The Fourth of July holiday is in the books, and now, it’s time to set our sights on exciting fall travel ideas. If this autumn’s travel schedule is anything like the summer, it’s going to be a busy one. According to AAA, 72.2 million people were projected to travel at least 50 miles or more from home over the holiday period from Saturday, June 28 to Sunday, July 6. “This year’s domestic travel forecast is an increase of 1.7 million travelers compared to last year and 7 million more than in 2019,” they add.

So, now is the time to start planning that post-summer trip and get into fall. Now, one vacation area has been dubbed the state’s best vacation spot.

The crew at Travel Pulse has put together a tally of the best fall vacation spots in the United States. ” Fall travel is simply magical, offering up a chance to relish the last of the outdoor activity season in much of the country while at the same time fully embracing the cooler weather and the colorful changing of the seasons,” they note, which is so true. Fall travel, of course, usually entails some leaf peeping, pumpkin picking, apple cider drinking and other cozy activities, and there’s a lot to love about that.

Travel Pulse names the best fall travel destination in Pennsylvania as the great Jim Thorpe, which they call “the place to go in the Poconos for an enchanting autumn escape.” They suggest visiting “during the Fall Foliage Festival (Saturdays & Sundays October 1-23), where visitors can take scenic train journeys, listen to live music or simply meander the streets doing some shopping while gazing up at hills ablaze with autumn shades.” It’s really a beautiful spot for a vacation.

The first day of autumn is on Sept. 22 this year. “In mid-September each year, we greet the fall season with the arrival of the fall equinox (otherwise known as the autumnal equinox),” explains the Farmer’s Almanac. This is the moment when the Sun crosses the Equator, and those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere will begin to see more darkness than daylight.”