We traditionally think of summer as festival season, but as we cover in Issue #7, fall makes a strong case for itself as the best time of year for festival travel. Come October, the vaunted Oktoberfests take over the country, and everyone and their brother are throwing a beer festival. As the weather becomes more forgiving, outdoor adventure festivals come to the fore, and Halloween means everyone can get a little weird. The leaves are changing, costumes are coming out, and maybe it starts to seem like a good idea to go to West Virginia and jump off a bridge (more on that below). The vibes are wide-ranging in October, and we have destinations and festivals that capture them all, from apple cider to unidentified — and identified — flying objects.
Albuquerque, N.M.
It’s all about balloons in October in Albuquerque. Unless you walk around outside with your eyes closed, it’s tough to miss the hundreds of colorful hot air balloons flooding the sky during the launch hours of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. It’s a spectacular sight, and if you can stomach the idea of flying in an open-air basket, you should book a tour on one of the balloons. Back on the ground, though, this is a city made for the spooky season, with a history of UFO sightings and abandoned space ports. Keep an eye out for Dia de los Muertos celebrations, and take advantage of the cooler weather to explore the desert, which has its own eerie, awesome energy. The best homebase for a turn in the sand is El Chaco, a building inspired by nearby Native American architectural sites and one of our Greatest Hotels Ever. Its rooftop restaurant Level 5, helmed by chef Sean Sinclair, who recently took over for Marc Quiñones, serves a take on New Mexican cuisine so good you’ll still be talking about it at Thanksgiving.
Burlington, Vt.
There is no more classic fall vista than that of Vermont’s Green mountains as they turn every shade of orange and red, and Burlington is an ideal place to see the arboreal show. Because the state is so far north, you might want to come earlier in the month to catch the leaves at peak bloom, but even if the brilliance has waned, Burlington is rife with activities and landscapes that will make you scrunch up your shoulders and say “I love the fall” as a breeze nips your face. There’s Lake Chaplin, along which is the eminently walkable Burlington Bike Path, as well as literally any second spent in the countryside immediately outside of the city. The locally-brewed cider and beer game is strong here, and a great place to try them is at Halvorson’s on Church Street. Halvorson’s is actually a favorite of singer Grace Potter, who gives us her guide to Burlington in Issue #7. Get all of her Burlington recommendations on stands on September 2.
Chicago
“Chicago is the most romantic city in the world,”we wrote in our essay “Why I love: Chicago.” And that romance crests in October when Chicago puts her best foot forward. The weather is at its scarf-wrapped best, Lake Michigan takes on an extra sheen in the cool air, and, with Halloween on the horizon, the city gets to lean into some of its more eccentric aspects. You can see what lurks in the self-proclaimed “world’s largest corn maze” at Richardson Farm, and try your luck at none other than the Lincoln Park Zoo. The zoo is built atop a cemetery that holds tens of thousands of people, and is said to be frequented by a few of their ghosts, all of whom have a penchant for Victorian dress. But let us among the living not forget the city’s food — and its beer. Stop by the restaurants featured in The Bear, which are just as delicious off screen, and then Chicago Beer Fest, where you can imbibe under the skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex named Sue at the Field Museum after hours.
Fayetteville, W. Va.
Fayetteville, W.V. While Albuquerque is sending people up into the air this October, Fayetteville is sending them down. Off the longest steel span bridge in the Western hemisphere. Over the New River. We’re talking about Bridge Day, the daredevil festival that happens every fall in Fayetteville. Hundreds of people will BASE jump off of the New River Gorge Bridge and thousands more will watch them, safely installed on the river’s edge, cookouts going in full force. Even if you choose not to partake in the more extreme sports of the month, Fayetteville is one of the best places in the country for quality time in nature. You can bike along the river, hop in a raft and take to its waters, or retrace the steps of the Hatfield-McCoy’s. Or you’ll do just as well by simply taking in the scenery from the funky arts town of Fayetteville. “Forests cover 78% of West Virginia, and that number seems drastically low,” we write in Issue #7. “My guess is something closer to 200%.” In October, all 200% will be turning orange.
