Many people look forward to fall all year. Let’s be real, with pumpkin spice lattes and cozy sweaters, what’s not to love? Well, if you weren’t already sold on fall being the most beautiful season, taking a fall foliage cruise will seal the deal. Whether you’re looking for a day trip on a river or an extended journey on the high seas, here are the best fall foliage cruises for 2022.
Prices and availability are subject to change.
Departs: Sept. 23
Starting Price: $6,099
See all the best fall foliage in the Midwest and Canada on this nearly two-week trip aboard the Ocean Voyager. You’ll depart from Chicago with stops at Mackinac Island, Michigan; Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; Little Current, Ontario; Detroit; Cleveland; Niagara Falls, Ontario; Toronto; and Montréal, Quebec. Great Lakes cruises are scarce but are no less spectacular for fall color viewing than ocean cruises. September is also a wise time to travel so you don’t have to worry if the gales of November come early.
Related: 32 Charming Small Towns With Stunning Fall Colors
Departs: Multiple dates
Prices: Starting at $42 for adults
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a stunning coastline on Lake Superior in Michigan. The red, orange, black, and sometimes even turquoise streaked cliff faces are beautiful all year round and are always best viewed from the water. Add in fall foliage to this cruise and the sights get even better. Cruises are around 2 to 2½ hours long, making it a perfect day trip. Afterwards you can go for a stroll along the shores of Lake Superior or visit the shops and restaurants in Munising.
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Departs: Multiple Dates
Starting Price: $4,615
Yet another way to see the fall colors throughout the Midwest is on this Upper Mississippi River cruise. You’ll start in St. Louis and journey up the Mississippi to your end destination of St. Paul, Minnesota. Scenic bluffs, historic homes, bald eagles, and of course, plenty of fall colors await you on your trip.
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Departs: Multiple dates
Starting Price: $106
A trip to New York City in the fall wouldn’t be complete without a fall-colors cruise. Classic Harbor line lets you see the vibrant fall colors by yacht or schooner on a pleasant day trip. You’ll set sail on the Hudson River to the New York Palisades. Most tours are 2 to 2½ hours long. One New York City fall-colors cruise is a whopping 9-hour trip, though. That cruise travels all the way to Bear Mountain State Park and back and includes time to explore the park.
Departs: Sept. 25; Oct. 9 and Oct. 16
Starting Price: $379
You’ll get quite a view of the northeastern United States as this fall foliage cruise departs from Boston and heads north to Canada. Along the way, there are stops in Bar Harbor and Portland, Maine; Halifax, Nova Scotia; and St. John, New Brunswick, before ending back in Boston. You will have plenty of time for leaf peeping plus two days cruising at sea for some rest and relaxation.
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Departs: Sept. 29; Oct. 13
Starting Price: $400
This cruise follows the same path as the seven-night cruise, but departs and ends in Cape Liberty, New Jersey. View the rocky shores of Maine and see how many of Nova Scotia’s 160 lighthouses you can spot. Late September and early October are the best times for viewing the changing leaves, so you can’t go wrong with either of these fall foliage cruises in 2022.
Departs: Sept. 15; Sept. 25
Starting Price: $8,650
See the best of New England and even more of Canada on this 10-day fall foliage cruise. The cruise departs from Quebec City, Quebec, and ends in Portland, Maine. There are multiple stops throughout Quebec and visits to port cities on Prince Edward Island and in Nova Scotia.
Departs: Oct. 30, Oct. 31; Nov. 13
Starting Price: $3,685
Culture and color collide on this Chesapeake Bay fall foliage cruise. Travel from Baltimore to Williamsburg where you can feel transported back to the colonial days. Crisfield, Cambridge, St. Michaels, and Annapolis also await you.
Departs: Sept. 13, Sept. 23; Oct. 3
Starting Price: $6,250
On this fall foliage cruise, the oranges, reds, and yellows really pop when compared to the nearby evergreens. Not only will you see fall colors, but you will also have mountain views and maybe even spot a whale. The cruise starts and ends in Seattle with stops in Anacortes, Washington; Friday Harbor, Washington; the San Juan Islands; Victoria, British Columbia; Port Angeles, Washington; Port Townsend, Washington; Poulsbo, Washington; Tacoma, Washington; and Bremerton; Washington.
Departs: Sept. 24; Oct. 1, Oct. 2, Oct. 8
Starting Price: $4,695
You will have endless opportunities for fall leaf viewing on this cruise since you won’t have to spend any days simply adrift at sea. The cruise starts and ends in New York and lets you view all the best colors along the Hudson River up through Troy. Along the way, you’ll see colonial towns and towering mountains wrapped in a blanket of red, orange, and yellow.
