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Autumn is here, and I would bet you think leaf-peeping is not going to get your heart-pumping.  Well, when I read this article by NBC NEWS TRAVEL, it certainly changed my mind!  Read on for some great ideas.

“Travelers these days can experience autumn foliage in a mind-boggling number of ways: floating over treetops in hot air balloons, paddling kayaks down rivers and lakes, or zip-lining high above the forest floor. There are even tree-climbing lessons.”

Leaf peeping sure isn’t what it used to be. Especially as aging boomers become more health-conscious.  So get out there and move through the foliage!

Here is a list of 5 leaf-peeping adventures.

Tree climbing in Connecticut
“Climbing trees is a regular activity for many children, yet most adults rarely do it. But what better way to see the turning leaves than being in up in the treetops among them? Tree Climb Connecticut, based in Manchester, offers several ways for want-to-be arborists ages 7 to 70, to experience the fall foliage. “You can climb up to 80 feet into the canopy of a forest for a truly awesome view,” the website notes, enjoying “the Peter Pan feeling as you “float ” in the forest, learn to walk on a limb, swing from the tree tops, or even descend past limbs like an elevator past floors.” In 1-½ day long Recreational Tree Climbing classes, participants learn how to climb on their own.”

Guided walking in Vermont
Country Walkers, a company that specializes in active travel, offers a number of hiking and walking tours that take-in fall foliage, including a six-day, five-night guided walking tour: Vermont Fall Foliage-Goshen to Stowe. Travelers on foot journey on trails through rolling hills, lush meadows and forests. “You’re out in the leaves. You can smell them and hear the crunch under your feet,” said Carolyn Walters Fox, who handles the company’s marketing and media relations. “Pumpkins are all ripe in the fields.” On a clear day, foliage in three states and Quebec can be viewed from Mount Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak.

Boating on Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri
The Lake of the Ozarks, a man-made lake about 175 miles from St. Louis, runs 92 miles end to end and is surrounded by state parks and the Ozark Mountains. “Our fall is in full swing right now,” said Rebecca Green, a spokeswoman for the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau, of the region that prides itself on everything from its hiking trails to its world-class boating. “With our rolling hills and the colors we get along the 1,150 mile shoreline, it’s hard to beat.”

Ziplining in Asheville, N.C.
Navitat Canopy Adventures, based in a secluded mountain cove in the Southern Appalachians, promises an adventure through the treetops that harkens back to the carefree days of childhood, soaring high above the forest floor while taking the epic scenery of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The company’s small, personalized groups of no more than eight guests and two highly trained guides, are educational, it says, and boast some of the longest and highest ziplines in the Southeast. “The views are phenomenal” said Marla Tambellini

Floating and soaring above in Hocking Hills, Ohio
Soaring above Hocking Hills, located about 40 miles southeast of Columbus, in a small plane is one of the best ways to see the stunning fall tapestries of color in the some 10,000 acres of lush forests, lakes and distinctive geological formations, locals say. Hocking Hills Scenic Air Tours offers panoramic, aerial views that get close enough to waterfalls “to see water actually coming off the rocks, and see into caves,” said Harry Sowers, a pilot of 44 years and flight instructor who owns the company.  At only about $80 for two for a 20 minute ride, it is affordable.

Enjoy the crisp fall weather, folks.  Fall in love with the scenery.  Get out there and move!  If you’d enjoy reading the full article, click HERE.

Your Active Travel Pro

Bobbie Rae Murphy