Celebrate Fall with These Day Trips in the Triangle

The weather has been absolutely stunning in North Carolina these past few weeks, and I’ve been soaking up as much outdoor time as possible. Fall in the Triangle is a perfect mix of crisp mornings, golden afternoons, and fiery foliage—ideal for exploring historic spots, chasing colors on local trails, and enjoying seasonal flavors. Celebrate fall with these day trips in the Triangle.

This post was originally published in 2017 and has since between updated and recirculated for 2025.

Celebrate Fall with These Day Trips in the Triangle

Visit Raleigh’s Historic Oakwood Cemetery

Photo via Oakwood Cemetery Instagram

Oakwood Cemetery is one of Raleigh’s most fascinating historic landmarks, with over 150 years of stories. It began as a cemetery for Confederate soldiers and has since grown into a place that reflects Raleigh’s broader history. Maps are available online if you would like to explore on your own, and fall is an especially beautiful time with rolling hills, autumn foliage, and peaceful walking paths.

Each October, Burning Coal Theatre and Historic Oakwood Cemetery team up for Plays in the Cemetery, a series of short plays inspired by the lives of those buried there. It is a unique mix of history and performance art you do not want to miss.

📍 Pro tip: Pair your visit with a stroll through the nearby Oakwood neighborhood for charming historic homes dressed in fall décor.

Historic Oakwood Cemetery is at 701 Oakwood Ave, Raleigh.

Celebrate Raleigh Breweries with a Fall Beer Crawl

The Triangle’s brewery scene shines brightest in fall. Create your own beer crawl to sample seasonal brews like:

• Raleigh Brewing – Oktoberfest Märzen (3709 Neil St, Raleigh)
• Trophy Brewing – Oktropyfest Lager (827 W Morgan St, Raleigh)
• Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing – Motorik Marzen + sweeping skyline views (201 S Boylan Ave, Raleigh)

Chase Fall Colors on Local Trails

While the North Carolina mountains are always a good idea, you do not have to drive to the mountains to enjoy stunning fall foliage. Some of the Triangle’s best leaf-peeping hikes include:

• Eno River State Park (Durham/Hillsborough) – winding riverside paths (Use the linked website to see the various access points!)
  • Be sure to check the status of the trails, some are still closed from some earlier flooding this year
• North Carolina Museum of Art Park (Raleigh) – art, trails, and picnic-perfect lawns (2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh)
• William B. Umstead State Park (Raleigh/Cary) – featuring peaceful lakeside trails (Crabtree Creek Entrance: 8801 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh // Reedy Creek Entrance: 2100 N. Harrison Ave., Cary)

Bring a blanket and enjoy a picnic at Dorothea Dix Park or the NCMA meadow afterward. Dogs are welcome on all of these trails, so your pup can get in on the fall fun, too.

Experience Local History at the Colonial Inn in Hillsborough

Photo via The Colonial Inn Instagram

The beautifully restored Colonial Inn in Hillsborough has become a fall favorite for history lovers and locals alike. Join them for a drink and small plates at the inn’s bar, Spencer’s Tavern, and consider staying at the inn to enjoy the Hillsborough’s Last Fridays & the Art Walk and Solstice Lantern Walk.

The inn’s courtyard twinkles with string lights on cool evenings—perfect for grabbing a drink and soaking up the historic charm around one of the patio fire pits.

Take a Sightseeing or Haunted Bar Walk

Photo via Triangle Walking Tours

Cooler evenings make fall ideal for walking tours. Raleigh’s sightseeing bar walk combines history, architecture, and a few spirited stops along the way. You could also take the Raleigh Trolley History Tour, which starts at Historic Mordecai Park every Saturday at hour increments. In Durham, check out Triangle Walking Tours, which now offers a True Crime Tour and a Ghost Tour.

Attend the North Carolina State Fair

Nothing says fall in the Triangle quite like the North Carolina State Fair. Returning to Raleigh from October 16–26, 2025, the fair brings all the nostalgic fun—Ferris wheel rides, fried food favorites, agricultural exhibits, and live music every night.

Be sure to try the newest food creations (there is always a viral hit each year!) and make time for the livestock barns, arts and crafts exhibits, and nightly fireworks.

🎡 Local tip: Go on a weekday afternoon or Sunday morning to beat the crowds, or plan a date night for the lights and live music after sunset.

Spend a Day at Fearrington Village

Just outside Chapel Hill and Durham, Fearrington Village is a fall day-trip favorite. Greet the famous Oreo cows (a rare “beltie” breed), browse boutique shops, sip coffee on the inn’s terrace, stroll the gardens with a glass of wine, or book a treatment at the spa. The pastoral scenery is especially picturesque in autumn, with bright leaves framing the white fences and grazing animals.

Final Thoughts

Whether you are strolling through history, sipping seasonal brews, or chasing fall color, the Triangle is full of ways to celebrate the season.

The weather has been absolutely stunning in North Carolina for the past few weeks and I have been trying to enjoy my time outdoors as much as possible. It is a great time to chase the fall colors and enjoy the warm, yet not as humid, temperatures.

For more North Carolina travel guides, be sure to check out this page as I work to visit all 100 counties in the Old North State.