As travelers know, travel in 2020, including travel in the fall, has been minimal to nonexistent for many people. For us, we had to cancel more trips than I care to think of. So, after months of no travel, we decided to visit some of the cities on our best places to visit in the fall list.
We kept our trip low key to not unnecessarily expose us to the coronavirus. Mask wearing was nowhere to be found in Florida. However, most people in Birmingham and Fairhope followed the rules. All in all, this was exactly the type of trip we needed.
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Houston, TX to Baton Rouge, LA
Our trip started off with an overnight stay in Baton Rouge with my parents. Baton Rouge is roughly half-way between Houston and Birmingham. So, we decided to cut the drive in half.
Before getting to my parent’s house, we ate lunch at one of my favorite Baton Rouge restaurants The Overpass Merchant (hey Lon!). Their team adapted during the pandemic by installing an outdoor tent. This made us feel safe during our delicious lunch at this gastropub.
Baton Rouge, LA to Birmingham, AL
En route to Birmingham, our first destination on this best places to visit in the fall itinerary, we stopped in Laurel, MS. Laurel is also home to HGTV’s Home Town show. Husband and wife team Ben and Erin Napier renovate old Laurel homes and subsequently revitalize the neighborhoods. We visited Erin’s Laurel Mercantile shop, Ben’s Scotsman General Store and Woodshop, and Lee’s Coffee and Tea. Laurel is a city to visit if it’s on your way but certainly do not go out of your way to see it.
Prior to Washington, DC, and Houston, TX, Ashlee and I lived in Birmingham. So this was an opportunity to see old friends. During our last trip to Birmingham, we redeemed two Marriott Bonoy Amex 35,000 point credit card certificates for a two-night stay at Grand Bohemian Hotel. On this trip, we redeemed two Marriott Bonvoy Amex 35,000 point certificates for a two-night stay at the Elyton Hotel.
Between the Grand Bohemian Hotel and Elyton Hotel, I recommend the Grand Bohemian Hotel for two reasons. One, parking at the Elyton Hotel is either $30/night or you need to park on the street. There’s not a lot of foot traffic nor street lighting at night near this hotel, so it does not feel as safe as you would want. Two, the Elyton Hotel can be loud in the lobby as it has a rooftop bar. Normally, this wouldn’t be something I would care about. However, during a pandemic, the last thing I want is the extra risk of intoxicated people not wearing masks to greet me at the hotel by the elevator. Overall, the Elyton Hotel is solid and employees were all wearing masks, however, the Grand Bohemian Hotel gets the nod from me.
Birmingham’s restaurant scene is off-the-charts for this a city of this size. We grabbed a can’t miss breakfast at Trattoria Zaza. For lunch, Rojo and Porch hit the spot. Chez Fonfon is an incredible spot for dinner as well as a new-to-us restaurant in Automatic Seafood and Oysters.
The Country Club of Birmingham is a course I’ve been wanting to play for quite a while. As you might imagine, the course isn’t the easiest to get on. Luckily, a buddy of my friend is a member who invited us to play. Wow is the only word to describe this course. The afternoon we played was just magical.
Birmingham, AL to Fairhope, AL
Fairhope was the next destination on our best places to visit in the fall itinerary. We booked The Grand Hotel, a category six property, with 40,000 Marriott points per night for two nights plus cash for an additional two nights. Marriott offered off-peak pricing during our dates saving us between 10,000-20,000 Marriott points per night.
The Grand Hotel has two golf courses, seven bars and restaurants, an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, a hot tub, a fitness center, a spa, and beach access. Despite taking on damage from Hurricane Sally, the hotel was in good shape and all employees were wearing masks.
Dinner on the patio one night and inside the other night at Buckey’s were the two meals we had onsite. Off-site we ate lunch at Warehouse Bakery and Panini Pete’s and dinner at Sage. All restaurants were tasty and followed the state-mandated mask rules.
Our time at the hotel was spent working. Unfortunately, the weather was about as good as the hotel staff. That is to say not great. Hurricane Zeta ripped through during our stay and the staff dropped the ball. No one called our room when the electricity went out in the middle of the night and the check out process was pathetic. We realize hotels are hurting during the pandemic, however, not following basic protocols like guest safety is completely unacceptable.
Fairhope, AL to Sandestin, FL
Our time in Sandestin couldn’t come fast enough after The Grand Hotel debacle. Apparently, Florida forgot the coronavirus was happening as mask-wearing was few and far between. From the grocery stores to the restaurants, we were in the minority by wearing our masks.
Hyatt Place Sandestin was the hotel we booked. It’s a quality category three Hyatt in an ideal location requiring 12,000 points per night. With my Hyatt Globalist status, we were upgraded to a larger room. Unfortunately, this hotel does not have suites but did have employees who were wearing masks.
Most of our time was spent at this public beach in Santa Rosa. Hardly anyone was on the beach, however, the flies in the fall were not fun to deal with when you have a northern wind. In addition to Santa Rosa, we checked out Rosemary, Alys Beach, and Seaside.
Shunk Gulley Oyster Bar used to be one of our go-to Destin restaurants. That was until we showed up and not a single employee was wearing a mask. Luckily, we were seated outside but it was a bit uncomfortable. Clearly, this restaurant doesn’t care about its customers by not requiring mask-wearing.
Great Southern Cafe was the exact opposite of Shunk Gulley Oyster Bar. Not only was the food delicious but employees actually wore masks. It was a very different vibe from Shunk Gulley Oyster Bar. Meltdown On 30A (sandwich shop), Mr Gyro Hero (greek), Bruno’s Pizza, and Everkrisp (similar to Sweetgreen) were additional dinner spots we liked. Raw & Juicy (juice shop) is a cool breakfast/lunch spot to check out.
Sandestin, FL to Navarre Beach, FL
After nearly a week in Sandestin, Navarre was the last stop on our trip. My family met us for a week in this sleepy beach town. Most days, we spent the day at the beach where the sun would set at around 445pm. So a pro tip is to arrive at the beach early in the day. When not at the beach, my dad and I played and recommend playing golf at Tiger Point Golf Club and The Club at Hidden Creek.
On the food front, we mostly cooked dinner at the condo. Nights that we didn’t cook we had Sal’s Pizzeria & Grill, Cactus Flower Café, and Broussard’s, and lunch at East River Smokehouse. None of these establishments enforced mask-wearing so hard pass from us on recommending you check them out.
Common Questions on the Best Places to Visit in the Fall
Where is the best vacation spot in October?
In the US, Seattle, Portland Oregon, New Orleans, Napa California, and Washington DC, are cities on my best vacation spot in October list. The leaves are turning colors in Seattle and Portland, while college and pro sports are in full swing in New Orleans and Washington DC. For my best places to visit in the fall in the world list, Amsterdam, London, Paris, and Barcelona are cities I recommend.
Where to travel in the US in the fall?
Top 4 Best Places to Visit in the Fall in the US is an overview of my favorite cities to travel in the US in the fall. Anywhere that has good restaurants and college football viewing is where I want to be. The sole city to make my best places to visit in the fall in the midwest is Chicago. Charleston, Austin, and Nashville are cities I would include as the best places to visit in the fall in the south.
Where is the best place to see the fall colors?
This fall foliage trips article offers a helpful rundown of the best place to see the fall colors. The article also tells you the best places to see fall colors in USA. From their list, the Great Smoky Mountains, Arizona, and Northern Louisiana are places I’ve visited in the fall. Additional cities on the best places to visit in the fall east coast list for me are Portland Maine and Portsmouth New Hampshire.
Conclusion on the Best Places to Visit in the Fall
Whether or not these best places to visit in the fall is entirely dependent on your risk tolerance. Obviously, the pandemic makes travel riskier right now than before the pandemic. All in all, we felt safe during our trip that carried us from Houston to Baton Rouge to Laurel to Birmingham to Fairhope to Destin to Navarre.
Which cities make your best places to visit in the fall? Where did you travel this fall? Please let me know in the comments below or by sending me an email on my contact page.
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