When the days grow shorter and the leaves start to shift, the West transforms into a playground of autumnal delights. From haunted seaside hotels to apple orchards heavy with fruit, coastal pumpkin patches, and even pie-making camps tucked along Highway 1, there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate the season. Here’s your ultimate fall travel checklist that’s equal parts spooky, sweet, and spectacularly scenic.
Iain Bagwell
Attend a Pie Making Bootcamp in Pescadero, CA
Along the wild and rugged coast south of Half Moon Bay, Pie Ranch blends regenerative farming with community-minded education and plenty of pie. The nonprofit’s “Whole Pie” program invites groups to book an experience to roll dough and bake from scratch in an outdoor kitchen using produce harvested just steps away. Even if you can’t commit to one of their private workshops, the farm stand (open weekdays 11 a.m.–5 p.m., weekends 10 a.m.–5 p.m.) sells seasonal pies, preserves, and vegetables grown onsite. Talk about a perfect pitstop for a trip along Highway 1.
Hotel del Coronado
Haunted Hotels in San Diego, CA
San Diego more often conjures visions of sun and surf, but there’s one historic resort that’s super spooky, especially this time of year. On Thanksgiving Day in 1892, 24-year-old Kate Morgan checked into the Hotel del Coronado (now a Sunset Travel Awards winner) under an alias, waited several days for a companion who never arrived, and was later found dead by what was ruled a suicide. Today, guests staying in her former quarters—Room 3327 in the Victorian wing—still report flickering lights, televisions switching on and off, and mysterious cold breezes along the third- and fifth-floor corridors. Though the property has recently undergone a massive revamp, it still embraces its spectral lore with heritage tours and nods to Morgan’s story, making a stay here a rare mix of seaside grandeur and intrigue.
Thomas J. Story
Apple Picking in Philo, CA
Tucked into Mendocino’s fog-kissed Anderson Valley, Philo Apple Farm is home to more than 1,300 heirloom apple trees—some over a century old—growing along the riverbanks of the Navarro. Visitors can wander through rows of fragrant fruit before stopping at the farm stand, open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., for baskets of freshly picked apples, pears, and cider. Those wanting a deeper immersion can book one of the farm’s guest cottages or join a seasonal cooking class that celebrates the harvest. This season brings crisp air, golden foliage along Highway 128, which is dotted with countless other cideries and orchards. It’s decidedly the valley’s most moody, brooding time of year, perfect for pairing an orchard visit with a detour to Mendocino’s Lost Coast.
The Ritz-Carlton: Blake Marvin
Visit the Pumpkin Capital of the World in Half Moon Bay, CA
Each fall, Half Moon Bay becomes the pumpkin capital of California, and Lemos Farm anchors the celebration with a sprawling patch that runs through November 16. The coastal property transforms into an autumn wonderland with fields of bright orange gourds, hayrides, corn mazes, and pony rides, plus a haunted house on October weekends. Tickets are timed and sold online, so it’s worth planning ahead and arriving early to soak in the morning fog before the crowds roll in. After picking your perfect pumpkin, continue along Highway 1 for oceanfront dining and a classic California sunset, or better yet, a stay at the iconic Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay.
Sam Gellman Photography/Getty Images
Trek the Farm Trail in Sonoma, CA
Take a self-guided tour through more than twenty local farms, orchards, and creameries across wine country during the most stunning time of year, when all the grapes have been picked and vineyards are transitioning to gold and yellow hues. Along the Sonoma Farm Trail you’ll meet growers, taste freshly harvested produce, and join in seasonal workshops. Expect everything from pumpkin and flower picking to cider tastings, apple pressing, and even goat cuddles, all set against the golden backdrop of Sonoma’s fall hills. It’s a fun and unique way to celebrate NorCal’s agricultural roots beyond wine tasting, all while stocking up on produce for your fall family feasts.