The hills are alive with red, amber, and gold. Wood stoves are firing up, frost may be on the pumpkin, and fleece returns to fashion. Fall seems to go too fast so make the most of it while you can. Hike, bike, paddle, or try something a little different. Take the car and see what finds you. Options abound in autumn.

Here are seven great fall getaways to consider.

1. Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga, Tennessee may not be on your radar but it’s a repeat winner in Outside magazine’s “Best Town Ever.” Called the Scenic City, take advantage of the Chattanooga Bike Share System and ride along with the colors on the 13-mile Riverwalk along the Tennessee River and through the Bluff View Art District. Traveling with your own mountain bike? Try Stringer’s Ridge, Enterprise South Nature Park or on Lookout, Signal or Raccoon Mountains. Slow down a bit and take a cruise into the Tennessee River Gorge. chattanoogafun.com

2. Smuggler’s Notch, Vermont

Smugglers’ Notch Resort in northern Vermont oozes family. Play the days away by hiking, biking and playing disc golf. Don’t forget the tennis courts, Segway rentals, and mini golf, too. With colors ablaze there’s nothing like getting a birds eye view while flying through the air on a year-round zipline canopy tour and treetop obstacle course in the magical Green Mountains. Packages and lodging options abound. If you must stay indoors, the FunZone Indoor Family Entertainment Center will keep you happy. You can also chill in the hot tubs. smuggs.com

3. Maine Windjammers

How about experiencing fall from the deck of a wooden windjammer off the coast of Maine? The Maine Windjammer Association is comprised of eight vessels owned by U.S. Coast licensed captains. Get as nautical as you want or just kick back and relax. Excursions vary in length but are no longer than a week. Scan the water for seals and porpoises. Explore fishing villages and maybe a deserted island. Each night, the ship anchors in a harbor. Meals are cooked on board and there is a lobster feast. sailmainecoast.com

4. West Virginia’s Gauley River

There’s some fine whitewater to be found in West Virginia’s Gauley River. Fall means release and a wild rafting ride along a 12-mile stretch of the Upper Gauley  below Summersville Lake. The Army Corps of Engineers draws the lake down during the day on long weekends between Sept. 11 and Oct. 18 turning the waterway into a roller coaster of of some 100 rapids, a good share of them rated Class III and higher. The Lower Gauley’s `13-mile portion has three Class V drops. Adventuresonthegorge.com.

5. New Hampshire’s Moose Alley

Try watching some wildlife in northern New Hampshire. Pittsburg’s Route 3 is home to “Moose Alley.” Near the Canadian border, moose come out of the woods in search of salt licks.  New Hampshire Fish and Games sternly advises watching moose while inside your vehicle and heeding those Brake for Moose signs. cabinsatlopstick.com/adventures/moose-watching/

6. The Front Range of the Rocky Mountains

Nestled between the Colorado towns of Estes Park and Grand Lake, 415-square-miles encompass and protect spectacular mountain environments located in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park takes visitors up to 12,183 feet in elevation on the highest continuous paved road in the U.S. A variety of ranger-led programs teach visitors about the park, wildlife and flowers.  During the fall, visitors can’t miss the annual elk rut when bull elk gather in meadows with viewing areas available for onlookers.  Nearby downtown Estes Park  features a charming village filled with shops and galleries, many of which are independently owned Grand Lake offers a variety of options for those looking to stay along Rocky Mountain National Park’s backdrop including, cabins, resorts, ranches and more. nps.gov/romo

7. E.C. Manning Provincial Park, British Columbia

British Columbia’s E.C. Manning Provincial Park is a place to escape. Take it all in—alpine meadows, ancient trees, jade-colored lakes. In the heart of the Cascade Mountains about three hours east of Vancouver, the park has a vast array of walking and hiking days from easy outings to multi-day treks.  Fall proves a fantastic time to view the sub-alpine larch trees that morph from green to glorious gold along the Frosty Mountain Trail, a heart-thumping hike that moves from lakeside forest to alpine reaches, culminating at Manning Park’s highest peak. env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/ecmanning