Fall Festivities & Rich Histories Make These 7 Cities Perfect for a Columbus Day Weekend Getaway
Soak up Fall Flavors and Historic Vibes
Columbus Day marks the halfway point between Labor Day and Halloween, a three-day weekend perfect for a short getaway. Although the holiday has become quite controversial in recent years, many U.S. cities have still found a way to celebrate it in their own way.
Parades and festivals will commence all over the country from October 6 to 8, many of which celebrate America’s diversity and legacy of immigration. A holiday steeped in history, we’ve rounded up seven U.S. cities with rich histories of their own where you can enjoy an educational and entertaining Columbus Day weekend getaway.
New York City
Every year, the city of New York hosts a Columbus Day Parade on Fifth Avenue, with over 35,000 participants marching in bands, representing businesses on floats, or just showing their pride for The Big Apple.
The parade attracts over a million visitors who are there to celebrate Italian culture and the contributions of all immigrants to America. Nearby Columbus Circle has a statue of the explorer at the southwest corner of Central Park.
The famous park has a variety of fun things to do over a long weekend like the Central Park Zoo, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and plenty of ways to get fit. In fact, taking a guided walking tour is one of the top things you can do for free in New York City.
Before you go, be sure to pay a visit to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, two of the most iconic symbols of immigration and opportunity in the United States. It’s one of the top tours in NYC for a reason.
Boston
Boston also has an impressive Columbus Day parade on the Sunday before the holiday. In fact there a number of festivals and events over Columbus Day weekend in the historic city.
The Fenway Arts District hosts their annual Opening Our Doors event on Columbus Day — a free day of interactive cultural activities. About 45 minutes north of Boston, Smolak Farms also has a Fall Harvest Festival with tons of family-friendly activities like a corn maze, hayride and apple picking.
Of course, you can also explore the history of Boston and the role it played in the early days of our country by following the Freedom Trail, a free walking tour of the city which covers sites like the Paul Revere House and the USS Constitution.
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Washington, D.C.
At the United States Capitol, you can enjoy more than 30 free museums in the area, celebrating the history and culture of our great country. All are open during Columbus Day weekend and some even have special events and activities scheduled.
At the Anacostia Community Museum you and your family can enjoy a free block party with art workshops, locally made goods and live performances — while the Riversdale House Museum has a Harvest Festival with hands-on activities and tour of the grounds.
One of the regular exhibitions at the National Portrait Gallery also has a special section on the Origins of America, honoring explorers like Columbus. There’s even a Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain, which can be your first stop on your expedition of the city, exploring the famous National Mall area.
Savannah
Columbus Day weekend is the perfect time to visit Savannah, GA. You can get in the voyaging spirit with the city’s weekend-long Tybee Island Pirate Fest, which has a Buccaneer’s Ball and a market full of fun pirate-themed gifts, food and drink.
Although Columbus Day usually gets associated with Italian heritage, immigrants of all kinds have been coming to America for hundreds of years. That’s why you also can’t miss Savannah’s Oktoberfest celebration, featuring traditional wiener dog races and live entertainment.
As it’s a relatively old town, especially by American standards, Savannah also has tons of organized ghost tours. One of the most haunted areas featured on these tours is Columbia Square, named after Christopher Columbus himself.
St. Louis
Celebrate Columbus Day in St. Louis with theater, music, dance and visual art. The American Arts Experience hosts a slew of performances and events throughout October, involving American-based artists.
Although pizza is often attributed to the Italians, it’s become almost as American as apple pie. St. Louis has their own style of pizza, and are hosting a Pizza Festival during Columbus Day weekend.
Even if Christopher Columbus wasn’t eating pizza back in the 1400s, you can get transported back to his time via the St. Louis Renaissance Festival, about an hour outside the city. St. Louis stands as a landmark to America’s progression. Attractions like the Gateway Arch and Museum of Westward Expansion are reminders of how far we’ve come since the days before we were a united country.
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Santa Fe
With the highest rate of Hispanic ancestry in the country and the second largest Native American population, New Mexico has a very different view on Columbus Day. Santa Fe in particular has chosen to adopt Indigenous People Day in place of celebrating Columbus Day.
All weekend long, local tribes will perform traditional dance and music rituals in the heart of the city. To really get a sense of Santa Fe’s Native history, take a visit to the pre-Columbus era La Cieneguilla Petroglyph site, where you can still see the symbols carved into rock — some of which are thousands of years old.
There are over 13 historic sites and 19 museums in Santa Fe, all of which celebrate New Mexico’s rich history and culture.
Providence
Get a taste of Columbus’ Old World in Providence, where rivers run parallel to cobblestone paths. The city has a large amount of Italian influence, especially downtown where bridges are done in a Venetian style complete with gondolas floating in the water below.
In particular, the historic Federal Hill district still has a large Italian-American population. During Columbus Day weekend, this neighborhood plays host to a Columbus Day Festival, an annual block party with entertainment and a parade.
Although it’s still early in the fall, it’s never too soon to get into the Halloween spirit, especially in the northeast. Providence’s Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular celebrates the local pumpkin harvest, and this year showcases carvings chronicling the history of civilization, from the dinosaurs to Columbus to modern times.
