Bidding adieu to summer isn't all bad. The arrival of crisp air means cozy sweaters and pumpkin spice lattes. Crackling fires and changing leaves too, and the choice way to enjoy those are with a weekend getaway to the country. Herein, 10 boutique retreats across North America ideal for autumn weather.
Oregon: Tu Tu' Tun Lodge
Minutes from the Pacific Ocean, on the banks of the Rogue River, the 20-room Tu Tu' Tun is a Pacific Northwest oasis, complete with big stone hearth, borrow-a-book library and wilderness surrounds. Book a room with an outdoor soaking tub to take in the starry evening sky.
California: Farmhouse Inn
In Sonoma County's Russian River Valley, near a town named Forestville, the Farmhouse Inn has but 25 rooms and cottages. Here, it's the hillsides of grape vines that change hue. Sitting in one of the Adirondack chairs encircling the outdoor firepit with a carafe of Cab Sauv is an evening well spent.
Colorado: Dunton Hot Springs
No two of 21 cabins are the same, but even if they weren't it wouldn't matter, because the landscape in this alpine valley within the Colorado Rockies is always changing. At all-inclusive Dunton, the best way to see the fiery autumn foliage is by horseback, followed up by a soak in one of six hot spring-fed pools on the property.
Montana: Triple Creek Ranch
A day at Triple Creek Ranch, in the Montana Rockies, starts with fresh baked cookies. Feast on fresh air during the day -- they too will saddle guests up for horseback riding -- and come evening, retreat to a one bedroom cabin with a wood-burning fire and private hot tub. Oh, and it's all-inclusive too, so carting a wallet everywhere is another worry to rid oneself of.
Maine: Hidden Pond
Quaint cottages, 36 of them, each unique, nestle guests within the trees and near the coast just outside Kennebunkport, Maine. Morning bakery baskets, fireplaces and screened porches are amongst Hidden Pond's room amenities. Beyond that, there's yoga classes, painting classes, delectable meals by award-winning chef Ken Oringer and more to indulge in.
Massachusetts: Blantyre
In the Berkshires, Blantyre brings a bit of 19th century Scotland to 21st century Massachusetts. The Tudor-style mansion complete with turrets and climbing vines has eight rooms in the main house, four guest cottages, and a 10-room carriage house, so there's no threat of it feeling busy. Major Downton Abbey vibes here.
New York: Bedford Post Inn
Just one hour from New York City, in whimsical Westchester, the Bedford Post Inn provides a peaceful place to wind down from city life. There are but eight rooms, and most have fireplaces and terraces for taking in the wooded grounds. The perk afforded weekend visitors is a daily cocktail hour from 4 and 5 p.m.
Pennsylvania: The Lodge at Woodloch
Yoga, spa treatments and cooking classes are a few of the relaxing-yet-invigorating activities on offer at this lodge in the lake region of Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains. Its 58 rooms are sumptuous, with big beds and cozy armchairs that make getting up and going for a hike challenging, but muster the energy, there are vivid trees to see.
Tennessee: Blackberry Farm
Down South, the Smokey Mountains offer dendrophiles a show, and the 62-room Blackberry Farm makes a ideal perch (empty chairs lined up along the hillside await). It's a working farm, so the food couldn't be fresher. There's also adventure to be had by way of fly fishing, horse riding, clay shooting or canoeing.
Quebec: Manoir Hovey
An alternative to Vermont--it's 20 minutes away across the Canadian border -- Manoir Hovey serves up lakeside and a jaw-dropping display of seemingly lit-up leaves. Highlights of its 39 rooms are the quilt-covered beds, fireplaces and views of deep blue Lake Massawippi. The icing on the cake? The dining room's legendary after-dinner cheese carts.
___________________
Also on The Huffington Post:
