Autumn is here and traveling in the fall means crisp air, gorgeous foliage and the beginning of cozy comfort food season.
This year, the season's charm is amplified by a wave of freshly-opened or substantially-renovated hotels with each location boasting something special for travelers.
If you’re ready to elevate your autumn travel to new heights, keep reading.
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This oceanfront hotel with 252 guest rooms (from $119 per night; all with sliding glass doors and beach views) came to Ocean City in May 2023.
Choose from four restaurants for hits like seafood tacos and frozen cocktails (available with or without alcohol), enlist kiddos in Mermaid Classes complete with tails to borrow and enjoy live music every weekend.
Bonus: Ashore is a short distance from the famed Ocean City boardwalk with roughly three miles of eateries and attractions.
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For more information, visit ashoreresortoceancity.com.
With rates starting at $199 per night, you may want to make a reservation before this hotel opening in November just outside Rocky Mountain National Park.
The property offers complimentary bikes plus kid-friendly offerings like s’mores kits and the option to set up in-room camping in a tent decked out with treats.
While here, kids can also brush up their compass navigation skills, learn to map the stars, identify animal tracks, prevent fires and other outdoors skills from a seasoned Rocky Mountain guide.
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Grown-ups will want to take the backyard yoga flow class (seasonally) or take a Colorado craft distillery makers’ whiskey tasting.
For more information, visit staytrailborn.com/rocky-mountains.
How do the Finger Lakes in the fall sound to you? If you’re nodding your head "yes," snag a reservation at Hotel Canandaigua (from $116 per night).
New as of May 2023, the grounds contain 190 guest rooms and suites and 44 condos, an outdoor pool, and a contemporary American restaurant and seasonal outdoor bar on the shores of the property’s namesake lake.
There’s also an outdoor pool and fitness center at this pet-friendly hotel in Hilton’s Tapestry Collection.
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When you’re ready to head off-site, enjoy the region’s many wineries, breweries and natural splendors (Onanda Park is a great option for a waterfront stroll or picnic).
For more information, visit hilton.com.
Unveiled in July 2023, if you’re all about embracing nostalgia, this swanky motel on Route 66 is for you (from $150 per night).
The reimagined "retro-futuristic" digs are inspired by Flagstaff's lunar history and scenic drives.
Let it be your home away from home when visiting celebrated tourist destinations like the Grand Canyon, Arizona Snowbowl, Lowell Observatory, Meteor Creator and the ancient pueblos of Wupatki.
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After your return from sightseeing, soak in a year-round heated pool, hang in a hammock, or play yard games before gathering around a fire pit for s’mores o’clock.
Bonus: Americana Motor Hotel is pet-friendly and there’s even a fenced-in backyard for your four-legged friends.
For more information, visit americanamotorhotel.com.
This property started welcoming guests at the end of September 2023, conveniently perched beside Pacific Beach ("PB," if you’re talking to a local).
The refreshed and rebranded Wayfarer San Diego (from $250 per night) has suite accommodations with private bedrooms and bunk beds for youngsters.
Spend your time catching up on your reading list while relaxing on the oceanfront pool deck, swimming in the heated pool or savoring good conversation around the outdoor fire pit.
The hotel’s direct beach access and close location to Crystal Pier, Belmont Park, and SeaWorld get a thumbs up as do other San Diego staples like Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, La Jolla Cove and Coronado Island.
For more information, visit wayfarersd.com.
For another desert escape, book your stay at the reimagined JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa – set to open this fall.
The thing those traveling with families can look forward to most: AquaRidge WaterPark, an 140,000-square-foot experience with a lazy river, the refreshed Wildfire Grove and the Havasu Playground with three new water slides which includes the only dual-person vertical wall tube slide at a resort west of the Mississippi.
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The new Sedona Springs and adults-only Sky Island debut in October 2023.
Other standouts include a zen-infused spa, 17 pickleball courts and a new restaurant Tía Carmen, led by celebrity Chef Angelo Sosa with mouthwatering dishes incorporating the farms and foodways of the American Southwest.
(Try the ember roasted purple yam, grilled whole trout and chocolate mousse with beet ganache, grilled lemon cake and pistachios.)
For more information, visit marriott.com.
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Attention Dolly Parton aficionados: The Queen of Country’s second hotel property will celebrate its grand opening on Nov. 3, 2023.
Situated in Parton’s beloved Eastern Tennessee Smoky Mountains foothills, expect live entertainment, first-rate dining experiences that celebrate both the region and each of its seasons, indoor and outdoor pools and complimentary trolley service to Dollywood Parks.
Choose from several room types and suites with twin-size bunk beds (from $319 per night) in this Dolly-verse getaway.
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Your stay includes access to Camp DW children’s activities such as craft classes and nightly campfires.
For more information, visit dollywood.com.
Another jewel in the Tapestry Collection by Hilton, this chic property (from $179 per night) has been delighting guests since August 2023.
Select from a wide range of accommodations including mobility and hearing accessible rooms, rooms with sofa beds, confirmed connecting rooms, and more.
A few minutes away from Hans Christian Andersen Park which has everything from hiking trails and a skatepark to a playground and picnic and BBQ areas, you’re also within walking distance of Solvang's downtown hub, brimming with Danish bakeries, eclectic boutiques and even kids-allowed wine-tasting spots to observe their adult companions.
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For more information, visit hilton.com.
Looking to head to the Caribbean sans passport?
With rates starting $495 per night, this gem of a resort, opened in September 2023, proves the ideal beachfront oasis.
Amenities run the gamut from five restaurants and lounges and three ocean-view pools to a kids’ club and spa. When you’re ready to count sheep, choose from 392 guest rooms, including 28 suites.
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Before it's back to reality, be sure to book a day or night charter excursion aboard one of Frenchman’s Reef’s eight vessels for a snorkeling adventure or sunset sail.
P.S. Guests of The Westin Beach Resort & Spa also have access to amenities at sister resort, Morningstar Buoy Haus Beach Resort at Frenchman’s Reef, Autograph Collection, which opened in May 2023 on the same stretch of sand before the Caribbean’s sparkling waters.
Both resorts were part of a $425 million rebuild project at Frenchman’s Reef following 2017 hurricanes.
For more information, visit frenchmansreefstthomas.com.
Has Savannah been on your radar for a while?
It’s time to book that trip to the Hostess City of the South, especially now that the Drayton Hotel Savannah, Curio Collection by Hilton (from $266 per night) has been welcoming guests since Aug. 1, 2023.
The property was meticulously restored to make the most of the building’s 19th century exterior, and you can post up in any of the elegant 50 rooms and suites.
It’s also worth stopping by the bar at the on-site St. Neo's Brasserie, a classic French restaurant inspired by the Lowcountry, or The Vinyl Room which is a sleek cocktail lounge.
Or, head up to the rooftop to raise a glass at Pendant Terrace and Bar, offering views of City Hall, Savannah River and the Historic District within which the hotel is located.
When you’re ready to hit the town, Forsyth Park and the Savannah Children's Museum, both about a mile away from the property, are options to add to your list.
For more information, visit hilton.com.
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