Host your event in autumn's brilliance
Autumn Letchworth Park Gennesee River Gorge, by Julie A. Wenskoski
If you have the flexibility to plan an impromptu event, consider holding it amongst one of nature's most brilliant spectacles -- autumn.
An offsite venue might be just the thing to rejuvenate your attendees just as signs of fall are making a premature entrance this year, especially in the mid-Atlantic region where colors are forecasted to be particularly vibrant, according to Accuweather.com
Forecasters attribute the swift emergence to a cool and dry August in areas such as Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. Foliage trackers are predicting the upper northeast to see colors change in early October while most of the Midwest can expect peak colors by mid-October. The Pacific Northwest and the Southeast can expect the most vibrant colors by late October or early November.
Local and state parks are inexpensive and ideal settings for gathering in a fall foliage environment. If your group is small, you can plan an impromptu visit. If you have a large group, you may have to plan for parking and reserving a shelter with tables.
If the idea sounds intriguing, consider this top-five list of U.S. state parks that boast fabulous fall colors.
Oak Mountain State Park, Alabama. With 9,900 acres of green valleys, colors are most prominent from October to November.
Camden Hills State Park, Maine. The land varies from rocky shores to high cliffs. From atop Maiden Cliff, are miles of amazing views. Peak colors from mid-September to mid-October.
Ridgeway State Park, Colorado. Though the West is not a typical setting for foliage viewing, Ridgeway offers a diverse appreciation for changing colors with bold golds and blondes. Best viewed mid-September.
Monadnock State Park, New Hampshire. The top of Mount Monadnock boasts 100-mile views of fall foliage from six surrounding New England states -- the capitals of fall foliage.
Adirondack State Park, New York. Here you will find the most stunning fall foliage display of the United Sates. Peak colors are typically the last two weeks in September.
For more information about the states parks listed click here.
For more information about planning an outdoor event click here.