Fall Getaways for Clevelanders

Niagara-on-the-Lake, located about 30 minutes north of Niagara Falls (and about a 5-hour drive from Cleveland), is a world away from the carnival-like atmosphere near the Falls.

The 19th century town, on the shore of Lake Ontario, features charming bed and breakfast inns, a downtown shopping district of eclectic shops in restored storefronts, delicious Scottish and Irish-style restaurants, and the Shaw Festival during the summer and fall months. Plus, the American dollar still goes farther in Canada.

Among the best places to stay are:

• The Oban Inn
• The Pillar and Post
• The Prince of Wales
• Simcoe Manor

Book early; accommodations fill up early in the fall.

For more information on Niagara-on-the-Lake, visit the Niagara-on-the-Lake tourism site.

Las Vegas is fun anytime of year, but in autumn the heat of the summer has faded and the desert air is crisp and clear -- a great time for golf and exploring the Nevada countryside.

Non-stop flights on Continental Airlines from Cleveland make getting to Las Vegas easy and affordable. Funjet Vacations has fall packages beginning at $399.99 per person including flights, two nights hotel, taxes, and a sightseeing tour (based on double occupancy).

Autumn is the "Big Apple" is just right. The air is crisp and cool; the stores are gearing up for the holidays; and the crowds of the summer have gone. Take in a Broadway show, go sightseeing, or explore one of the city's unique and varied neighborhoods.

Continental Airlines flies nonstop into Newark and LaGuardia with airfares currently under $200.

For more information on travel to New York, see:

• New York Sightseeing
• Discount New York Theater Tickets
• Best Hotels in New York City
• Broadway Show Schedule

Few things can beat the excitement of an Ohio State football game. The "Buckeyes" seldom disappoint -- and Ohio Stadium is just two hours down the road from Cleveland. The tickets are tricky, but not impossible to get, but worth the effort. For more about going to an OSU game, see:

• OSU 2008 Schedule
• Ohio State Football
• To shop for tickets from TicketsNow
• Directions to Ohio Stadium
• Hotels near Ohio Stadium

Hershey Pennsylvania, located in central PA about six hours by car from Cleveland, is where Hershey's Chocolates are made. The town celebrates is chocolate heritage with Hershey's Chocolate World, a amusement park-like attraction that tells that the candies are made and ends in the Hershey company store. Hershey is also home to Hershey Park, a 110-acre theme park with 60 rides, ZooAmerica, an animal preserve and theme park, and the Hershey Museum, with artifacts from all over central Pennsylvania.

Among the many places to stay in the area is the AAA four-diamond rated Hershey Hotel, built in the 1930s by Milton Hershey. The elegant 230-room hotel features an 18-hole golf course, a chocolate spa, and the CocoaKids club.

Each year, Cedar Point transforms itself into a Halloween wonderland on weekends from mid-September through Halloween. In 2008, the dates are September 12 through November 2. The park combines traditional rides with scary and non-scary fun for the whole family. Features include the Frightzone, Werewolf Canyon, and a variety of haunted houses.

For more about Cedar Point, see:

• Cedar Point Halloweekends
• Hotels near Cedar Point
• Attractions near Cedar Point

Located just a little over an hour's drive south of Cleveland, Northeast Ohio's Amish country is like a world in itself. The rural area is dotted with small towns, farms, roadside markets, and hand-made furniture stores. It's also home to some of the best homemade cooking in Ohio.

Spend the day or spend the weekend. Some of the best accommodations include the Inn at Honey Run in Millersburg, the Guggisberg Swiss Inn in Charm, and the Hilltop Manor B&B in Millersburg.

The Henry Ford Museum and adjacent Greenfield Village, in Dearborn Michigan, are about a 3-hour drive from Cleveland. The museum houses a vast collection of American inventions and historic memorabilia, including JFK's limousine, an authentic 1930s GE kitchen, a stagecoach, and the Fokker tri-motor airplane that first flew over the North Pole.

Greenfield Village is a collection of restored historic buildings moved there from around the country. Among them are the Wright Brothers' bicycle shop, Thomas Edison's Menlo Park laboratory, and Henry Ford's birthplace. Visitors can also take the Ford Rouge Tour to a working Ford assembly plant.

For more information on visiting the Henry Ford Museum, see:

• Henry Ford Museum Official Site
• The Dearborn Inn

The Hocking Hills area of Ohio, in the southeastern part of the state, offers a sharp contrast to the flat farmland of central and northwest Ohio. These foothills of the Appalachians as well as the dramatic scenery, and lush forests are a great place to relax and get away from the city. Among the many attractions in the area are Old Man's Cave, a park with caves and ledges, and dramatic vistas; Logan, home to dozens of crafts and art galleries; and Lake Logan, a large recreational lake with a 527-foot sand beach.

The area offers a variety of accommodations. Among these are small bed and breakfast inns, the Burr Oak State Park Lodge, and cabins at Hocking Hills State Park.

Cancun, on the sunny Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, makes a fun and affordable getaway from Cleveland, whether for a week or just a weekend. The area offers affordable hotels, plentiful nightlife and shopping, and miles and miles of beach. You can even get a little history and culture by visiting the Mayan ruins at Tulum, just south of the resort area.

Apple Vacations offers some of the best prices to Cancun from Cleveland. Their packages include roundtrip airfare, accommodations, taxes, and transportation to and from the airport. Fall prices start at $499.00 per person for three nights (based on two person staying in a room).