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A change in weather, a sinking back-to-school feeling, and that unquenchable urge to roam prompted FTF to research some fun fall getaways in North Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin, Maine and Vermont.

You could head to North Carolina, or Texas, or to Wisconsin, Maine or Vermont. Autumn is the time to harvest some of the many free festivals and discounted hotel rooms offered by small towns across America. From the great outdoors to a festival for fire ants, check out these fun weekend getaways and create the best fall family vacation.

LEAF & Woolly Worm Festivals, North Carolina

As soon as summer slips away, it's the apple harvest, Indian Summer, fall foliage, film festivals, museum openings, resort discounts, almost any affair you can think of that will encourage travelers to keep on vacationing.   In the Asheville, North Carolina area at Camp Rockmont, come together to enjoy the great outdoors, plus music and art at the Lake Eden Arts Festival (LEAF). Every year in mid-October, musicians perform the gamut from bluegrass to rock, reggae to salsa, and swing to the blues, and international performers bring the sounds of Ireland, Brazil, Haiti, India and more.  Other acts include acrobats from Kenya, puppet shows and a youth poetry slam. Families can enjoy handcrafts, dancing and a Kid's Village. This year you will want to catch the screening of the documentary, Playing for Change, which chronicles the lives of street performers around the globe, and includes interviews with many of them.

After a busy day at the festival, you can check into the posh Old Edwards Inn and Spa (866/526-8008; 445 Main Street, Highlands, NC 28741) near Highlands, North Carolina. From here, you can take leisurely walks and drives through the Appalachians on Whiteside Mountain, where forests of color and cascading waterfalls appear at every turn and hiking and biking is an option as well.

The charming town of Banner Elk, Avery County is between Sugar and Beech Mountain near the Tennessee border. Locals call it the High Country and mid-late October is the height of leaf peeking in the region. Advanced recommendations are in order for this period, and the Best Western Mountain Lodge (828/898-4571, 877/877-4553; 1615 Tynecastle Highway, Banner Elk, NC 28604) offers moderately-priced, spacious double rooms. Another inn we liked is actually a small condo with apartment like units, offering afternoon tea, bedtime snacks and popcorn in between. It's called Little Main Street Inn (828/898-6109, 800/851-4397; 607 Main Street East, Banner Elk, NC 28604).

Each October, Banner Elk is the home of a wriggly event featuring Woolly Bear Caterpillars. After more than 30 years, the Woolly Worm Festival (828/898-5605 or 800/972-2183) typically begins at the local high school, where contestants bring their pets. Then around the festival's daily opening of 10am, or to quote their press material, "around 10:20 am, or as soon as the first heat, which consists of 20 worms, is registered and running," the famous woolly worm races begin. These fuzzy caterpillars race up 3-foot strings (bring your own or pick up a winning worm at the festival) and the champion worm and trainer are crowned (and paid!) The winning worm's 13 brown and black stripes are interpreted to predict the weather forecast for the coming 13 weeks of winter. Expect all manner of craft and food vendors and unusual performances by local talent.