Maybe you keep the windows rolled down; maybe you curate a fall playlist from Spotify, maybe you stop at farm stands along the way for the last bounty of summer’s harvest. Fall is a great time to take a road trip – less traffic, less heat and possibly more colorful than summer trips. A good fall road trip is a great way to keep that quick glamping getaway feeling alive and well. Here are a few ideas:
Seattle, Washington to Cannon Beach, Oregon:
We recommend starting from Tall Chief Campground at the end of your glamping stay there. Your trip will be roughly 200 miles or 4 hours with no traffic and no stops. Stops add to your timeframe, but also to your adventure. Don’t take the quick way – we promise it’s worth the time. Make sure to book a cabin or cottage at Thousand Trails Seaside as your home base in the Cannon Beach area. Washington’s capital, Olympia, is on the way. A stop here could include a visit to the farmers market (open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.); the Billy Frank Jr Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge (about 20 minutes out of Olympia) to see coyotes, eagles, herons and more roaming the refuge; or tour the State Capitol Building and grounds. Aberdeen, the childhood hometown of Kurt Cobain, is also a possible stop if you love Nirvana or just music nostalgia. There is also the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport here. By the time you reach the charming coastal city of Astoria, Oregon, you’re almost there, but there are several things to see here too. The Oregon Film Museum is one of these – it’s a small museum dedicated to the films and television productions filmed in Oregon that includes paraphernalia from “The Goonies”, “Twilight” and “Kindergarten Cop” among others. There’s also the Astoria Column, to commemorate the settlement of the West; Fort Clatsop, a replica of the Lewis and Clark encampment and the scenic riverwalk. Then on to Cannon Beach – don’t miss Haystack Rock, Ecola State Park and the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse.
Houston, Texas to Dallas, Texas:
If you’ve spent time glamping at Thousand Trails Lake Conroe, most likely you’ve taken in the highlights of Houston, including Space Center Houston, the Houston Zoo and beautiful Hermann Park. Now it’s time to meander north to the Big D, aka Dallas and see what there is to see along the way. One stop to consider would be the college town of College Station, home of Texas A&M. Buy your Aggie gear, visit The Gardens, the college’s living classroom full of flora and fauna, or grab a quick bite at the many restaurants ranging with a variety of fare from wood-fired pizza to soul food. Back on the road and you may want to consider another stop in Waco – that is if you’re interested in prehistoric animals! In Waco, you will find the Waco Mammoth National Monument. This is the site that in 1978, paleontologists began the dig that eventually unearthed the bones of a nursery herd of Columbian mammoths, dating back 1 million years. Have you heard of the Pierogi Path? The town of West, Texas, is on the Pierogi Path, a route that celebrates the Czech heritage of the area and of course, has bakeries and shops along the route that offer Czech specialties like kolaches and pierogies. Don’t miss the Czech Stop and the Little Czech Bakery which can be found in West. On to Dallas, where your glamping cabins can be found at Thousand Trails Bay Landing or Thousand Trails Lake Whitney. Dallas attractions can include the Dallas Museum of Art, the Sixth Floor Museum and Dealey Plaza commemorating President John F. Kennedy, the Bishop Arts District, and White Rock Lake. If you’re visiting Dallas between now and November 1, don’t miss Autumn at the Arboretum, a spectacular harvest festival with pumpkins, a Goth Garden and more, put on by the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden.
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