It’s a manageable drive filled with good finds. My favorites: Woodford Reserve, Buffalo Trace (book your tour up to 60+/- days in advance), Four Roses Distillery, and Castle & Key *their gin is AMAZING. Stay a night in Lexington and another in Louisville for the full experience.
3) It’s a beautiful drive to Asheville, NC in the Fall.
You’ll enjoy their sophisticated food scene and craft brews. Did you know Asheville is home to more breweries per capita than any other city? Reserve Bouchon for fabulous French cuisine, and don’t overlook the incredible Indian cuisine options: Chai Pani and Mela. During the holiday season, treat yourself to Christmas at Biltmore and the OMNI Grove Park Inn National Gingerbread House Competition.
4) Get to Florence, Alabama in two hours.
For music lovers like me, you can tour The W.C. Handy Museum and Library, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, and FAME Studios. Stop by The Rosenbaum House; it’s the only Frank Lloyd Wright structure in the state. Don’t miss a photo op at the iconic Old Railroad Bridge, the oldest in Alabama, where the site boasts plenty of stories for history buffs. Visit Ivy Green, the home of Helen Keller. If you’re staying overnight the GunRunner Hotel and The STRICKLIN Hotel come highly recommended.
5) And last, but certainly not least, visit New Orleans when the weather is prime.
Go antiquing on Magazine Street. Visit The National WW II Museum, The Butterfly Garden at the Audubon Insectarium, and Jackson Square. Score tickets to a Saints game. Try the turtle soup. Order Bananas Foster at Brennan’s where the dish was created. Everyone you know has their cuisine recs. Some of my personal favorites are: Blue Crab Beignets and anything with turtle at La Petite Grocery, sushi at Luvi, spaghetti and dessert at Bywater American Bistro, and a Flaming Dr. Pepper at the Gold Mine Saloon.
