The Best Small Towns for a Fall Getaway

"The summer crowds have gone come September, leaving this historic seaside town for the fortunate few who call it home-or those who drop by for an autumn visit. With over 600 well-preserved Victorian buildings, its historic district has been designated a National Historic Landmark. Cape May is not only scenic but a perfect beach town, with a promenade for strolling or biking and a myriad of excellent restaurants serving local seafood."

"On the west bank of the Mississippi, just across the river from New Orleans, Gretna is the seat of Jefferson Parish, among Louisiana's largest National Historic Register districts. Fall is a great time to visit, when summer's heat has passed and festivals and special events celebrate the harvest season with music, dancing, food, and local culture. The Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival, hay rides, corn festivals, and pumpkin patches are all family-friendly ways to ring in the season."

Seven small towns across the U.S. provide appealing options for a fall getaway, whether seeking cooler weather or lingering warmth. Cape May offers preserved Victorian architecture, a National Historic Landmark district, a beachfront promenade, seafood restaurants, lighthouse climbs, a winery, and the Washington Street Mall, plus seasonal Sherlock Holmes Weekends. Gretna sits on the Mississippi opposite New Orleans and features one of Jefferson Parish's largest historic districts, autumn festivals, the Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival, hay rides, corn festivals, and pumpkin patches, and easy access to New Orleans via a frequent pedestrian ferry. Cashiers is a quiet mountain village on a high Blue Ridge plateau with a central Village Green park.

Read at Travel + Leisure