The Castles from Ohio Pass are seen looking through the changing yellow aspen trees in the West Elk Mountain range near both Crested Butte and Gunnison, Colo. (AP Photo/Nathan Bilow)

Fall in Connecticut

Connecticut abounds with scenic drives, walking tours and other events this fall.

Start with a hike at Pauchaug State Forest in Voluntown, then drive along Route 49 South toward North Stonington. From there, take Route 184 west to Clyde's Cider Mill, then head to the Mystic River via Lantern Hill Road, Main Street and River Road.

You'll end up at Mystic Seaport; have lunch at Mystic Pizza or try the "Spooky Nature Trail" at nearby Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center. Ghost stories and freaky ships will be the focus of tours at Mystic Seaport between Oct. 17 and Nov. 1; go to www.visitmysticseaport.com for details.

In Groton, enjoy the Haley Farm Bike Trail or Bluff Point State Park's 3-mile loop of rugged trails with panoramic views of Long Island Sound. In Essex, you can shop, dine and tour historical homes on a 1.5-mile self-guided tour that includes the Connecticut River Museum and the Griswold Inn, or take the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat to experience the scenic colors along the Connecticut River.

For other information on autumn in Southeastern Connecticut, visit www.mycoast.com/fall.

The Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor calls itself the "Last Green Valley" in the East Coast's urban sprawl of cities and suburbs. Small towns, villages, fields, orchards, stone walls, mills, lakes and rivers are part of the scenery here. For a brochure on "Walking Weekends" listing events for Oct. 8 to 11 and Oct. 15 to 17, from tours with historic themes to rustic hikes in the woods, call (866) 363-7226 or visit www.thelastgreenvalley.org. The 123 free guided walks range from "The Adventures of Pooh," for young children, in Plainfield; a stroll for you and your dog, called "The Stillness of the River Trail," in Eastford; an orienteering lesson in Ashford, and visits to cemeteries and old houses.

On Oct. 31, check out the Halloween tour from Stratford, heading to Union Cemetery and other spooky sites; tickets $81 for adults and $71 for kids, brunch included. Call (866) 656-0207 for details. And at the Lake Compounce theme park in Bristol, haunted houses and creepy walks are part of the fun, from dusk to midnight every Friday and Saturday in October, dusk to 10 p.m. on Sundays. Call (860) 583-3300 or visit www.lakecompounce.com for details.

Cape May, N.J.

Cape May is known for its beaches, charming Victorian homes and fresh seafood. But if you didn't make it there this summer, don't despair. There's plenty going on this fall.

Start with an exhibit of Victorian women's clothing, on display at the Carriage House Gallery, from Sept. 10 through Jan. 2, on the grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate at 1048 Washington St.

Five-hour cruises featuring six lighthouses are scheduled for Sept. 11, Sept. 25 and Oct. 9; tickets are $65.

The eighth annual Cape May food and wine festival will be held Sept. 18 to 23. Events include a beer dinner, gourmet lunches, locally raised "salt oysters," a chowder contest and classes.

Victorian Week, Oct. 8 to 17, features historic house tours, fashion shows, concerts, teas, a murder mystery dinner, lectures and a chocolate fantasy buffet on Oct. 10 at the Washington Inn.

Trolley rides exploring the ghosts of Jackson Street are scheduled for Oct. 29 and 30.

For more information about these events or for help in planning a trip to Cape May, call (609) 884-5508 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

Autumn at Disney

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Think autumn and you think colored leaves, apple-picking and chilly nights.

You don't necessarily think Disney. But there's plenty to do this fall at Epcot and the Magic Kingdom.

The ninth annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival takes place Oct. 1 to Nov. 14 at Walt Disney World Resort, featuring products from 100 wineries, guest chefs, wine schools and seminars, beer tastings and dinners. Nearly a million people are expected to attend.

For little ones too timid to embrace the creepy side of Halloween, check out the Magic Kingdom's "Not-So-Scary Halloween Party," held evenings at 7 p.m. on Oct. 1, 3, 8, 12, 14, 17, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29 and 31. The events include a parade, fireworks and trick-or-treating. For tickets, call (407) W-DISNEY.

And here's some freaky Halloween news: The gardeners at Disney have figured out a way to grow pumpkins shaped like Mickey Mouse heads, with orange lobes protruding on either side of the pumpkin ball like ears. Don't worry; they're not doing genetic manipulation in a spooky lab somewhere -- they're just growing the pumpkins in special molds to resemble Mickey's silhouette. You can see them at the Land pavilion at Epcot.

RV-ing in autumn

VENTURA, Calif. -- RV-ing is an increasingly popular way to see the sights, and September's Trailer Life magazine has several suggestions for fall road trips.

A trip to Flathead Lake, Mont., might include stops at Jewel Basin Hiking Area and a kayak ride across to Wildhorse Island, where you can catch a glimpse of the animals that give the island its name.

In Columbus, N.M., you'll find a town showcasing its moment in history's spotlight. On March 9, 1916, Pancho Villa came across the border, killed 17 U.S. soldiers and set in motion a 500-mile chase. The clock in the town museum bears a bullet hole from that day.

A palette of fall colors provides a serene backdrop for a white horse in Pocatello, Idaho. (AP Photo/Idaho State Journal, Joshua Duplechian)

And don't limit your RV adventures to the U.S. The magazine describes Canada's Newfoundland and Labrador as "true RV country," with scenic roads, unlimited vistas, snow-covered mountains, uncrowded parks and well-maintained campgrounds. Visit Gros Morne National Park and the 1,000-year-old Viking settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows Nationals Historic Site, and enjoy the ferry rides from Nova Scotia.

Fall flowers

DALLAS -- Autumn is not just about falling leaves.

For flower-lovers, there are botanical displays galore in all the season's crimsons and golds.

Dallas Blooms Autumn takes places Sept. 18 to Oct. 31 at the Dallas Arboretum, showcasing thousands of chrysanthemums, coleus, salvia and more. Call (214) 327-4901 or visit www.dallasarboretum.org for details.

In Topsfield, Mass., the annual fall fair, Oct. 2 to 11, includes New England's "Premier Fall Flower Show." The fair traditionally kicks off with a pumpkin weigh-off; minimum entry requirement is 300 pounds. Visit www.topsfieldfair.org or call (978) 887-5000 for details.

At the famed Longwood Gardens, look for the "Autumn's Colors" show, Oct. 9 to 29, when the grounds and gardens of the former duPont Estate come alive with yellow, orange, purple and red. Longwood is located on U.S. Route 1, about three miles northeast of Kennett Square, Pa., 30 miles west of Philadelphia and 12 miles north of Wilmington, Del. Visit www.longwoodgardens.org or call (610) 388-1000 for more information.

The New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx will host "Momijigari: The Japanese Autumn Garden," from Oct. 5 to Nov. 18, featuring Japanese maples, chrysanthemums, bamboos, ferns and grasses in a courtyard setting with a reflecting pool, designed to encourage contemplation of nature. Go to www.nybg.org or (718) 817-8777 for details.

Fall foliage surrounding Acton Lake at Hueston Woods State Park near Oxford, Ohio. (AP Photo/JournalNews, E.L. Hubbard)

Fall in Ohio

The rolling Hocking Hills of Southeast Ohio are ablaze come autumn, and the locals would love to have you come check it out.

Activities include a strenuous six-mile guided hike from Old Man's Cave along Grandma Gatewood Trail on Oct. 16; organized hikes at Lake Hope State Park from Oct. 16 to 25; nighttime canoeing on Sept. 25 at Hocking Valley Canoe Livery; hikes with your dog on Sept. 18 and Oct. 2, and a series of photography workshops, focusing on shooting at night, Sept. 18 to 19, and on capturing fall color, Oct. 16 to 17. A Halloween camp-out at Old Man's Cave is planned for Oct. 29 to 30.

And in Circleville, 25 miles south of Columbus, don't miss the Oct. 20 to 23 Pumpkin Show, which attracts 400,000 visitors with parades, giant pumpkins, tasty treats and entertainment.

For a free visitor guide, call (800) HOCKING or visit www.1800HOCKING.com.

New England inns

NORTH HAMPTON, N.H. -- Ever dream of running a charming old inn in a quiet village?

A farm is framed by the colors of fall in East Montpelier, Vt. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot)

Now you can test-drive your fantasy. The New England Inns & Resorts Association's Innkeeper for a Day program allows visitors to combine a vacation with a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes.

The program grew out of an increasing number of requests from people looking for information on how to start a country inn. It offers many options for would-be hoteliers, from a $500 two-day stay at a 15-room B&B to a $2,500 four-day program at a luxury resort.

The first five properties hosting wannabes are Inn on the Common, in Craftsbury Common, Vt.; Gateways Inn in Lenox, Mass.; Wildflower Inn in Lyndonville, Vt.; Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, and Radisson Airport Hotel Providence, an education facility of Johnson & Wales University in Warwick, R.I.

For more information on the innkeeper program, or to book a vacation without learning how to fix the plumbing and make pancakes for 12, visit www.newenglandinnsandresorts.com. Gift certificates are also available; call (603) 964-6689.

Train rides

NEW YORK -- Looking for a different way to enjoy the fall? Consider a train ride.

Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's historic home, sits amid the fall foliage of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Charlottesville, Va. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

The TravelSmart newsletter (www.travelsmartnewsletter.com) recommends four trains for seeing the leaves:

--Naugatuck Railroad, in Thomaston, Conn. (860-283-7245), the only train in North America to traverse a dam.

--Montana Rockies Rail Tours in Sandpoint, Idaho (800-519-7245), a 1950s steamliner.

--Tennessee Valley Railroad in Chattanooga (423-894-8028), which goes around the foot of Lookout Mountain.

--Verde Canyon Railroad in Clarksdale, Ariz. (800-320-0718), which crosses a 150-foot bridge over the Verde River.

Yankee

DUBLIN, N.H. -- It's too soon to ski, but check out the view from the chairlift.

Yankee Magazine's fall foliage Web site, www.yankeefoliage.com, has some unusual ideas for ways to enjoy the season. In addition to sample driving itineraries and attractions across New England, the magazine recommends 13 skyrides around the Northeast: Wachusett Mountain and Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort in Massachusetts; Attitash Bear Park, Cannon Mountain, Wildcat Mountain, Loon Mountain and Waterville Valley Resort in New Hampshire; Jay Peak, Killington, Mount Snow and Stratton in Vermont; and Hunter and Whiteface mountains in New York.

In addition to its monthly magazine, Yankee is including a special "Celebrate Autumn" guide in September newsstand issues. The pamphlet has a chart of colorful gourds on one side and ideas for enjoying the season on the other, including country fairs around the region, like Rhode Island's Columbus Day weekend Autumnfest. Yankee also offers a special one-time publication in the fall called "Seasons," featuring places like the Packard Hill Covered Bridge in Lebanon, N.H., the cranberry harvest in Wareham, Mass., and the quiet beauty of Martha's Vineyard and Narragansett Bay after the summer people depart.

Foliage, state-by-state

A state-by-state list of Web sites for information on fall foliage:
ARKANSAS: www.fs.fed.us/oonf/ozark/ or (800) NATURAL.
COLORADO: www.colorado.com/fallfoliage/ or (800) COLORADO.
CONNECTICUT: www.ctbound.org or (800) CT-BOUND.
DELAWARE: www.visitdelaware.com or (800) 441-8846.
GEORGIA: www.georgia.org/tourism or (800) 864-7275.
ILLINOIS: www.enjoyillinois.com or (800) 2CONNECT
INDIANA: http://www.in.gov/enjoyindiana/ or (800) 289-6646.
IOWA: www.traveliowa.com or (515) 233-4110.

KENTUCKY: www.kentuckytourism.com or (800) 225-8747.
MAINE: www.mainefoliage.com or (888) MAINE-45.
MARYLAND: www.mdisfun.org or (800) 532-8371.
MASSACHUSETTS: www.massvacation.com or (800) 227-MASS.
MICHIGAN: www.usaring.com/travel/color.htm or (800) 644-3255.
MINNESOTA: www.exploreminnesota.com or (800) 657-3700.
MISSOURI: www.conservation.state.mo.us/nathis/seasons/fall/ or (800) 810-5500.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: www.newhampshire.com/foliage or (800) 258-3608.
NEW JERSEY: www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/ or (800) VISIT-NJ.
NEW MEXICO: www.thesantafesite.com/Articles/ScenicFoliageTripsinNewMexico.html or (800) 733-6396.
NEW YORK: www.empire.state.ny.us/tourism/foliage/main.htm or (800) CALL-NYS.
NORTH CAROLINA: www.exploreasheville.com/leafreports.asp or (800) 847-4862.

OHIO: www.dnr.state.oh.us/fallcolor/default.htm or (800) 282-5393.
OKLAHOMA: www.travelok.com or (800) 652-6552.
PENNSYLVANIA: www.fallinpa.com or (800) VISIT-INPA.
RHODE ISLAND: www.visitri.com or (800) 556-2484.
TENNESSEE: www.state.tn.us/tourdev/ or (800) 697-4200.
VERMONT: www.vtweb.com/foliage/peak.shtml or (800) VERMONT.
VIRGINIA: climate.virginia.edu/foliage.htm or (800) 434-LEAF.
WEST VIRGINIA: www.wvtourism.com or (800) CALL-WVA.
WISCONSIN: www.travelwisconsin.com or (800) 432-TRIP.