The Trucker’s Fall Bucket List: 10 Things to See Between Loads

Fall is one of the best times to be out on the road. The temperatures start dropping, scenery starts changing, and routes you’ve driven dozens of times can suddenly look completely different when the trees turn red, orange and gold.

Of course, being a professional truck driver isn't exactly the same as taking a fall road trip. You have pickup times, delivery windows, hours of service and a truck that can't squeeze into every scenic overlook or tourist parking lot.

But that doesn't mean you have to watch fall pass by from behind the windshield.

If you've got some downtime between loads, a reset coming up or a route that takes you close to something worth seeing, there are plenty of ways to make the most of the season without turning your workday into a complicated sightseeing expedition.

Here are 10 things worth adding to your trucker's fall bucket list.

1. Catch Peak Fall Colors From the Cab

Let's start with the easiest one.

You don't necessarily need to go anywhere special to experience one of the best parts of fall. Sometimes your route does the work for you.

Keep an eye out for fall color as you travel through places like the Appalachian Mountains, the Great Lakes region, New England and the Midwest. Even familiar stretches of interstate can become surprisingly scenic once the leaves start changing.

The best part? There's no extra stop required.

If your route happens to line up with peak color, you've basically got a front-row seat to one of fall's best shows.

2. Find a Pumpkin Patch That Can Handle Your Rig

Pumpkin patches aren't just for kids. A quick stop can mean fresh cider, baked goods, pumpkins to bring home and a chance to spend a little time outside before getting back behind the wheel.

The trick is finding one that works for a truck.

Before making the detour, check satellite views, parking information and recent reviews. Better yet, call ahead and ask whether they can accommodate a tractor-trailer. A five-minute check can save you from finding out the hard way that "plenty of parking" means plenty of parking for cars.

3. Hunt Down a Great Apple Cider Donut

Every season has its road food, and fall belongs to the apple cider donut. Or maybe it's pumpkin bread. Or caramel apples. We're not here to start a fight.

Whatever your fall favorite is, look for orchards, farm markets and roadside stands along your route. A quick stop for something made locally can be a lot more memorable than grabbing the same snack you can find at any fuel stop in the country.

Consider this your official excuse to conduct some extremely important cider-donut research.

4. Take Your Break Somewhere With a View

A 30-minute break doesn't always have to mean staring at the back of another trailer.

When your schedule and route allow it, look ahead for rest areas, welcome centers and truck-friendly stops with a little scenery nearby. Mountains. Lakes. Rivers. Changing leaves. Even a good sunset can make a normal break feel like an actual break.

Just remember that "scenic" and "truck accessible" aren't always the same thing. Check your route, restrictions and parking situation before heading anywhere unfamiliar.

5. Visit a Small-Town Fall Festival

Fall festival season is serious business in small-town America.

Depending on where you're running, you might come across harvest festivals, Oktoberfest celebrations, chili cook-offs, craft fairs or local events that have been happening for generations.

If you've got a longer break nearby, it can be a fun way to stretch your legs, grab some local food and see something you wouldn't normally experience from the interstate.

Just do your parking homework first. Downtown streets packed with festival traffic are not the place to discover your GPS had a little too much confidence.

6. See a Great Lake in the Fall

If your route takes you through the Upper Midwest, make seeing one of the Great Lakes part of your fall checklist.

Lake Michigan, Superior, Huron, Erie and Ontario can be impressive any time of year, but crisp fall weather and changing leaves make the views even better.

You don't have to plan an entire excursion around it, either. Look for truck-accessible rest areas, parks or stops near your existing route where you can safely park and get a look at the water.

Bonus points if you catch a sunrise or sunset.

7. Find the Best Fall Photo From Your Route

Your phone's camera roll probably already has its fair share of sunrises, sunsets and interesting things you've spotted from the road.

Give yourself a fall challenge: take one photo this season that's worthy of being your new wallpaper.

Maybe it's your truck framed by fall colors. Maybe it's an early-morning view over the mountains. Maybe it's a foggy highway or a bright red tree at a rest area.

Just save the photography for when you're safely parked. The view will still be there after you've stopped.

8. Check Out a Roadside Attraction You've Passed 100 Times

You know the place. You've driven past it again and again. And every time, you've thought, "I should stop there sometime." Fall might be the time to finally do it.

Whether it's a giant roadside landmark, an unusual museum, a historic site or one of those wonderfully weird attractions that could only exist next to an American highway, see what's along your regular lanes.

If you've got the time and safe truck parking nearby, turn "someday" into "today."

9. Have a Tailgate Lunch on a Perfect Fall Day

Not every bucket-list item needs a destination.

Sometimes all you need is a good parking spot, something decent to eat and 60-degree weather.

If you've been spending the summer trying not to melt every time you step out of the cab, fall is your chance to enjoy being outside again. Have lunch outside, take a walk around the truck stop or simply sit somewhere other than the driver's seat for a while.

It's simple, but that's the point.

A break that actually feels refreshing can make the next stretch of highway a whole lot better.

10. Pick One Place You've Always Wanted to See

Professional drivers get to see more of the country than most people ever will. The frustrating part is that sometimes you see it at 65 mph.

So before fall is over, choose one place along the lanes you regularly run that you've always wanted to experience instead of simply driving past. Then do a little planning.

Find out how far it is from your normal route. Check whether there's legal truck parking nearby. Figure out whether it works with your available hours and schedule. If everything lines up, take advantage of the opportunity.

It doesn't need to be a famous national landmark. It just needs to be somewhere you've wanted to see.

Make the Most of Fall Without Making Your Day Harder

There's a big difference between spotting an opportunity to enjoy the season and putting yourself in a stressful situation just to check something off a list.

Your delivery schedule comes first. So do your available hours, safe parking and truck restrictions.

That's why some of the best fall experiences on the road are the simplest ones: catching the leaves at the right time, finding a great local snack, spending a break somewhere beautiful or finally stopping at a place you've passed more times than you can count.

Driving for a living means fall doesn't have to happen somewhere else. Sometimes, you're already traveling straight through the best parts of it.

And with a little planning, you may be able to enjoy more of what's outside your windshield along the way.

Find Your Next Opportunity With Marten

At Marten, professional drivers can explore opportunities designed to keep their careers moving while seeing plenty of the country along the way.

When you're ready to see where your next route could take you, explore driving opportunities with Marten and find the fit that's right for you.