Best Cities for Fall Driving

As the leaves start to change and the air gets crisp, there's no better time to take your car out for a spin and enjoy the fall scenery. This guide ranks the best U.S. cities for fall driving based on factors like foliage duration, gas prices, and search interest. Whether you're cruising through the vibrant reds and oranges of the Northeast or winding through the scenic routes of the South, these cities offer the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable drive.

Key Takeaways

• Chattanooga, TN; Portland, ME; and Asheville, NC, are the best cities for fall driving. 
• Chattanooga, TN; Narragansett, RI; and Helen, GA, are the cities with the longest fall foliage duration—27 days.
• Chattanooga, TN, has the cheapest average regular gas price ($2.79), while Truckee, CA, has the most expensive ($6.06).

Prime Places for Scenic Autumn Drives

The best cities for fall driving offer a perfect blend of long-lasting foliage, affordable gas prices, and high interest among leaf-peepers online—meaning there are likely some great routes and picturesque stops to explore along the way. Here's our overall ranking of the top 50 locations for enjoying a scenic autumn drive:

Top 10 Cities for Fall Driving

1. Chattanooga, Tennessee
2. Portland, Maine
3. Asheville, North Carolina
4. Burlington, Vermont
5. Lancaster, Pennsylvania
6. Narragansett, Rhode Island
7. Bend, Oregon
8. Flagstaff, Arizona
9. Newport, Rhode Island
10. New Paltz, New York

Bottom 10 Cities for Fall Driving

50. Telluride, Colorado
51. Leavenworth, Washington
52. Aspen, Colorado
53. Truckee, California
54. Stockbridge, Massachusetts
55. Lenox, Massachusetts
56. Lake Tahoe, California
57. Estes Park, Colorado
58. Litchfield, Connecticut
59. Greenville, Maine

Fall Foliage Durations, Gas Prices, and Search Trends

When planning a scenic autumn drive, it's important to consider how long the fall colors last, fuel costs, and how popular a destination is. This section breaks down the top and bottom cities in these categories, helping you choose the best spots for an unforgettable fall drive.

• Chattanooga, Tennessee; Narragansett, Rhode Island; and Helen, Georgia, enjoy the longest fall foliage duration at 27 days.
• Telluride, Colorado, experiences the shortest foliage duration, only 13 days.
• Chattanooga has the cheapest average gas prices ($2.79), followed by Blue Ridge, Georgia ($3.03) and Santa Fe, New Mexico ($3.04).
• Truckee, California ($6.06) has the most expensive gas prices, followed by South Lake Tahoe, California ($5.70), and Aspen, Colorado ($5.00). 
• Portland, Maine, has the most search interest for fall foliage.

  Methodology

  We created a unique meta-ranking for 50 U.S. cities known for fall foliage to find the best places to drive this season and see the trees. The variables included:

  • Fall foliage duration: The number of days with moderate to peak foliage.
  • Average gas prices: Data from the Google Maps API reflecting prices for a gallon of gas at local stations as of August 16, 2024.
  • Search volume: Interest in "fall foliage" based on Google Trends search data from the past two years.

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