Leaf-gazers will get their fill and more when visiting this Georgia State Park. From both the Cowee Overlook and the scenic overlook at the visitor center, you can enjoy panoramic vistas up to 80 miles across the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Visit the mountain summit, and take in views of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee all at once. Admission is free, but there is a $5 parking fee. 

Whether shopping for pumpkins for jack-o-lanterns, autumn and Thanksgiving décor, or baking pumpkins for your favorite pumpkin treats, you’ll find more than enough to choose from at this fall favorite. While you’re there, pose for fall family pictures in the pumpkin patch, take a hayride around the farm, or shop for some tasty treats at the farm store.

Note that while the pumpkin patch and store are open daily, hayrides are available daily during October and weekends only during November. Admission and parking are free; hayride tickets are $6 per person (children age 2 and younger are free). 

For sweeping views of gorgeous fall colors, head to Tallulah Falls, where you can take in breathtaking views from the Tallulah Point Overlook. Looking down on the Tallulah Gorge and the Tallulah River, this is the perfect vantage point for autumnal leaf-lookers. You even can relax on the covered porch at the overlook, and enjoy a glass-bottled Coke or a scoop of your favorite ice cream. Be sure to check out the spot where Karl Wallenda crossed the gorge on a high wire in 1970.

Known as the Apple Capital of Georgia, this mountain town offers nearly a dozen apple houses, each with a variety of fresh-picked apples.

But there’s much more to sample, including fresh fried fruit pies, homemade jellies and jams, and apple cider. Some even offer family activities such as petting farms, wagon rides, and pony rides. 

While this family friendly destination always has a lot going on, a fun fall event not to miss is National Pumpkin Destruction Day. It’s held from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on November 2, and visitors can come and unleash their inner beast by destroying pumpkins.

Options include pulverizing gourds in the pumpkin cannon, through pumpkin bowling, or by smashing them with sledgehammers. Tickets start at $21.59.

Believe it or not, fall colors in Athens go way beyond the red and black that takes over Sanford Stadium from September through November.

You’ll find plenty of autumnal hues at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia at UGA as well as throughout the UGA campus. And if you’re looking for fall fun beyond what’s found between the hedges, check out the North Georgia Folk Festival taking place Saturday, October 12, at Sandy Creek Park. Admission is $15 for everyone age 12 and older.

One of the best ways to enjoy the fall beauty of the North Georgia Mountains, the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway takes passengers on a 26-mile roundtrip voyage along the Toccoa River to McCaysville, Ga., and Copperhill, Tenn.

The four-hour journey includes a two-hour layover in McCaysville/Copperhill, where you can grab lunch or do some shopping. Tickets start at $55 for adults, $50 for seniors ages 65 and older, and $35 for children ages two to 12. Children 23 months and younger are free, but do require a ticket. 

Just south of Chattanooga, Candlelight Forest in Chickamauga, Ga., is an ideal spot for taking in fall colors. Settled in the Chattanooga Valley, visitors can immerse themselves in reds, oranges, and yellows as they fish, canoe, and SUP on Lake Angela or set out on the many walking and hiking trails. Other activities include visiting with the Pygmy goats, playing in the Pete Nelson Grand Tree House, and going on a mason jar treasure hunt.

With its popular Oktoberfest in full swing, this mountain town has plenty to offer for fall (and the brouhaha continues through the Christmas season, too). Famed for its Bavarian-style buildings, Helen welcomes visitors to stroll the sidewalks through downtown, where they can shop in local boutiques and stores or enjoy a variety of cuisine in the many restaurants. Also, beer.

Just beyond the city limits, Mother Nature beckons with hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and more. 

Open weekends through November 3, Warbington Farms offers all the family friendly entertainment you can imagine for fall. That includes a hayride, corn maze, the barnyard, and fun park activities.

The latter activities range from a jumping pillow, swings, and obstacle course to roller slides, tire yard, corn crib, and more. Tickets are $13 per person.