This Charming East Coast Town Is The Perfect Fall Destination For Hiking Adventures

Leaf peepers, apple pickers, and sweater wearers unite! There's no better time of year to visit a small American town with great hiking than in the fall. Fall is an exceptional season to live out your hiking dreams, especially along the U.S.A.'s East Coast. With thousands of small towns to choose from, you might feel at a loss when deciding where to head for a quaint retreat. If you're particularly interested in hiking and outdoor adventures, there is one Maryland town that is perfect for visiting in the fall.

Providing the outdoor adventures of our autumnal dreams, Boonsboro, Maryland, is a picturesque town well worth a visit as the leaves begin to change. Located approximately 60 miles from Washington D.C. and 65 miles from Baltimore, Boonsboro is a great city escape to enjoy some peace and quiet. This underrated town is home to some of the country's best hiking trails and state parks — and is quite easy on the eyes during pumpkin spice season.

If your primary goal for a small town getaway is to hike, then you've come to the right place. Boonsboro might be small, but its hiking trails are some of the finest in the country. The famed Appalachian Trail might be over a whopping 2,000 miles, but it just so happens to cut directly through Boonsboro. If you're in town, you can easily hike part of the Appalachian, one of the most significant hiking trails in the country, and one of the longest hiking trails in the world. 

Boonsboro also provides a gateway to Washington Monument State Park. Not to be confused with the actual Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., Washington Monument State Park is one of the best places to take in the amber hues of fall foliage. Those who really want to become at one with nature can plan to camp here, so long as camping reservations are made in advance. The best part of a hike at Washington Monument State Park is that you can forego the idea that all hikes must be sweat-inducing, intense physical labor. The trails here are easy and suitable for all ages.

If you want to explore a less conventional hike, head to Crystal Grottoes Caverns. The hike down into the caves only takes about 30 minutes, but those who embark on this journey will be greeted with one of Maryland's best natural anomalies. 

Aside from hiking famed trails and exploring deep caverns, Boonsboro has plenty of small town charm to offer. While the town is quite small, there are a few museums well worth checking out. The Boonsborough Museum of History is a two-story oasis filled with American collections and artifacts. If you're interested in history, you'll also want to head to the Boonsboro Historical Society to learn more about what the town has to offer.

In Boonsboro proper, there are a few restaurant options that will satiate your appetite. Start your day off at Stone Werks Coffee + Sweets. The charming cafe serves breakfast pastries, bagels, cupcakes, and a wide array of espresso drinks. You could also opt for the local diner, My Mini Mart & Dream Diner, a family-owned establishment that has board games to keep diners occupied while they wait for their meals. For lunch, Rasco NY Pizza will give your small town getaway a big city feel with New York City-style pizza. And what small town visit is complete without visiting the local creamery? Head to Potomac Street Creamery for a proper scoop of ice cream.

Regarding accommodations, you can certainly opt to camp; but if you want a literal roof over your head, there's one place that will certainly give you that small town feel. Inn BoonsBoro is luxuriously designed with rooms that focus on comfort.