Early fall is a marvelous time to get out and travel in the eastern U.S. The weather is still comfortable, and the kids are back in school. So it’s much quieter, especially on weekdays. And you can probably find better deals. Here are a few of my fave spots in the eastern half of the U.S., and here are some of the top things to do on the East Coast, including the best things to see and do in Detroit, Michigan, Palm Beach, Florida, New York City and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN
Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, Michigan. JIM BYERS PHOTO
I spent a few days here this past summer and found the changes to be astonishing. Downtown Detroit is filled with cool shops and new-ish hotels, including the super trendy Shinola Hotel. The restored Michigan Central Train Station is an epic structure that symbolizes the resurrection of this great city. Architecture fans also will love checking out historic downtown buildings, including the ornate Guardian Building with its orange-red exterior bricks and a soaring lobby that features black marble and red Tunisian marble. I was truly gobsmacked by the beauty when I visited. Pao is a restaurant housed in a building that has seen many iterations over the years, including time as a movie theatre in the 1920s. It’s been voted one of the most beautiful restaurants in the U.S. The food is exceptional, too. The Henry Ford contains historic Greenfield Village, which has everything from working farms to Model T rides, and also the fabulous Henry Ford Museum of Innovation, where you’ll find not only great, old cars but also the bus that Rosa Parks rode in Montgomery, Alabama when she refused to give up her seat to a white person and move to the back of the bus. Such courage, and such a powerful experience to sit in her seat on the bus. Not to be outdone, the Detroit Institute of Arts is one of the top museums in the country. For many, the highlight are the remarkable murals by Diego Rivera, called The Detroit Industry Murals. Astonishing in scope and detail, and, to my mind, one of the greatest works of art anywhere in the world.
NORTH CAROLINA
The hiking is sensational in North Carolina. This is near Blowing Rock, NC. JIM BYERS PHOTO
You’ll find hiking, bucolic country towns, and tasty wines and spirits in the hills of North Carolina. In Thurmond, Jones Von Drehle winery has welcoming hosts and makes lovely red and white wines. Stop in at Call Family Distillershttps://www.callfamilydistillers.com/ in Wilkesboro and learn how the family taught the basics of distilling to a lad named Jack Daniels. Stone Mountain State Park is a wonderful hiking spot with waterfalls and a remarkable, 600-foot granite dome. There’s no charge to drive the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, which offers marvelous views and access to great hiking areas.
PALM BEACH AND WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA
The Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, California. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Grandview Market is a vibrant spot in the Warehouse District, with a variety of mom and pop places offering everything from pizza to tacos, as well as beer and wine. E.R. Bradley’s Saloon is a large tiki bar in downtown West Palm Beach, with pretty fountains and palm trees galore. When I was there, they had musicians on acoustic guitar and slide guitar playing everything from Jimmy Buffett to Willie Nelson. The beautiful Flagler Museum has countless art treasures and beautiful, Gilded Age rooms you can check out. The cutting edge Norton Museum of Art is a wondeful museum that’s divided into sections focused on American, European, Chinese and contemporary art, as well as photography. It was designed by renowned architect Norman Foster. There’s also a pretty, and quiet, sculpture garden out back.
NEW YORK CITY
The City Reliquary in Brooklyn, New York. JIM BYERS PHOTO
There’s never a bad time to visit the Big Apple, home of Broadway shows, amazing neighborhoods, fabulous food and, of course, Central Park. The park is a marvelous place to go for a stroll or a bike ride and enjoy fall colors. For something different, head to the City Reliquary in Brooklyn and admire their funky displays of 1964 World’s Fair kitsch, as well as Jackie Robinson/Brooklyn Dodgers collectibles and dozens of small replicas of the Statue of Liberty. It costs just $10. Italian food lovers should skip the Manhattan Little Italy and head straight to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, where you’ll find delightful dining spots and grocery stores selling Italian food and other goods.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Fall color in New Hampshire. Martin Sanchez/Unsplash Photo
If you’re a fan of fall colours, try the scenic drive along the Kancamagus Highway. Also popular are Acadia Loop, Mohawk Trail and Smugglers’ Notch. Loon Mountain is a nice ski resort that sometimes gets early snowfalls, so keep an eye out on the weather. The town of Lincoln, just a few minutes away, has a popular breakfast spot called Flapjack’s. Head south about 45 minutes to the Tanger Outlets for deals at stores such as Kate Spade New York, Levi’s, and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. If the weather’s nice, keep in mind that New Hampshire has Atlantic Ocean beaches, including Hampton Beach State Park.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
The Milwaukee Museum of Art in Wisconsin. JIM BYERS PHOTO
The historic Third Ward Is one of the most vibrant, enjoyable neighborhoods in the U.S., with lively bars and restaurants, fun shops and great old architecture. I highly recommend the Milwaukee Art Museum, which has stunning works on display and a brilliant design by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. I loved the food and craft cocktails at Movida, a tapas place at the Hotel Madrid in the Fifth Ward. Ma Fischer’s is a fun, old-style joint that serves a good, filling breakfast. And don’t forget to grab a frozen custard cone, perhaps at Leon’s Frozen Custard, which looks like something off the set of Happy Days (based in Milwaukee, of course. If you’re a fan of the show, don’t miss the statue of “The Fonz” on the Milwaukee Riverwalk, near the Pabst Theater. Need a place to stay? Saint Kate the Arts Hotel features wonderful, local art all around and stylish rooms. I also loved the youthful feel at the Iron Horse Hotel, which is in the oh-so-cool and just down the road from the terrific Harley Davidson Museum.
MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA
Myrtle Beach. JIM BYERS PHOTO
The beach here goes on for miles, and there are plenty of fun, casual seafood restaurants to try. Take a ride on the SkyWheel for fabulous beach views. The Myrtle Beach Art Museum offers up fantastic works of art in a variety of styles. Myrtle Beach may be known as a spring break or family destination, but the museum helps show off the more serious side of the city. Hook and Barrel is a stylish restaurant on the north side of town with great food. I had one of the most enjoyable wine-tasting sessions ever a few years ago at the never-too-serious La Belle Amie Vineyards. Roughly a half-hour south of Myrtle Beach is the village of Murrells Inlet. You’ll find a short but enjoyable boardwalk along the marina and along some marshland areas. It also passes some wonderfully colourful bars and restaurants, where you can order up everything from high-end sushi to burgers and a beer. Also close by is Brookgreen Gardens, where you’ll find a huge variety of flowering plants and shrubs as well as fountains and statuary. You also can try a fantastically quiet backcountry kayak trip with the folks from Black River outfitting. A little south of Murrells Inlet, The Hammock Shops in Pawleys Island features brick walkways, thick groves of tropical trees and shrubs and sophisticated shops.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball. Joshua Peacock/Unsplash Photo
This is a very cool city that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It does, however, takes its sports seriously, and you’ll find a couple of fantastic places to catch a game. The NFL stadium is on the waterfront and is terrific, but the baseball stadium, PNC Park, is the real gem. Both stadiums are close to the Andy Warhol Museum, which perhaps tells you something about the city’s multiple personalities. The Duquesne Incline is a great way to get an overview of the city; a funicular railway that climbs a steep, 30.5 degree incline and connects the Monongahela river bank with the Mt. Washington neighbourhood above. Primanti Bros. is a famous spot that makes enormous Italian-style sandwiches, including one that comes with cole slaw and French fries inside the bread. It’s not for faint of heart. The Church Brew Works is a wonderful pub and craft beer place that’s housed in an old church near the popular, bustling Strip District. The Fairmont Pittsburgh is a sleek, chic and modern hotel in the heart of downtown that’s a one-minute walk to some of the best restaurants, bars and theatres in town.
JEKYLL ISLAND, GEORGIA
A sunset on Jekyll Island, Georgia. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Jekyll is famous for its fun and inexpensive golf courses. The state of Georgia owns the Jekyll Island Golf Club, and there are three full 18’s and a nine-hole layout. I find Oleander the prettiest of the bunch, but there are pretty holes on Indian Mounds and also on the Pine Lakes 18-hole course. There are lovely nature trails to take around the island, or you can rent a bike and take a ride on the hard, firm-packed sand on the beach. Driftwood Beach was named the third best beach in the U.S. by Trip Advisor for 2023. The sunsets are astonishing out over the Intracoastal Waterway, too. There are tons of accommodations but I’m partial to the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, one of those throwback, “Dirty Dancing” kind of places with tons of history and charm to spare.
