Tag: fall festivals

Glamping Getaways for Unforgettable Fall Fun

Come fall, we exchange sun and sand destinations for those that celebrate autumn and its annual events. Some of the best places to get your fall feelings going are near some of our coziest glamping locations, so book a stay, grab your fall wardrobe, and check out these thing autumn-only things to do: 

Oktoberfest – Cincinnati:

Billed as Oktoberfest Zinzinnati to reflect the area’s German heritage, this Ohio Oktoberfest, which is also considered the largest in the United States, is set for September 17-20 and promises all kinds of fun from Dachshund races to stein hoisting competitions. Plus, there will be plenty of German food, beer and music to enjoy. Book a cabin or cottage at Thousand Trails Wilmington. 

Thousand Trails Wilmington
Urbanna Oyster Fest:

The first weekend of November brings all things oyster to Urbanna, Virginia as they host their annual Oyster Festival, a tradition for more than 65 years. Why the oyster, you ask? The area boasts an oyster heritage dating back to the mid-1800s. At this festival you can expect oysters, of course, but also live music, wine tasting, artisan crafts, parades and more. Book a stay at Bethpage Camp-Resort to be near all the fun. This year’s event is scheduled for November 6-7. 

Salem Haunted Happenings:

If you’re ready for all kinds of spooky, eerie and supernatural, visit the town of Salem, Massachusetts during the month of October. Considered one of the most haunted spots in the US thanks to the 1692 witch trials and all the surrounding events, Salem can be extra spooky come October. Plan on ghost tours, witch trial history, parades, costume events and so much more spooky fun. Book a stay at the Tuxbury Pond Tiny House Village and you’re less than 30 miles from Salem.  

Charter Street Cemetery in Salem, MA.
Epcot Food & Wine Festival:

Head to central Florida, book a stay at Encore Tropical Palms in Kissimmee and get ready to eat! Running through November 21, this festival is billed as “a culinary adventure across 6 continents.” In addition to the food and drink, there are culinary seminars and demonstrations, live music, and photo ops at this very popular event.

Encore Tropical Palms

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5 Things to do in Door County, Wisconsin

Did you know that Door County, Wisconsin is nicknamed the “Cape Cod of the Midwest?” Thanks to its miles and miles of coastline, tiny fishing villages, craggy landscape and overall charm, Wisconsin’s popular peninsula fits the moniker. Whether you come for the outdoor adventure (hiking, biking, kayaking, and more) or the unique food experiences (fish boils, all things cherry, or the Scandinavian fare), Door County makes for the perfect glamping getaway. Book a glamping cottage, cabin or yurt at Tranquil Timbers Campground, and check out these five things we found to do here: 

Tranquil Timbers Campground
1. Explore Washington Island

Take the ferry ride across Death’s Door and explore this interesting island that offers everything from unique architecture to scenic vistas, plus a few surprises that include a lavender farm (fragrantisle.com) and a pub that will give you more information on Angostura bitters than you will ever need (Nelsen’s Hall Bitter’s Pub & Restaurant.) Check out Stavkirke, a unique church built in the Norwegian architecture style, climb the 186 steps of Mountain Park Lookout Tower for an amazing view, or enjoy a stroll on the limestone rocks of Schoolhouse Beach. 

Washington Island Stavkirke
2. Do the Wine Trail:

A great way to see the area is via the Door County Wine Trail which features nine wineries spread out through tiny towns that make up Door County. The trail not only gives you the opportunity to sample the wines unique to the area but also to see the charming towns that make Door County a great destination. For more details visit doorcountywinetrail.com.

3. Visit Peninsula State Park

Wisconsin’s third largest state park encompasses over 3,700 acres with plenty of shoreline, plus miles of hiking and biking trails, and the 60-foot high Eagle Tower which offers spectacular views of Green Bay. Enjoy a picnic at Nicolet Beach, check out the 18-hole golf course, or take a tour of the historic Eagle Bluff Lighthouse. You can spend days here and never do the same thing twice!

Eagle Bluff Lighthouse at Peninsula State Park
4. Discover the History of “The Door”:

Officially, Door County was established in 1851, but the history of the area goes way beyond that. To learn all about how Door County came to be, there are plenty of places to visit. Consider a walking tour of Ephraim to see architectural heritage relating to the Moravian and Norwegian settlers; or for Belgian heritage history, visit the Belgian Heritage Center. For farming history visit the Washington Island Farming Museum or Heritage Village. The Alexander Noble House dates to 1875 and features period furniture and decor while the Jacobsen Museum is set in a lakeside cabin and exhibits historic artifacts as well as natural items.

5. Experience Fall:

From leaf peeping to apple picking, there’s plenty of fall to experience here. Festivals to consider include Autumnfest (September 12 in Baileys Harbor); Harvest Fest (September 19 in Sturgeon Bay); and the Door County Fall Lighthouse Festival (October 2-4 throughout the area). Go apple picking at Seaquist Orchards in Sister Bay, eat some cheese at Renaud’s Swiss in Sturgeon Bay and check out the corn maze at Red Barn (redbarnmaze.com). For a fall color show, check out Skyline Road in Peninsula State Park; Ellison Bluff County Park and Cave Point County Park.

Sister Bay, Wisconsin

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Autumn Adventures: Foliage, Festivals, and Frights

Fall doesn’t have to mean the end of glamping season. In fact, there is something extremely cozy and comforting about a glamping adventure as the cool, crisp air of autumn sets in. Plan ahead and glamp while enjoying these fun fall events:

Narrows Too Camping Resort
Narrows Too Camping Resort

Leaf Peeping Trips: If you’re into the beautiful colors of fall, plan to hit some of the most beautiful areas of color in the country. New England is great for fall color so check into a cozy tiny house at Tuxbury Tiny House Village in New Hampshire and you have several options to leaf peep. Color driving options include the Kancamagus Highway, the Currier and Ives Scenic Byway or the Monadnock Region Loop. All have charming towns to visit along the way. Bar Harbor, Maine, and more specifically, Acadia National Park, is another great spot for seeing the fall palette. Book a stay at Narrows Too Camping Resort and enjoy a walk in the wooded wonderland of Acadia. On the west coast, an option for fall foliage could be a trip to Thousand Trails Bend-Sunriver with a glamping stay in a cottage, cabin or yurt. Then drive the nearby McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass Scenic Byway to bask in fall’s color show.

Cottage at Wilmington RV Campground
Cottage at Wilmington RV Campground

Fall Festivals: Fall is great for festivals and a few to consider would be Oktoberfest across the country. Book a cozy tiny house at Leavenworth Tiny House Village and enjoy this spectacular event in Leavenworth, Washington that runs three weekends in October (October 4-5, October 11-12 and October 18-19). Billed as one of the country’s best, Oktoberfest Zinzinnati in Cincinnati is considered the largest Oktoberfest in the US. This year’s event will be held September 19-22. Book a glamping cottage or cabin at Thousand Trails Wilmington to be near all the fun. The skies over the Adirondack mountains will be full of hot air balloons from September 19-22 as the 50th Annual Adirondack Balloon Festival takes flight. The glamping cabins at Lake George Escape Campground are the perfect spot to stay if you want to enjoy this event that is less than 15 minutes away. How about celebrating all things cranberry? The world’s largest cranberry festival, Warrens Cranberry Festival, is scheduled for September 27-29 in Warren, Wisconsin which is a little over 70 miles from Lake of the Woods Campground and its great glamping cabins.

Family enjoying a cabin at Drummer Boy Camping Resort
Cabin at Drummer Boy Camping Resort

Ghost Tours: With Halloween looming, why not check out some of the best haunted tours in the US. According to housebeautiful.com, these are some of the best spookiest tours around: Florida’s Walking Ghost Tour of St. Augustine (book a stay at Encore Bulow in Flagler Beach); the Sisters Grimm Ghost Tour in San Antonio, Texas (stay at Thousand Trails Medina Lake); Spooked in Seattle Ghost Tours (stay at Tall Chief Campground); and Colonial Ghost Tours in Williamsburg, Virginia (stay at Thousand Trails Williamsburg). Of course, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is said to be one of the most haunted places in the world so there are plenty of ghost tours to be found here (and maybe you don’t even need one to find the spirits lurking here) If you go, plan a stay at Drummer Boy Camping Resort and check into which of the many tours strike your fancy.

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Great Fall Getaways

Toss the summer bucket list (hopefully, everything’s been crossed off), grab a pen and paper and start your Fall Bucket List which should include the following must-do fall activities.

Tailgate or College Town Visit

There’s something about a college campus in the fall that makes anybody feel young again. Whatever it is, why not check out some of these great college towns near our glamping accommodations.

Yurt at Tall Chief Campground
Yurt at Tall Chief Campground

University of Washington – a couple cool things to check out here. First off, the beautiful campus trees ablaze with fall color and also the Brockman Memorial Tree Tour, a virtual tour that identifies roughly 60 of the 480 trees found on this wooded campus. Information for the tour, which is dedicated to the memory of former UW Professor Frank Brockman, can be found at depts.washington.edu/treetour. Another fun thing – instead of tailgating, fans of the UW Huskies football team “sailgate” in nearby Union Bay’s Husky Harbor. It’s really a sight to see and most likely, one-of-a-kind when it comes to college football fun. (Rent a yurt at Tall Chief to visit UW).

University of Wisconsin – Again foliage and football are the draw here. Badger football is basically a religion in Madison. On gameday when the Badgers are at home, the Badger Bash, a family friendly event for more than 50 years, has live music, a performance by the UW-Madison Marching Band, plus food and drink. The trees on Bascom Hill are worth a look and there’s also a self-guided tour of the trees on Bascom Hill as well those on Observatory Hill. The Memorial Union, with its views of picturesque Lake Mendota is another photo-worthy spot. (Rent a cabin or cottage at Yukon Trails for Badger fun.)

Fall Festivals

Pumpkins, oom-pah bands, and the best of the best Oktoberfests should be part of your fall to-do list.

Leavenworth, Washington, hosts one of the most authentic Oktoberfests, according to travelmag.org. Book a tiny house at Leavenworth Tiny House Village to experience this bash complete with imported German beer, live entertainment, oom-pah and polka music, contests (try your luck at the stein holding contest!) and don’t miss the Keg Tapping Ceremony on Saturdays. Leavenworth’s Oktoberfest will be held over three weekends (September 30-October 1; October 7-8; and October 14-15.)

Another noteworthy Oktoberfest is the one held in Fredericksburg, Texas. The 42nd Oktoberfest is set for September 30-October 2 this year and highlights will include the Hauptstrasse Chicken Dance featuring 400 dancers, the Family Dirndle and Lederhosen Contest, and a Yodel Contest. Come celebrate Fredericksburg’s German heritage with plenty of German food and drink. Don’t miss this one – book a cozy cabin at Medina Lake.

The Pumpkin Village at the Dallas Arboretum displays more than 90,000 colorful pumpkins and other assorted gourds to create a color show of its own. The special event, Autumn at the Arboretum, runs from September 17-October 31 and has a fairy tale theme this year. A Fall Fairytale will of course feature Cinderella’s Carriage as well as pumpkin houses and other favorite fairy tales brought to life through gourd displays. Book a cabin at nearby Bay Landing while enjoying the Pumpkin Village.

Cabins at Yosemite Lakes
Cabins at Yosemite Lakes

Fall Hikes

Fall hikes are not only great for your health, but also provide you the opportunity to bask in the fall colors as you take care of your body and mind. Some notable trails include the Cook’s Meadow Loop in Yosemite National Park (book a yurt at Yosemite Lakes), a great flat trail that offers views of Yosemite Falls and Half Dome; Pennsylvania’s Bushkill Falls (near Robin Hill with cottage and cabin rentals) promises a great color show as the leaves begin to turn in early October and last through November. Plus, there are eight waterfalls to see along the 2-mile trail. If you’re visiting Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge Landing, you can explore the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and get a two-fer when it comes to fall colors. You can drive the 5.5-mile auto tour portion through the forest or opt to hike the 2.5-mile scenic trail to Grotto Falls.

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