Fall Break Road Trip Destinations

Want to hit the road for fall break? These roadtrip-worthy destinations are perfect for families!

If you are looking for a place where you’ll be surrounded by fall foliage, you will find it in Hocking Hills. Located in the southeastern region of Ohio, this area hits peak-season autumn glory right around fall break — typically the first couple of weeks of October. Drive through Hocking Hills State Park’s scenic byways, then stop and explore the area by foot to get an up-close look at the area’s natural beauty. Hocking Hills has seven major hiking trails, each with unique features to see and explore, including waterfalls, creeks and caves. Families can also enjoy outdoorsy adventures like zip lining, climbing and rappelling, horseback riding and more.

Fridays and weekends in October, hop a ride on the Hocking Valley’s Scenic Railway for the Fall Foliage tour, which will take you on a cozy and leisurely train ride to experience southern Ohio’s fall colors.

If the cooler temperatures are making you want to deck the halls, then Santa Claus, Indiana, should be on your destination list. As the name suggests, this southwest Indiana town is all Christmas, all the time. Treat your family to a cup of the famous frozen hot chocolate at Santa’s Candy Castle, and then visit the Santa Claus Museum & Village to write a letter to Santa.

But Santa Claus is much more than just Christmas. Thrills await you at Holiday World & Slashin’ Safari, the area’s largest amusement park. On weekends starting September 25 through October 31, enjoy the park’s Happy Halloween Weekends for fun Halloween shows and activities for kids, including trick-or-treating, corn mazes and hayrides.

A few miles away from Santa Claus is Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, one of the three National Parks in Indiana. Pick up a junior rangers activity book at the memorial visitor center, then hike through the park and complete the activities while learning about our 16th president. As you explore the living historical farm, you’ll meet park rangers dressed in period clothing, performing activities typical of daily life in the 1820s.

Insiders know that fall is one of the best times to visit Mackinac Island: the crowds are fewer, and the forests surrounding the island are sporting pictureperfect hues of red, orange and gold. Plan to visit before the island ferry service ends for the season — typically at the end of October. More than 80% of the island is preserved as a state park, and one of the best ways to see it is by foot or by bicycle. Mackinac Island State Park offers trails through woods to see limestone formations, historic cemeteries, and local flora and fauna. Carriage rides are another popular mode of transportation on the island, and they’ll give you a behind-the-scenes look into the neighborhoods of Mackinac Island residents who call the island their home.

No trip to Mackinac Island is complete without sampling some world-famous fudge at one of the seven fudge shops downtown. Mackinac Island shops make 10,000 pounds of fudge each day during peak tourist season, and if you’re lucky, you might even get to see it being made!

WORDS BY NICOLE SIPE

Summer is slowly turning into fall, and the number of fun activities and events for families is not slowing down one bit.

Ohio really shines during this season — there are just so many ways to celebrate autumn with your family. Here are some great ideas to make the most of this wonderful season!

Ohio is at its most beautiful in the fall, and seeing the fall foliage on a train takes the fall feeling to a whole other level.

runs through October 27 and will take you through the picturesque countryside of Southwest Ohio. And if you’re up for a road trip into Indiana,

Valley Flyer takes riders on a tour of Indiana’s historic and beautiful canal town, Metamora.

Take advantage of fall’s cooler temps by going on a family hike. Between the Great Parks of Hamilton County, Cincinnati Parks and Five Rivers MetroParks in Dayton, there are lots of kid-friendly ways to get your steps in. There’s something about fall that makes you want to pick your own produce. Fortunately, there are plenty of U-pick opportunities in the area. Iron’s Fruit Farm in Lebanon is one of the finest in the tristate; their U-pick season runs into October and features Paula Red, McIntosh and Gala varieties. Meanwhile, A&M Farm Orchard is a Midland gem, and Peifer Orchards in Yellow Springs is open on the weekends to satisfy your produce-picking needs.

Watching your kids trudge across an orange-speckled field of pumpkins is a parental rite of passage. Shaw Farms, Burwinkel Farms, Bonnybrook Farms and Brown’s Family Farm all boast a beautiful selection of fall’s unofficial mascot. And if you’re looking for an Insta-worthy background for your pumpkin pics, Young’s Jersey Dairy in Yellow Springs has one of the most picturesque pumpkin patches in Ohio!

It just isn’t fall without festivals. Local favorites include Dayton Fall Festival on September 25, Gorman Heritage Farm’s famous Sunflower Festival in Evendale and Autumn Fest at

Learning Tree Farm in Dayton on September 18. Don't miss the Art and Music Festival at Pyramid Hill's Sculpture Park on September 25 with live music.

Why not get a little corny this season? Blooms & Berries has two corn mazes: a 7-acre labyrinth that takes an hour to conquer and a smaller, more kid-friendly, 15-minute maze. Over in Milford, Shaw Farms boasts a 15-acre maze that’s challenging but doable.

Hayrides are a must-do in the fall. The hay rides at Schappacher Farms in Wilmington will take you straight to the action (the pumpkin patch!), and Neltner’s Farm takes guests on one of the most beautiful wagon rides in the tristate. The covered wagon rides at Bonnybrook Farms are also a fun ride!

Can’t wait for the big night? There are plenty of opportunities to go trick-ortreating before October 31. HallZOOween at the Zoo is a family favorite (don’t forget to bring your own treat bag!) Sharonville’s Haunted Village at Heritage Village Museum features trick-or-treating in a slightly frightening setting that’s great for kids.