Travel to See the Fall Colors in Atlanta and Charlotte

Fall is the favorite season for many people. Not only does it bring cooler temperatures, but the sight of seeing leaves change their color can draw people from across the country to Atlanta and Charlotte.

With that in mind, seeing the changing fall leaves by yourself is fun, but it’s even better when you rent a passenger van with a group of friends and travel together to share in the experience. Here is everything that you need to know to see the fall colors for yourselves in the Atlanta and Charlotte areas.

Where Should You Go Near Atlanta and Charlotte?

With so many areas around Atlanta, it can be hard to narrow down the perfect place to go to see the best fall colors in all of Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. We’re here to help! There are the top five destinations that you should consider for your fall colors van trip.

1. F.D. Roosevelt State Park

Just south of Atlanta, you’ll find stunning forest and rolling mountain views that turn beautiful shades around late October. The Wolf Den Loop is only 6.7 miles long and is a favorite section of the Pine Mountain Trail. The trip is also gorgeous as you travel through the forested valley along GA 190.

2. Blue Ridge Scenic Railway

If you're up for a long 26-mile round trip with your close friends and families, then the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway is the best choice! The trip winds along the Toccoa River and gives visitors tons of opportunities to marvel at the gorgeous changing leaves and explore new sites. Some of our favorites include the historic depot in Blue Ridge and the small sister towns of McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee.

3. Cloudland Canyon State Park

Cloudland Canyon State Park is one of Georgia's most stunning parks and offers visitors overlooks that are easy to reach along with challenging hikes on the trails. During the fall season, the trees turn beautiful shades of orange and brown, and the hikes are the perfect opportunity to take up-close pictures of the foliage.

4. Blowing Rock, North Carolina

Blowing Rock is known by many as the Crown of the Blue Ridge, this small town in North Carolina offers visitors the chance to witness sweeping vistas and gorgeous views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. There are tons of other attractions and overlooks in the area, and there is no shortage of views of beautiful fall foliage. The drive is relatively short but will take all day at 4 and a half hours from Atlanta. It's worth the stay overnight with tons of local attractions along Main Street in Blowing Rock.

5. Black Rock Mountain

Want to really see what the fall leaves look like close to a mile-high? Black Rock Mountain is Georgia’s highest state park sitting at an altitude of 3,640 feet. Along the way, you'll find that the roadside offers stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and even the visitor center at the summit of the mountain presents tons of photo opportunities. If you're up for a hike, you and your group can go on a short 2.2-mile hike along the Tennessee Rock Trail. If you want something a little bit more intensive, you can try the James E. Edmonds Backcountry Trail which is 7.2 miles long round trip.

How Far Do You Need to Travel?

For many of these trips, you can get there in a relatively short amount of time. Just south of Atlanta, Georgia you’ll find wilderness escapes with the perfect photo opportunities to see the natural surroundings of the area. Many of the other recommended trips can take a few hours as you travel across different states into Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Regardless, with a fuel-efficient vehicle that carries the entire group, you can save on gas costs and with each other's company, the road trip will seem less long, and you'll enjoy every minute of it. 

Finding the Perfect Vehicle

Now that you’ve figured out where you want to go, it’s time to round up the group and make your trip to watch as these southern leaves change color. Your first instinct might be to take separate cars and caravan out to these parks. The problem is, if you consider the gas for driving 50+ miles from Atlanta, the costs can add up quickly.

For this reason, your best option would be to rent a large-capacity vehicle like a passenger van or large SUV. This way, you can all ride together while splitting the gas costs and helping to save the environment from tons of pollution. Passenger vans also help save your group money in more ways than one. If you plan on visiting National Parks, you can plan on paying a fee for each car that you bring into the park. If you have only one large-capacity vehicle, you just need to pay for one parking spot!

Passenger vans also offer convenience. With everyone together in the same vehicle, you won’t need to worry about anyone getting lost on those windy Georgia mountain roads on the way to your destination. Stick together and enjoy every moment as a group with AVR Van Rentals!

Finding the perfect passenger van can be a challenge, but luckily AVR van rental is here to help!

The AVR Van Rental Solution

AVR offers van and SUV rentals at most airports across the country, which means that you’ll never be too far from a premium van rental at an affordable rate. We offer vans in all sizes, and even if you’re traveling in a group of 15 people, we have a vehicle to fit all of you!

AVR Van Rentals is ready to help you reserve the perfect passenger van for your fall colors trip. Contact us today to see our selection of premium, clean vans, and SUVs, and start making your travel plans today!