11 Fall Travel Trends For 2022 Include Leaf Peeping & Second Summer Destinations

There’s nothing more serene than waking up in the fall with the crisp autumn breeze and drinking a pumpkin spice latte, while overlooking the sunrise on the lake. It’s those kinds of moments that feel too good to be true. However, you can totally capture that feeling by heading to a lake cabin this fall. In fact, Airbnb has some gorgeous stays with picture-perfect lake views, like this cozy home away from home in the Catskill Mountains of New York. For a more unique stay, rent this yurt in Missouri right next to Table Rock Lake.

Some other places to search for lakeside cabins include Wheat Ridge, Colorado or Lexington, Kentucky, which are two of the top trending cities and destinations for fall travel, according to Airbnb.

Perhaps you’re not ready to pack away your swimsuits just yet. It seems neither are many travelers this fall. Airbnb has seen an interest in amazing pool and beach destinations, which means people are looking to have a second summer in the autumn. Anyone who doesn’t like the cold will love escaping it for some warm weather and beachside days. An ocean paradise in Destin, Florida may be where you’d like to celebrate your October this year.

Break out your passport and travel to Turks and Caicos, Mexico, and even the Amalfi Coast in Italy. Each of these destinations are going to be big, according to Tripadvisor, for anyone craving sunshine this fall.

While some people may be looking to extend the summer season, you may want to embrace the autumn. Along with beachy destinations, Airbnb is also seeing cozy cabins trending for the fall. Who doesn’t want to live a cottagecore existence — even just for a weekend? Categories like national parks, countryside, and cabins are all popular searches through December on Airbnb, and you can find some cute cabins with breathtaking views for a one-of-a-kind stay.

Despite inflation causing you to cut down on how many PSLs you drink a week, travel is still a priority. According to Tripadvisor, 37% of people are still planning big trips this fall. That includes traveling to dream destinations on your bucket list no matter the distance. Pinterest has also seen an interest in international travel with an increase in searches for things like an “international packing list” and “long-haul flight essentials.” So, as Taylor Swift once sang, “grab your passport,” and head out to places like Singapore, Germany, or The Netherlands — which are all on Tripadvisor’s top fall destinations list.

Of course, if your money personality type is more saver or investor, you’re probably more conscious of your budget. You’re also not alone. Tripadvisor is seeing domestic travel and shorter trips trending this fall to save money. While it’s not a stamp in your passport, a quick weekend getaway with your besties to a nearby city can be just as fun. According to Tripadvisor, some of the top domestic destinations for fall 2022 include Las Vegas, NYC, Orlando, and Miami. For Halloween lovers, the fall is the perfect time to travel to Universal Studios and Walt Disney World in Orlando for all their seasonal festivities.

Calling all foodies, the fall is your time to shine. Let’s face it, Insta-worthy scenery and fun activities are important when picking out where to go, but you plan out your vacations based on food. You travel to Italy for homemade pasta and dream of eating bulgogi japchae in South Korea. Apparently, about a third of Tripadvisor travelers this fall are most excited about what they’re going to eat as soon as they get to their destination more than anything else.

Naveen Dittakavi, founder and CEO of Next Vacay, tells Elite Daily, “A trend that is reshaping the travel industry and will surely take over during the fall is Bleisure — adding a much-needed leisure travel time to a scheduled business trip.” Since many people are now working from home or remotely, they can create their WFH office just about anywhere with good Wi-Fi. Just imagine creating an office for the week in Tokyo, where you can answer emails for part of the day and explore the city for the rest. Dittakavi also says, “Professionals are adding an extra weekend or week to scheduled work trips and finding that mixing work with pleasure can be a great way to reconnect with themselves or their families.”

“One trend we see becoming big this fall is people traveling more during the shoulder seasons — the months between the peak season and the off-season,” Dittakavi shares. Going off the flexible travel trend due to more remote work, travelers are able to visit popular landmarks when they’re less crowded. Before WFH, summer was your time to travel. Now, you can visit places when it’s more affordable to you, like the fall, and places like the Grand Canyon are perfect shoulder season destinations.

The fall is the time to go leaf peeping — aka “observing and photographing the beautiful changing colors of the foliage,” according to Dittakavi. Sometimes it’s fun to be “basic” in your oversized crewneck with a pumpkin spice latte as you snap some fall foliage pics for the ‘Gram. As basic as leaf peeping may be, though, your destination can be anything but.

Dittakavi also shared, “The most in-demand destinations for leaf peeping in the U.S. are Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Bar Harbor, Maine, Aspen, Colorado, Zion National Park, Utah, and Asheville, North Carolina.” In fact, North Carolina is Next Vacay’s top choice for leaf peeping this fall. “North Carolina is one of the most gorgeous and Instagrammable destinations to go leaf peeping,” and Dittakavi recommends trails like Tanawha, Beacon Heights, and Whiteside Mountain for the best fall foliage selfie backdrops.

Sure, everyone has places like Tokyo and Greece on their travel bucket list, but Pinterest says that Gen Z is especially looking for less traveled destinations this fall. On the top of their list are places like Baguio City in the Philippines, Kefalonia in Greece, and the Pink Island in the Bahamas. The Pink Island is actually the perfect fall destination if you’re looking for a second summer and absolutely loving the Barbiecore aesthetic.

The experts at EF Ultimate Break — responsible for the Ultimate Earth trip around the world — are seeing something similar for summer and fall with people wanting new adventures in underrated locations. For a one-of-a-kind trip, head down south to the Galapagos to see giant tortoises, go on a road trip in Spain, or just explore India for nine days with a full itinerary you don’t have to plan.

Camping and fall make so much sense together, but did you know that camping can also be great self-care? Swasti Sarna, Global Director of Data Insights at Pinterest, shares with Elite Daily that 96% of Pinners who camp believe that “camping improves their mental health.” On top of that, 91% of campers told Pinterest the reason for their next camping trip is to relax. Any fall-loving person will tell you the sound of crunchy leaves beneath your feet and a chill autumn breeze are enough to make your whole day, so why not plan a quick camping trip to go leaf peeping and s’mores eating this season?