4 Unique Autumn Family Trips
With summer coming to an end and the door opening up to a cool, lush autumn, most families will have packed up their tents, stored their passports away for another summer, and called it quits on traveling for the rest of the year. That being said, the fall months offer some of the most unique travel experiences that families can take advantage of, while also saving quite a bit of money (autumn is famously the cheapest season to travel during).
Also, we’re making this a U.S. and Canada-wide list to be inclusive to all of our North American families. So, no matter where you’re located, we have a family trip recommendation tailored just for you.
Stratford, Ontario
As you might gather from the name (similar to the birthplace of William Shakespeare), this city in Ontario is well-known for their theater productions and annual Stratford Festival. While each ‘season’ lasts between April and October, making the trek out to Stratford in early to mid autumn just breathes an entirely different life into the trip. Can you just imagine sitting in the cafe with family and friends, breathing in the soothing scent of petrichor after an autumn rainfall and anticipating the wonderful shows you’ll see later that evening?
This fall, families can see several Shakespearean productions, such as All’s Well That Ends Well, Hamlet, and Richard III, as well as some other well known plays like Chicago, Little Women, and 1939. All while strolling through the charming town of Stratford, sipping hot apple cider, visiting the Shakespearean Gardens, and walking around some of the quaint, local shops.
Banff, Alberta
While Banff is a popular resort town that gains a lot of traction in the winter months, there’s still something to be said about visiting during the fall. For one, just like with the other recommendations on this list, autumn is a perfect time of year to visit if you’re looking for a quieter experience with your family (it won’t be net zero, but the visit will definitely be less crowded than when tourists start flocking in for winter sightseeing).
For two, the experience is completely unique and different from what visitors will encounter during any other season. The air is permeated with the scent of pine trees, the wind is brisk and cool during hikes without the usual winter bone-chilling quality to it, and the Banff hot springs are particularly enjoyable without snow covering the surrounding landscape (this may be fun for some, but anyone with small children can tell you how quickly this would become a nightmare).
Disney World, Orlando, Florida
Just as the introduction to this article explained, Disney World is just one of those seminal family trips that only gets better during the fall months. The weather is slightly cooler, most of the usual park goers have long since gone back to school (leaving the parks less crowded than during the high summer months), and you’ll get to experience all of the fun Halloween vibes that are reserved exclusively for late September and all throughout October.
There are a plethora of Halloween-themed attractions and events happening throughout the parks during these months. From Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom to a variety of trick-or-treat stations scattered around the parks, there’s just an extra level of excitement in the air.
Families making a Disney World trip during the fall months get perks upon perks as not only are there tons of fun attractions for kids, but adults can also let loose and indulge in some of the seasonal food and beverages. Across the different properties, the smell of pumpkin spice is ripe in the air, along with candy corn and caramel apples; parents can also participate in the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival, which runs this year from July 14 to Nov. 19, 2022. The vibes are just unmistakably autumnal at Disney World from September through November, and you really couldn’t pick a better place to visit with your family.
Niagara Falls (both U.S. and Canada)
Niagara Falls was an absolute shoe-in for this list because both Canadian and American families can venture here in the fall months, as it straddles the border between our two countries. Beyond the falls themselves and getting to experience the brisk, cold air through the fall months (be sure to pack your Patagonia sweaters and corduroy pants), what makes Niagara Falls a must-visit for fall are the attractions. Specifically: the Haunted Houses.
The Haunted Houses are delightfully scary leading up to Halloween, from the House of Frankenstein to the Nightmares Fear Factory. We recommend saving this trip until everyone in the family is equipped to handle being a little scared or just keep to the more lighthearted activities, like visiting the falls or Queen Victoria Park.
If you’re not quite sure what attractions or events you want to hit when you’re in Niagara Falls, some of their blog writers on their website have taken the liberty of putting together curated tours for travelers, such as this Fall Foodie Day Trip.
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For larger family trips, this is a great way to ensure that everyone can be connected while doing their own thing; while part of the group can go enjoy a movie, the other part can go watch the sunset with a cup of hot chocolate.
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