Fall foliage on one tank or less - 15 September, 2009

By Rob Lovitt
Travel writer
MSNBC.com contributor
Sept . 15, 2009

It's the age-old paradox of leaf-peeping: By the time you know the foliage is hitting its peak, most local hotels are booked solid.

The solution? Forgo the multi-day tour, opting instead for a one-day trip as part of your existing fall travel plans. You'll not only save on lodging, but with gas prices easing recently ($2.57 per gallon nationwide), a full tank won't break the bank.

Fact is, there's gorgeous foliage within a one-tank trip of many of the nation's major metropolitan areas. Here are five possibilities:

New York
River views, Revolutionary War history and some of New York's most accessible foliage — you could spend a week amid the blazing foliage of the Hudson River Valley. One day? Hit a few highlights with a morning hike in Bear Mountain State Park and an afternoon cruise on the river.

From Manhattan, head up the west side of the river on the Palisades Interstate Parkway. Leave the crowds at the Bear Mountain Zoo and head north on the Appalachian Trail, where a new suspension bridge leads to the ruins of Fort Montgomery and commanding river views.

After lunch, continue north to Newburgh for a two-hour cruise on the Pride of the Hudson (Wednesday–Sunday, $18). Sailing south, the boat passes mansions, state parks, the West Point Military Academy and enough foliage to fill a 1 GB memory card. Afterwards, take I-84 east to the Taconic Parkway for another scenic route home.

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