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09/20/2018 12:00 AMIt's hard to beat fall along the Connecticut shoreline, where you can start a morning hiking through an explosion of autumn colors, then head off for some apple picking, and hit a pumpkin patch (or maybe a vineyard or two) on the way home. But there's something about fall that inspires a road trip. Here's a list of trips that make heading away for a day worthwhile.
Halloween in Sleepy Hollow
In the heart of Sleepy Hollow country, the Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson, New York hosts the Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze, a pumpkin wonderland where lighted jack-o-lanterns guide you through a display of "Pumpkin Zee Bridge," a Pumpkin Carousel, and more.
"The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze has grown to become one of the largest ticketed Halloween events in the country," said Rob Schweitzer, vice president of Historic Hudson Valley. "Last year, we welcomed more than 175,000 visitors over 42 nights from all 50 states and several countries. They dine out, shop locally, stay overnight, and attend other events, creating a big economic boost for the area."
Put on by more than 1,000 volunteers, the event attracted tens of thousands visitors and sold out almost every night in 2017. All proceeds from Blaze and all other Halloween events in the area benefit Historic Hudson Valley, the non-profit cultural organization that creates and produces Blaze.
"First time visitors may have seen images of the event and have heard about it from friends and family, but nothing can really prepare you for the overwhelming creativity and fun of the experience itself. I love seeing the look of awe on people's faces!"
The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze will be open to visitors Sept. 28 to 30, Oct. 4 to 31, and Nov. 1 to 4, 7 to 11, and 23 to 24.
The short journey to New York is made even more worth it with a stop in Sleepy Hollow.
Visitors can take a tour of the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery—where Washington Irving, notorious author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, is buried. The evening tour, lit by lanterns, winds through the graveyard stopping at the resting sites of a Revolutionary War militia captain, a famed counterfeiter, industrialist Andrew Carnegie, business man William Rockefeller, and many others. Tours take run from April through November and tickets can be purchased online at www.sleepyhollowcemetery.org. During the month of October, the fun extends farther with featured literary events including the work Washington Irving and Edgar Allen Poe. There will also be shadow puppetry for smaller children and Spooky Stories for older children.
To continue the spookiness, Philipsburg Manor transforms during the month of October as Horseman's Hollow for 15 nights as Sleepy Hollow's "premiere haunted attraction" filled with a cast of vampires, ghosts, and other creatures serving the Headless Horseman. Visitors experience the Legend of Sleepy Hollow in person, walking along a hunted trail and taking in haunted scenes from a town "driven mad by the Headless Horseman." Tickets must be purchased in advance by calling 914-366-6900 or visiting www.hudsonvalley.org. Horseman's Hollow will run Oct. 5 to 7, 12 to 14, 19 to 21, and 25 to 31.
For a dramatic telling of Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow, stop by the Old Dutch Church to listen to storyteller Jonathan Kruk with featured characters Ichabod Crane, Katrina Van Tassel, Brom Bones, and, of course, the Headless Horseman. The show will run for 45 minutes. Tickets must be purchased in advance to attend. Performance dates are Oct. 5 to 7, 12 to 14, 19 to 21, and 25 to 31.
Finally, check out Sleepy Hollow's Haunted Hayride. Running for two days only on Oct. 26 and 27, the hayride takes passengers through Sleepy Hollow and concludes (or starts with, visitor's choice) a stop at a block party on Beekman Avenue. Tickets go on sale in late September and can be purchased from the Sleepy Hollow recreation department at www.sleepyhollowny.gov.
Apart from haunted attractions, Sleepy Hollow offers other sites of interest to visitors, including Kykuit, home to the Rockefeller family, and is near Tarrytown where visitors can check out concerts at the Tarrytown Music Hall, or Lyndhurst, which the railroad tycoon Jay Gould once occupied.
Kent, CT
If you're looking for a fall staycation, it doesn't get much better than Kent. Many of the season's greatest treasures lie in Litchfield County, and people from all around come to experience them in this quaint New England town.
Kent is filled with parks like Lake Waramaug State Park, Macedonia State Park, and Kent Falls State Park—all great locations for taking in the fall foliage—and museums to check out such as the Seven Hearths Museum, the Kent Historical Society, the Eric Sloane Museum, and the Connecticut Antique Machinery Association.
For Karren Muolo, Kent holds a very special place in her heart.
"When tourists think of visiting Connecticut, they most likely think of visiting the shoreline towns. But come fall season, Litchfield County has your quintessential New England views," said Muolo.
She has been visiting Kent since she was young and claims to it to be one of the places that holds many of her fondest memories.
"I can remember one of my last family trips was a weekend trip through Litchfield and Kent," she said. "As a teenager at the time, I did not appreciate the beauty of the fall foliage as we drove through the area. But as years followed, I found myself going on the same mini road trip at least once a year with my friends. We would hike up Kent Falls, enjoy a picnic lunch, and then visit the local bookstore and coffee shop in 'downtown' Kent."
Muolo recommends visiting the House of Books, Kent Coffee and Chocolate, Heron American Graft Gallery, The Villager Restaurant, and Rolling River Antiques, all of which are located on the North Main Street strip, she said.
Kent is also home to the Gilmore Girls Fan Fest which will run this year from Friday to Sunday, Oct. 19 to 21. Tickets are available online at www.gilmoregirlsfanfest.com. This is its second year running in Kent, prior to which it took place in the nearby town of Washington for its first year in 2016.
WaterFire Providence
WaterFire Providence brings the elements together in a sculpture made up of more than 80 bonfires. It all started with sculptor Barnaby Evans's "First Fire" in 1994 that was set to celebrate the 10th anniversary of First Night Providence. The exhibition grew from there and continues to gain popularity. Now the event runs on a regular basis with hundreds of volunteers, a staff, and donations from visitors, corporate leaders, local government, and more.
Running down the three rivers in Providence, WaterFire has attracted more than 10 million visitors and has contributed to bringing life to downtown Providence.
WaterFire Providence will take place on Saturdays, Sept. 22 and 29, Oct. 6, and Nov. 10. For more information, visit www.waterfire.org.
Haunted Boston Ghost Tours
For those looking to be spooked this Halloween, there is the Haunted Boston Ghost Tour.
The tour includes tales of Boston's most famous ghosts and detailed information about Boston's history, ranging from the Colonial period through today. Guests will learn about the most haunted hotels and secrets hidden underneath Boston Common.
Lantern lit, the tour spans 90 minutes. Tours run daily and reservations can be made by calling 617-401-0520 or visiting www.hauntedboston.com/index.html