Summer vacation is sweet. But a fall getaway is the icing on the cake. A fall vacation feels like playing hooky, since the maddening crowds have returned to work and school. The weather, wherever you’re going, has an extra kick in its step. You won’t wait in long lines to see the sites, and souvenir gathering makes it a great time to shop for the holidays. San Francisco, Boston and Seattle are three cities that are great fall vacation destinations.
San Francisco
As Bay Area locals know, the fall brings San Francisco’s best weather. And while the city is a popular international tourist destination any time of year, the cable cars and other attractions aren’t crowded with tourists in the fall. You probably won’t need a weekday reservation to hop a cruise over to Alcatraz Island (www.alcatrazcruises.com) enjoying the sunny skies and crisp bite in the air along the way. Maybe you’ll score a table at Market Street’s Zuni Café (www.zunicafe.com), one of the city’s most popular restaurants. In the fall, San Francisco comes alive with an array of festivals. Top acts like India Arie, Ravi Shankar, Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding flock to the venerable San Francisco Jazz Festival (www.sfjazz.org). The festival runs from early October through mid-December. San Francisco Magazine hosts FallFest (www.sffallfest.com), a celebration of the best in Bay Area food and wine. Hot restaurateurs, winemakers, artisan bakers and mixologists take part in demonstrations, competitions and tastings. Fall is also a great time to see the San Francisco 49ers play a football game. For a unique twist on lodging, Cavallo Point Lodge (www.cavallopoint.com) overlooks the city from across the bay in Sausalito. Situated on picturesque rolling hills, Cavallo is a former army base-turned resort next to San Francisco’s star attraction, the Golden Gate Bridge. Perks include free yoga in a converted chapel, massages at the spa, and unusual aperitifs and beers at Farley Bar, next to the Michelin-starred Murray Circle restaurant. Best of all, you can step outside your door and onto coastal trails that go on for miles in the Marin headlands. Rooms begin at $280.
Boston
The colors and tastes of autumn make Boston the perfect fall vacation destination. The weather is crisp and sunny, although it’s always wise to bring an umbrella. Just amble along the city’s famous Freedom Trail (www.cityofboston.gov/freedomtrail) walking tour to get a dual American history lesson/fall foliage display. Or venture out of the city to see bigger splashes of color, pick apples and taste some apple cider. Popular Faneuil Hall Marketplace (www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com) won’t be crowded with tourists in its indoor/outdoor shops and restaurants. Fall means college football, so see a game at Boston College or Harvard. Speaking of college, in late October Boston hosts the Head of the Charles Regatta, a two-day rowing event in late October that attracts 7,500 rowers from 600 universities and clubs. Be advised that some 300,000 spectators gather along the Charles River over those two days. For some spooky Halloween fun head to Salem, Mass., the “witchiest” town in the country. Salem hosts special Haunted Happenings in October. Finally, make your hotel stay historical at the classic Fairmont Copley Plaza overlooking Copley Park in the center of downtown. Presidents and royalty have stayed at the Fairmont since its opening in 1912.
Seattle
Nothing sounds more like fall to me than enjoying coffee, or maybe a pumpkin spice latte, at a cozy coffee house. There’s no better place to do that than Seattle, the coffee capital of the country. Walk the city and sample the coffees at hometown brewers Starbuck’s and Seattle Coffee Company, or pick from this city’s plethora of independent coffee houses. Fall also means shopping, so stop in at Seattle-based Nordstrom‘s flagship downtown store. For great gift hunting, head to the Ballard Avenue Northwest neighborhood. Check out the Kolstrand Building (www.thekolstrandbuilding.com), a former marine supply warehouse now home to chic shops and restaurants. There’s even a shop called Souvenir with hand crafted jewelry and paper. And you can’t overlook Pike Place Market (www.pikeplacemarket.com), nine acres of old-fashioned fish and fresh produce counters, trendy restaurants and shops. Rest your head at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, a Seattle classic with its elegant service and Italian Renaissance architecture. Be sure to have dinner at the hip and happening Corson Building (www.corsonbuilding.com) restaurant, one of Seattle’s newest restaurants playing up sustainable, organically grown local produce.