The Best Autumn Weekend Road Trips

DAY 2 – 191 miles. Wake up in Santa Fe to a cheery morning meal at Dolina Bakery & Café. Or, grab a fresh pastry and your favorite cup of joe at the hip 35˚ North Coffee and Pastelaria in downtown. Take it slow on US-84 N to the High Road to the Taos Scenic Byway via Pojoaque. Follow the Enchanted Circle Drive signs. This popular trek is rich in autumn colors and you’ll see some of the oldest rocks in the southwest (two-billion-year-old quartz and feldspar, to be exact). Stop for lunch about halfway on the loop in Eagles Nest at either Among Friends or the Eagles Nest Café. At the end of the loop, you’ll find yourself back in Taos. Stroll through the historic downtown district or visit the Couse-Sharp Historic Site. Take State Route 68 south out of Taos to Embudo and make a quick stop at the unique Classical Gas Museum. Then, follow the roads through Santa Fe onto I-25 back into Albuquerque. If you have the time, visit either the Albuquerque Museum or the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. Finally, check into your Albuquerque hotel and step out for a bite at Antiquity—a rustic steakhouse with an intimate setting. If counter-serve is more your speed, check out Frontier Restaurant—a local favorite serving homestyle southwestern food since 1971. Or, dine in a retro spot with whimsical décor and traditional diner eats at 66 Diner.

Pro Tip: Your adventures in the Land of Enchantment don’t necessarily have to end after dinner. Consider taking a haunted history tour of Old Town Albuquerque with #AbqTours. It’s a mildly spooky, family-friendly outing that makes for the perfect end to your New Mexico road trip.

DAY 2 – 213 miles. On your second day, you’ll leave Green Bay early and take a detour (via Lost Dauphin Road) down the Fox River to visit The River Coffee and Cream in tiny Wrightstown. Here you can sip your morning coffee and enjoy some small bites with stunning river and bridge views. Afterward, take the back roads to WI-55 and connect with US-10 W into Appleton/Menasha. Find your way into Neenah (just south of Appleton) and take a morning stroll through gorgeous Kimberly Point Park. Then, pay a visit to the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass—or, skip it and follow Park Ave south to Commercial St. Connect with US-45 S along the shores of Lake Winnebago through Oshkosh and drive into Fond du Lac. Tour the beautiful Gottfried Prairie & Arboretum, or head straight into the Lowlands via WI-175 S and County Road P to the WI-16 Bypass E. Follow the WI-67 Bypass S into Oconomowoc. Then, take WI-67 S into Eagle to visit the Old World Wisconsin historic site and museum to see life as it was on a 19th-century farmstead.

Your Lowlands adventure continues in the incomparable town of Lake Geneva. Take a scenic drive on any of the rustic roads and visit any of the beaches along the lake—the autumn colors here are considered some of the best in the country. Enjoy lunch at the historic lakefront Oakfire bistro; and then, visit the Geneva Lake Museum if you have the time. Turn northwest and finish out your day in Milwaukee. If you arrive early enough, you can take a tour of the Original Cheesehead Factory—a Milwaukee must-do. Then, head into the historic Third Ward to visit Lakeshore State Park for awesome views and the Milwaukee Pierhead Lighthouse. Round out your adventure with a tasty meal from a New American menu that changes daily in a rustic setting (plus local beers and elevated cocktails) at Morel. Or, head to Harbor House—an upscale seafood restaurant with city skyline and Lake Michigan views before turning in for the night at your Milwaukee hotel.

DAY 2 – 175 miles. Grab a coffee and a crepe (or a vegan breakfast offering) from Starving Artist Creperie and Cafe. Or, take a detour up to Dalton near the southeastern corner of Pittsfield to Stacie’s Corner Café for some real breakfast delights. Connect with the Mount Greylock Scenic Byway via Lanesborough and take the 16-mile byway up and around the state’s highest peak in the Berkshires. Only open until November 1 each year due to snow, the Mount Greylock State Reservation became the state’s first wilderness park in 1898. Now, it’s offers one of the state’s prettiest drives. Stop by the Mount Greylock Visitor Center and check out the War Memorial tower near the summit. Next, leave one scenic byway for another in North Adams. The Mohawk Trail Scenic Byway runs all the way to Orange, just outside Westminster. Along the way, visit the Hail to the Sunrise Park, check out the Bissell Covered Bridge, and see the “glacial potholes” at Shelburne Falls. Once in Westminster, stop for lunch at the family-run 1761 Old Mill restaurant housed in a circa-1761 rustic mill.

After your midday meal, connect to the Union Turnpike (MA-111) and then take Barretts Mill Road at the roundabout onto the Battle Road Scenic Byway. You’ll find dozens of historical stops on this byway (via Massachusetts Ave) through Concord, Lexington and Arlington. In Concord, you can tour the Ralph Waldo Emerson House, visit the Bloody Angle - 1775, and see the Paul Revere Capture Site. But if you only have time for one stop, make it the Minute Man National Historical Park. Stay on Massachusetts Ave to drive through historic Harvard University, then continue your autumn splendor history tour at any of Boston’s top historical attractions, like Boston National Historical Park, the USS Constitution Museum, and both the Old State House and Old South Meeting House. Finally, it’s time to check into your Boston hotel; and then, finish out your day with a meal at Yvonne’s. This hidden supper club offers handsome décor and refined eats. Or, you can check out the Libertine. It’s just a short walk from the Paul Revere House and serves up a fun spin on American classics.

DAY 2 – 289 miles. Your second day is more about the drive than the actual stops. Wake up in Cave City and skip town early to take KY-70 N through Brownsville onto KY-259 into tiny Bee Spring. Have your morning meal at the adorable Bee Spring Restaurant. Then, take KY-238 W from Bee Spring to KY-185 N into Caneyville, where you’ll hop on the Western Kentucky Parkway (or, US-62 for the more scenic route) west into Grand Rivers. Stop by Lighthouse Landing historical landmark for a photo-op. Then, grab a bite for lunch at Lite Side Café for homemade goodness and a cozy atmosphere. Or, check out Patti’s 1880’s Settlement. Next, cross the bridge over the Barkley Canal onto the Woodlands Trace National Scenic Byway into the gorgeous Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.

You’ll experience an autumn feast for the eyes along this stretch of road. Start with a short stop at the North Welcome Station. Then, drive the Elk & Bison Prairie loop. Visit the Golden Pond Visitor Center and Planetarium, and then take a hike along the Central Hardwoods Scenic Trail for autumn colors up close. Cross into Tennessee and stop by the Homeplace 1850s Working Farm. You can also stop by the South Welcome Station (or skip it if you already visited the North station) on your way out. Take US-79 E through Clarksville and connect to KY-12 S to follow the Cumberland River into Nashville. While here, take a walk through Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, snap a photo of the Tennessee State Capitol, and visit Arts District & Downtown. There you’ll find the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum and the world-famous Ryman Auditorium. Before checking into your Nashville hotel, stop by the Skulls Rainbow Room for American fare served in 1948-speakeasy-style digs. If small plates and craft cocktails is more your style, check out Black Rabbit. After dinner, take an evening walk down the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge for beautiful city views—the perfect way to round out your autumn weekend road trip.