Scenic Fall Road Trip Ideas for a Small Budget

A road trip in the fall is the perfect opportunity to take the family to the best parts of the U.S. The season’s cooler weather means earlier sunsets, falling leaves and festive holidays, so start planning now.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, it’s wise to call ahead to make sure your desired destinations will be open. It would also be a good idea to have a stash of hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes to help keep germs at bay, such as if you dine in a restaurant or stay at a hotel.

To give you some seasonal travel inspiration, here are 25 road trips to take this fall, no matter where you are in the country. Then find out what affordable destinations all car lovers should visit.

Last updated: Oct. 5, 2020

Parkway Road Trip

Starting point: Charlottesville, Virginia
Ending point: Asheville, North Carolina
Distance: 469 miles

The Parkway winds through the Blue Ridge Mountains, offering stunning views and connecting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. It’s been named America’s Favorite Drive and is one of the most-visited parts of the national park system.

This drive is also a great road trip to get a look at the colors of fall among the trees. Be aware, however, that the Blue Ridge Parkway is not maintained during the winter months and may be closed in late fall.

You can get a room at the Pisgah Inn, which offers the highest elevation lodging on the Blue Ridge Parkway, for $180 per night during the week.

Kancamagus Highway Road Trip

Starting point: Lincoln, New Hampshire
Ending point: Conway, New Hampshire
Distance: 34.5 miles

This American Scenic Byway cuts through White Mountain National Forest and offers breathtaking views — among them the White Mountain and Swift River. During autumn, this scenic drive is the perfect way to take in the beautiful fall foliage.

Be aware, though: Along this stretch of New Hampshire Route 112, there are no gas stations, restaurants or hotels. There’s only one rustic cabin — Radeke Cabin — that can be rented for $65 per day plus a $9 reservation fee. If you choose to stay here, take disinfecting supplies to wipe down potentially germ-laden surfaces in the room and restroom.

Big Bend Scenic Loop Road Trip

Starting point: Panther Junction Visitor Center, Big Bend National Park, Texas
Ending point: Panther Junction Visitor Center, Big Bend National Park, Texas
Distance: 100 miles

A drive through this vast and isolated park in Western Texas offers stunning views of massive canyons, mountains, desert expanses and the Rio Grande River.

It’s important to drive within the 45 mph speed limit and watch for wildlife along the road — especially at night. Those who want to drive through the park’s backcountry on dirt roads need to make sure they have a high-clearance vehicle with four-wheel drive.

At this time, Big Bend National Park is only partially open due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While you can visit the park and enjoy many of its natural amenities, the park’s lodge and restaurant and some of the campgrounds are closed. However, you can make reservations for the Chisos Basin campground for $16 per night if you want to sleep under the stars. The entrance fee to get into Big Bend National Park is $30 for a seven-day pass.

High Road to Taos Road Trip

Starting point: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Ending point: Taos, New Mexico
Distance: 105 miles

For a perfect leaf-peeping road trip this fall, consider a High Road to Taos road trip. You’ll be captivated as you navigate the twists and turns through the scenic Sangre de Cristo mountain range, passing artist colonies and villages with well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture along the way. The drive can take several hours if you make stops on the way to Taos, which draws visitors to its art galleries and historic sites. You can find lodging at the Taos Inn — an inn certified by the state of New Mexico as having COVID-safe practices — with rooms starting at around $116 per night.

Million Dollar Highway Road Trip

Starting point: Montrose, Colorado
Ending point: Durango, Colorado
Distance: 105 miles

If you drive from Montrose to Durango on U.S. Route 550, you’ll pass through a 25-mile stretch from Ouray to Silverton that’s called the Million Dollar Highway. It’s considered one of the most dangerous roads in the U.S. — but also one of the most spectacular. There are no guardrails or shoulders, the drop-offs are steep and the curves are sharp. But there are stunning views of Uncompahgre Gorge and the San Juan Mountains. Weather and road closures can be unpredictable in the mountains, so always check road conditions ahead of time.

At the end of the drive, you can find accommodations in Durango — such as Best Western Durango Inn & Suites, which has rooms from $120 per night. Best Western properties boast industry-leading cleaning standards in response to COVID-19.

Columbia River Highway Road Trip

Starting point: Troutdale, Oregon
Ending point: The Dalles, Oregon
Distance: 70 miles

Not only will you get views of Oregon’s beautiful fall foliage along the Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway on this road trip, you’ll also see spectacular waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge. Additionally, the route is marked by sheer cliffs, forests and mountain views.

You’ll find various lodging options along this scenic byway, including the Columbia Gorge Hotel & Spa that has rooms starting at $109 night. Before you make reservations, however, learn about the hotel’s response to COVID-19.

Read: Ways To Save on Your Next Hotel Stay

Tail of the Dragon Road Trip

Starting point: Deals Gap, North Carolina
Ending point: Tabcat Creek Bridge, Tennessee
Distance: 11 miles

Motorcyclists and sports car drivers flock to this portion of U.S. Route 129 along the Tennessee/North Carolina state line that has 318 curves in 11 miles. You’ll have to stick to the 30 mph speed limit — or even slower — to handle the curves and enjoy the scenery of the Great Smoky Mountains. But you’ll definitely get your fill of colorful autumnal leaves.

There are various lodging options in the area, including motels, resorts, lodges and vacation homes. Rooms at Fontana Village Resort and Marina — which is just 7 miles from the Tail of the Dragon — starting at $113 per night. This resort doesn’t have any COVID-19 cleaning protocols posted on its website, but you can call to ask.

Black River Scenic Byway Road Trip

Starting point: Bessemer, Michigan
Ending point: Black River Harbor, Michigan
Distance: 11 miles

Highway 513, which is designated as National Forest Scenic Byway, winds through Ottawa National Forest in Michigan along the Black River. The highlights of a drive are the several waterfalls that require short hikes to reach, as well as the countless hardwood trees bursting with fall colors. You can find lodging in nearby Ironwood. For example, rates at the Black River Lodge start at $125 per night. Call ahead for the lodge’s response to COVID-19.

Scenic Byway 12 Road Trip

Starting point: U.S. Highway 89, near Panguitch, Utah
Ending point: Torrey, Utah
Distance: 124 miles

Scenic Byway 12 will provide travelers with a spectacular fall road trip, because it winds through some of the most remote yet awe-inspiring landscape of Utah. Along the route, the scenery ranges from alpine meadows and aspen trees in Dixie National Forest to towering red rock formations called hoodoos in Bryce Canyon National Park.

Bryce Canyon National Park is allowing full access to visitors, but COVID-19 precautions are in place.

The road has sharp curves and narrow shoulders in parts, and cell phone service isn’t available in many areas. Camping is available in the parks along the byway. You also can find lodging in motels like the Bryce Canyon Pines Motel, which has rooms with rates from $85 per night.

Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip

Starting point: Monterey, California
Ending point: Pismo Beach, California
Distance: 155 miles

The Pacific Coast Highway is considered one of the best American road trips. As it winds along the Central California coast, this highway offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, quaint beach towns and roadside attractions to explore. Additionally, fall is the perfect time to check out the Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove, where you can observe tons of migrating monarch butterflies from November to February each year.

You can find a variety of lodging options like the Shore Cliff Hotel in Pismo Beach, where room rates start at $149 per night in November. According to the hotel’s website, enhanced cleaning techniques and social distancing measures are being implemented to protect employees and guests.

Route 6 Massachusetts Road Trip

Starting point: Sagamore, Massachusetts
Ending point: Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Distance: 160 miles

You can easily make the road trip to Cape Cod in a day, but spreading it out over several days gives you the chance to stop and explore some of the oldest towns in America. The best time to leaf-peek is mid-October or later. You can also take in Cape Cod National Seashore, which features beaches, marshes and ponds.

You can find a variety of accommodations on the way, such as the Hyannis Travel Inn, which has rooms starting at $83 per night. Beware, though: Massachusetts is under a COVID-19 travel order, which applies to visitors from certain states.

Bourbon Trail Road Trip

Starting point: Stanton, Kentucky
Ending point: Bardstown, Kentucky
Distance: 116 miles

Start your road trip in Stanton, where you can visit the Red River Gorge, which offers some of the best fall colors in Kentucky starting in mid-October. Then, continue your travel across the state — aka the birthplace of bourbon — to see how “America’s Official Native Spirit” is crafted at the nine distilleries along the Bourbon Trail. Not only can you tour and sample the bourbon at distilleries like Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark, you’ll also see some of state’s most beautiful horse farms. Just don’t drink and drive.

There are numerous lodging options, including Bourbon Manor Bed & Breakfast Inn in Bardstown that has rooms starting at $189 per night. The inn’s website states that it is following COVID-19 recommendations provided by the CDC and the WHO.

Park Loop Road, Acadia National Park Road Trip

Starting point: Hulls Cove Visitor Center, Acadia National Park, Maine
Ending point: Hulls Cove Visitor Center, Acadia National Park, Maine
Distance: 27 miles

You can see the mountains, forests and rocky shoreline — as well as the fall foliage — of Acadia National Park on Maine’s Mount Desert Island as you drive along Park Loop Road. Drive slowly, though, because there is lots of wildlife.

Unfortunately, the park’s campgrounds are remaining closed for the 2020 season. But the town of Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island has accommodations like the Bar Harbor Grand Hotel, where rates start at $139 per night. The hotel’s website states that many of their cleaning protocols go beyond CDC recommendations.

Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway Road Trip

Starting point: Grand Island, Nebraska
Ending point: Alliance, Nebraska
Distance: 272 miles

This stretch of Highway 2 takes you through the Nebraska Sandhills and along wetlands, marshes and rivers, where millions of birds stop along their migration routes. You can learn about pioneer life at the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer in Grand Island, visit working ranches or see the largest hand-planted forest in the world at Nebraska National Forest.

You can find a variety of lodging, such as the Cobblestone Hotel and Suites in Seward, Nebraska, where rooms start at $90 per night.

Lake Erie and Lake Ontario Shorelines Drive

Starting point: Dunkirk, New York
Ending point: Cape Vincent, New York
Distance: 276 miles

You can see both of the Great Lakes that border New York — Lake Erie and Lake Ontario — plus colorful fall leaves, if you travel from Dunkirk to Cape Vincent. Along the way, take a short detour to the breathtaking Niagara Falls.

Find lodging at the end of the trip in Cape Vincent, where Lake Ontario meets the St. Lawrence River. For example, a room at The Roxy will run you $157 and up per night. No COVID-19 information is easily found on the hotel’s website; call ahead to see if it is implementing CDC guidelines before booking.

Pacific Northwest Wine Country Road Trip

Starting point: Salem, Oregon
Ending point: Walla Walla, Washington
Distance: 288 miles

Wine lovers can get their fill as they drive from Salem, Oregon, to Walla Walla, Washington. Salem lies within Oregon’s largest wine-making region — Willamette Valley — home to more than 100 wineries. You’ll also enjoy fantastic fall foliage during October on this drive.

From RV parks to hotels, there’s a range of lodging options. For example, rates for rooms at A Room with a View Bed and Breakfast start at $140 per night with a two-night minimum.

Great River Road Trip

Starting point: Minnesota
Ending point: Louisiana
Distance: 3,000 miles

Follow the route of the Mississippi River from its origin in Minnesota to where it meets the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana with a road trip along the Great River Road National Scenic Byway. As you pass through 10 states, you’ll see small and large cities — including Minneapolis, St. Louis and New Orleans. In the northern areas, you’ll also take in the beauty of brilliant red, yellow and gold leaves.

Depending on where you decide to start and end your trip, you will need lodging for several nights. Rates will vary depending on the property and city, but you can stay right on the riverfront for $110 per night at Alma Home Style Lodging in Alma, Wis.

Try: 60 Things To Do in America at Least Once in Your Life

Big Island Loop Road Trip

Starting point: Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Ending point: Mauna Kea, Hawaii
Distance: 300 miles

Although Hawaii may not seem like a fall destination, it is if you want to save money — fall is not considered a peak season. Plus, starting Oct. 15th, the state is offering a pre-travel testing program as an alternative to the 14-day quarantine to make it easier to travel there.

If you want to see the most of Hawaii’s Big Island, drive along this series of connecting highways that will take you past jungles, beaches, mountains and active lava flows. You can start at sea level in Kailua-Kona, then make your way to the 13,796-foot summit of Mauna Kea. And if you’re interested in seeing the annual humpback whale migration, visit the islands of Maui or Kaua’i starting in November.

You can get a room at the Old Hawaiian B&B in Hilo, Hawaii for $130 a night.

Southern Colorado Loop Road Trip

Starting point: Durango, Colorado
Ending point: Durango, Colorado
Distance: 500 miles

Take a tour of Southern Colorado as you drive from Durango to Great Sand Dunes National Park — which has the tallest dunes in North America — to Gunnison, then through the Red Mountain Pass back to Durango. Peak fall colors throughout these areas emerge through September. You can stop along the way in Almont at Three Rivers Resort, which has lodge rooms and cabins starting at $98 per day.

Blues Highway Road Trip

Starting point: Nashville, Tennessee
Ending point: New Orleans
Distance: 657 miles

Route 61, known as Blues Highway, offers music lovers the chance to listen to live music, explore famous recording studios and visit Graceland, the home of the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. The trip could take several days, but there are various lodging options along the way, including the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, which has rooms starting at $169 per night. It also has ducks — yes, ducks — that march to the lobby fountain twice a day. According to its website, the Peabody is implementing enhanced safety and sanitizing procedures to keep guests and employees safe.

National Parks Tour Road Trip

Starting point: Jackson, Wyoming
Ending point: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Distance: 180 miles

Taking a fall road trip to these national parks in Wyoming is a great idea because the summer crowds have thinned out. But be aware that some park campgrounds may close in September or early October. Start in Jackson and head north through Grand Teton National Park, where you’ll see wildlife, beautiful lakes and the spectacular Teton Range.

Then continue north to Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first national park and home to Old Faithful geyser, where peak fall foliage times are September through the first week in October. It’s also elk mating season, and you’ll likely hear the eerie bugling calls of the elk as they answer the call of nature.

Yellowstone offers a variety of campgrounds on which to pitch your tent or park your RV, starting at $33 per night, or choose the park’s lodging starting at $188 per night.

Southwest National Parks Road Trip

Starting point: Grand Canyon National Park (North Rim), Arizona
Ending point: Moab, Utah
Distance: 862 miles

Take a tour of some of America’s most spectacular national parks, starting with the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona.

From there, head north to Utah’s Zion National Park — where you’ll see massive sandstone cliffs and deep, narrow canyons — then to nearby Bryce Canyon National Park to see the world’s largest collection of hoodoos (soft rock topped by harder rock that turns into dramatic spires). Continue driving north through Canyonlands National Park, then finish your trip at Arches National Park near Moab, which has more than 2,000 natural stone arches.

You will need to make multiple lodging stops on this trip. The national parks have campgrounds with varying fees. For example, camping fees for individuals at Arches National Park are $25 per night. Be aware that many national parks are in various stages of reopening, so some amenities and attractions may not be available at this time.

New Mexico-Texas Road Trip

Starting point: Las Cruces, New Mexico
Ending point: Las Cruces, New Mexico
Distance: 950 miles

Take the lonely highways of Southern New Mexico and West Texas to see the world’s largest gypsum dune field at White Sands National Monument, the spectacular caves of Carlsbad Caverns National Park, the Rio Grande in Big Bend Ranch State Park and the artsy desert town of Marfa, Texas. As you head back to Las Cruces, make a detour to Roswell, New Mexico, to visit the International UFO Museum.

Plan to make several stops during this trip. You can find lodging at spots such as Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces for $103 per night.

Mohawk Trail Road Trip

Starting point: Williamstown, Massachusetts
Ending point: Athol, Massachusetts
Distance: 69 miles

One of the first auto-touring roads, the Mohawk Trail — Route 2 — passes through forests and historic towns and by five major rivers. It’s famous for its Hairpin Turn, where there are views of four states. Plus, this drive is considered one of the most spectacular for viewing fall foliage in New England. For lodging, you can stay at the mountain-top Whitcomb Summit Retreat in Florida, Mass., for $109 and up per night.

Hana Highway Road Trip

Starting point: Kahului, Hawaii
Ending point: Hana, Hawaii
Distance: 52 miles

A road trip to Hawaii could be the perfect getaway to break the COVID-19 blues — especially since fall is not the state’s peak tourist season.

Hana Highway will take you along Maui’s eastern coast — where you’ll get beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean on one side of the road and cliffs, jungles and waterfalls on the other. You’ll want to take your time not only to enjoy the spectacular scenery but also to safely navigate the highway’s 600 curves. You can stay at the Garden Room guest cottage for as low as $165.50 per night.

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Cynthia Measom contributed to the reporting for this article.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Scenic Fall Road Trip Ideas for a Small Budget