Listen, I know that summer isn’t even over yet, but for anyone else with kids in year round school, summer break sure is! And I don’t know about you, but once summer break comes to an end, I have my eye on fall break travel.
Regardless of whether or not your kids get a real fall break, these are some (mostly) quick and easy East Coast fall break travel inspiration. If you live in or near North Carolina, don’t miss these stops this fall. Cheers to leaf peeping, apple picking, and enjoying the fall season from mountains to sea.
1. The North Carolina Coast
Hot take here: the NC coast is even better in the fall than it is in the summer. The water is still warm enough to swim, it’s often still sunny & warm without being insanely sweaty all day, the mornings and evenings can offer crisp lovely walking weather, and the sunsets are the best.
Fall break in many of these beach towns can literally feel like a late summer stay. However, if the temps drop and you need some off-season favorites, we have those for you, too!
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
2. The Mountains – in & around NC
Is there anything better than the mountains in the fall? We are so lucky to live right between the mountains and the coast, and you truly can’t go wrong in the fall.
If you’re not driving east, definitely head west (or north, or north west?!) to some of the best autumn vibes NC has to offer. Some of our favorite stops in NC are:
Visiting the Biltmore Estate with Kids
We also really love the Shenandoah Valley and other areas in Virginia, West Virginia & TN in the fall with kids. What is your favorite mountain stop?
3. Drive up the East Coast
If you have an extended fall break like we do, a drive up the East Coast drive is incredible during this time of year. Stick to I-95 and enjoy some days in the city in DC, Baltimore, Annapolis, and/or Philadelphia, or take the more inland route through the gorgeous mountains.
Depending on how much time you have, there are so many fun stops & cities to explore. We absolutely love a long weekend in DC, and had the BEST day in Philly on our drive up to Maine. If you’re continuing north, it’s absolutely worth the stop in New Jersey to go see the Statue of Liberty. From there, Mystic, CT and Boston, MA are so beautiful this time of year. The East Coast possibilities are endless!
Ultimate Philadelphia day trip with kids
Visiting the Statue of Liberty with kids
4. Maine
Y’all. Maine. In the fall. If you haven’t been, you have to do it. I loved every bit of the road trip above, which ended with over a week in Maine. Southern Coastal Maine has my heart, though we loved exploring Acadia National Park, too.
Read these posts for details about our favorite spots in Maine:
Okay, so basically you can’t go wrong with an NC or an East Coast fall break or long weekend.
Tips for planning your fall break travel
**This post contains affiliate links. We earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. This allows us to keep providing free travel resources.**
Planning transportation is always the first step. If you’re flying instead of road tripping, we love to use Kayak to scout out the best flight deals. It’s easy to check for the cheapest and best timing across airlines this way.
If your journey requires a vehicle, you can also use Kayak to compare rental cars for your group size.
For accommodation, we always prefer looking for a great VRBO when we travel with kids. It makes it so easy to relax in the evenings and, we think, provides a deeper connection to the place you’re calling home for the week.
Need more help planning? Check out these posts sharing more travel planning tips.
10 Tips for Enjoyable Road Trips with Kids
