The coziest small US towns to visit this fall

20.09.2024 - 19:09 / lonelyplanet.com

Sep 19, 2024 • 11 min read

While every season has its colors, there’s something particularly special about the fall. As the cool weather sweeps across the United States, plucking leaves off branches, the kaleidoscope of colorfulness isn’t just stunning on the eyes; it pulls at the soul.

For some, it feels like flipping the pages for a new beginning; for others, it's a seasonal mood booster, creating a deeper connection with nature and the world around us. But one thing’s for sure: There’s a certain autumnal magic that lends itself to wrapping up warm, sipping steaming cups of coffee and set-jetting – or making a real-life pilgrimage to small towns that capture the America embodied by Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls.

Here are eight of our favorite small towns for cozy autumnal vibes (and yes, you'll get to fit in some leaf-peeping, too).

Best for Gilmore Girls fans

Vibes: Where Rory and Lorelai lead, we follow…and that road leads to the Connecticut town of Washington, the real-life inspiration for Amy Sherman-Palladino's mother-daughter drama, Gilmore Girls, which garnered a loyal following from 2000 to 2007. Some 4000 residents live within the town's 38.7 square miles, dotted around downtown blocks and bucolic small roads crossing the rolling foothills of the Berkshire Mountains – ideal for leaf-peeping drives (watch out for those deer, Rory!). 

Do: With five villages within the town , there’s a Stars Hollow-style town square for every personality type. Washington Green has a library, church, public garden and two museums, while Washington Depot is centered on an abandoned Texaco gas station converted into a lively community gathering space known as the Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens .

New Preston promises quirky shopping and a spectacular driving loop around Lake Waramaug, while Marbledale boasts a red brick church and boutiques in converted barns and homes and quiet Woodville offers an agreeably unhurried vibe. During the fall harvest, you can go apple and pumpkin picking at tenth-generation-run Averill Farm , or enjoy the leaf color while exploring peaceful miles of nature trails . 

Eat: The small-town community feel is best absorbed at the old-fashioned full-service grocery store and deli, Washington Food Market, and the Community Table, which partners with local farms for mindfully produced meals. Also serving up cozy vibes with lunch and dinner are The White Horse Country Pub & Restaurant and G.W. Tavern.

Stay: There’s only one place for Gilmore Girls fans: The Mayflower Inn & Spa, where Sherman-Palladino stayed and found inspiration. “Everything looked like it was covered in sugar," she told Deseret News in 2001. Covering 58 acres of gardens and woods, this New England-style retreat also