Come fall, people head off in search of colorful leaf displays, consulting charts and websites to determine the best time to experience the peak colors with the change in seasons. Leaf peepers, as they are known to the locals, travel the country from late September to early November in search of the beautiful explosion of nature’s color palette.
However, there are other ways to experience color this fall without peeping at a single leaf (although how can you resist?).
Painted Ladies: The Painted Ladies originated in San Francisco. They do not, as they name may imply, have anything to do with women’s makeup, but instead are the name given to the colorfully painted Victorian homes that are found near Alamo Square Park. Also known as the Seven Sisters, these charming pastel-painted homes, dating back to the 1890s, can be found in the 700 block of Steiner Street in the city. Across the country, in Cape May, New Jersey, another group of Painted Ladies sit in colorful splendor drawing in visitors. These colorfully painted vacation “cottages” date back to the late 1800s and can be seen throughout historic Cape May. Check out the row homes, built in the Carpenter Gothic Revival Style, on Gurney Street.
When visiting the San Francisco Painted Ladies, plan a stay with us at San Francisco RV Campground in nearby Pacifica. Cape May accommodations can include any of our five RV Campgrounds in the Jersey Shore area.
Cranberry Bogs: Fall is a good time for cranberries and the bogs of Massachusetts turn red as the cranberries ripen and ready for harvest season, which runs from late September to early November. And while COVID-19 closures have affected some of the state’s bogs, in terms of tours, there are some that allow visitors. And, you can always add “visit a cranberry bog” to your bucket list for a future trip. Many of the bogs are located in the Cape Cod area of the state and luckily several campgrounds are nearby including Gateway to Cape Cod RV Campground and Old Chatham RV Campground. To find the most up-to-date information on which bogs are open for tours, or which have retail stores where you can purchase some of these fall favorites, visit www.cranberries.org.
The Painted Hills: The Painted Hills are considered one of Oregon’s Seven Wonders. The Hills are part of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, in east-central Oregon. The best times to see the colors of these clay hills is in the afternoon, or after a rainstorm, when the colors of burnt red, amber, orange, yellow, and gold are intensified. The colored bands are due to changes in climate over millions of years. There are five trails from which to take in the Painted Hills, which are truly breathtaking and a fabulous lesson in geology!
Pastel Paradise: As if the colors that play out in the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets in Florida’s South Beach aren’t enough of a show, this Miami neighborhood area is known for the colorful facades on so many of the city’s Art Deco buildings. In the early 1980s, using the very colors found in those magnificent sunrises and sunsets, New York designer Leonard Horowitz, working with the Miami Design Preservation League, proposed the Miami Color Palette which consisted of 40 vibrant pastel colors. The palette was used to refresh the worn facades of more than 50 buildings in South Beach which were painted to highlight the magnificent detail of the structures, turning the area into what came to be called a “Pastel Paradise.” Check out the Park Central Hotel on Ocean Drive, also knowns as the Blue Jewel and the pink and turquoise splashed McAlpin-Ocean Plaza.
Read More
- In need of a northwest outdoor adventure? Check out these ideas!
- This iconic restaurant chain has been around for more than 50 years.
- These drives are perfect for leaf-peeping!
- The Virginia Oyster Trail is the foodie adventure you never knew you needed.
- Find more campgrounds at Thousand Trails.com