Travel nursing jobs offer many benefits, one of them being the opportunity to travel around and see the country. There’s no better time to check out some of the best travel nursing locations than in the fall. Autumn is a great time to see the leaves changing colors and attend fall festivals. Fall is also the beginning of flu season, which means there could be an increasing demand for travel nurses. Making it an ideal time to take advantage of all the travel opportunities. If you’re looking for your next contract, here is a list of the top 5 states for travel nurses in the fall.
Maine
Calling all travel nurses who love fall foliage and colors should check out our Maine travel contracts!
When people think of Maine, they often think of lighthouses and lobsters, but that’s not all it has to offer. Maine is known for its gorgeous fall foliage. Many visitors who come to Maine love to spend their time outdoors at Acadia National Park, also known as the Crown Jewel of the Atlantic Coast. Hiking the more than 150 miles of trails here, guarantees you will see spectacular views of the autumn scenery. The peak time to visit to witness the leaves changing are the first few weeks of October.
If you’re in more of a sit back mood, but still want to enjoy the beautiful fall colors then you should book a ticket with the fall foliage train tour. The Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad offers a variety of different fall foliage train tours for all ages to enjoy, such as traveling on the Pumpkin Express to go to a pumpkin patch for picking.
Another great attraction to check out in Maine is the annual Damariscotta Pumpkinfest and Regatta (October 8th-11th). This is one of Maine’s greatest fall festivals that has everything to do with pumpkins. The festival features such events like a giant pumpkin contest, pumpkin parade, pumpkin drop, great pumpkin boat regatta finale, and much more.
Massachusetts
Now switching gears to travel nurses who are big fans of Halloween, you should consider visiting Massachusetts on contract!
Massachusetts makes the list of top 5 states for travel nurses in the fall because of the spooky vibes! Salem, Massachusetts is home to the famous Salem Witch Trials and is filled with tons of great history. There are many tours to check out in Salem including the 2-hour Salem History Walking Tour. This is one of the best Salem day tours in the area and is lead by a local guide. The tour takes you to all the iconic sites in Salem, including landmarks in the Salem Witch Trials Memorial. Other stops on the tour include the Burying Point, the Mclntire Historic District, Hamilton Hall, and the Pickering House. Visitors also have the option to spend time touring the Salem Witch House afterwards if you want the full experience.
Also, throughout the entire month of October Salem is hosting their annual Haunted Happenings festival. This festival includes Halloween fun for everyone. Some events at the festival includes haunted parades, street fairs, family fun nights, and costume balls. Additionally, the Haunted Happenings has ghost tours, haunted houses, live music, theater shows, and much more. If you are looking for a Spooktacular time, Massachusetts is the state for you!
New York
Nurses who are looking for classic fall activities in a much larger city should consider a travel nurse contract in New York!
As most people know, New York is called the Big Apple and features one of the most popular apple picking orchards in the country, Fishkill Farms. At Fishkill Farms they have a variety of different types of apples available to pick yourself. The farm also has a weekly fall harvest festival that includes apple picking, wagon rides, cider donuts, and live music.
New York is another place where you can observe the beautiful fall foliage by walking around some of their parks. The best parks to check out in New York City are Central Park or The High Line. At these parks you can walk around and observe the beautiful fall trees changing colors. Also, New York is famous for hosting a variety of fall festivities. One popular event is The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze, which is a fan- favorite of many New Yorkers. At this event, there is a display of more than 7,000 illuminated Jack O’ Lanterns that are all designed and hand-carved by local artists. Another event New York is known for hosting is their annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This parade takes place on Thanksgiving Day and features many different balloons, floats, and fun!
Colorado
Are you a beer fan? If so, enjoy Oktoberfest and fun activities in Colorado on your next travel nurse contract!
A popular attraction in Colorado is their annual Oktoberfest. This event typically takes place at the end of August and goes until the end of October. Oktoberfest happens all throughout the state of Colorado in places like Breckenridge, Vail, Steamboat Springs, Denver, and more. The largest Oktoberfest takes place in Breckenridge and features two dozen food vendors, dancers, costumes, polka music, and Paulaner Bier. Other activities that take place include a 5k, keg tapping ceremony, and lots of games for the kids.
Many people consider Colorado a winter sports destination because of their snowy mountains. We’ll let you in on a secret, Colorado has so much more to offer in the other seasons, especially during the fall. The city of Aspen is famous for their ski resorts, but still allows you to see the fall trees change colors. Also, the normal spots where tourists would typically go hike or ski is a great place to go see more of the autumn scenery. Take the ski lifts or hike and enjoy Colorado’s taste of fall.
North Carolina
If you’re looking for another beautiful place to see fall foliage then you should travel nurse in North Carolina!
The fall season in North Carolina is the busiest time of the year and makes it one of the top 5 states for travel nurses in the fall. If you are wanting to see some of North Carolina’s fall colors, then you should take a trip to the mountains. The mountains there are a must-see experience. A few other spots that offer great views are Crowder’s Mountain, Pilot Mountain, and the Hanging Rock.
A fun area to check out in North Carolina is the Outer Banks. In the fall you can walk around the Outer Banks downtown area, spend time on the beach, and see lighthouses. If you’re looking for a unique event, you should take a trip to Statesville, North Carolina for their annual Carolina BalloonFest. This huge event is filled with colorful vibrant hot air balloons in the sky. The festival also includes hot air balloon contest and tether rides, photo opportunities, live music, kids zones, and more fun! For people who like more spooky attractions, check out the Scarowinds. This amusement park is turned into a haunted destination that is filled with scary decorations, live music, and plenty of screams and fear to go around.
Preparing for Fall Travel Nursing Contracts
Once you decide on your fall travel nursing contract, it’s crucial to start preparing ahead of time to ensure you have a smooth and enjoyable trip. Here is a list of the top tips to help travel nurses prepare for their fall travel contracts.
Pack Appropriate Clothing: Fall is the perfect time to start dressing in layers, so be sure to pack a variety of clothing options that you can layer up. These layers can include t-shirts, long-sleeve shirts, flannel, cardigans, hoodies, a fall jacket, and other accessors such as boots, scarves, and gloves. The weather can be unpredictable during the fall season and can range from warm to cool temperatures, therefore packing layers is essential.
Prepare for the Elements: Depending on where you decide to travel, you may need to pack sunscreen and bug spray for your fall trips, especially if you enjoy being out in nature. Otherwise, a raincoat or umbrella will come in handy too.
Timeframe of Trip: It’s important to be mindful of what month you want to travel in during the fall. Try to avoid peak travel times by waiting until mid-September when the university students are settled back into college.
To Do List: Before going on your trip, you should research your fall destination to familiarize yourself with a list of activities you are interested in checking out. From there, then you can create a “To Do List” of things you want to do and explore while you are traveling. This will also allow you to feel organized throughout your journey and pack accordingly.
Making the Most of your Fall Travel Nursing Contracts
Are you wanting to make the most out of your fall Travel Nursing experience? Here are some ideas to help maximize your time as a travel nurse in autumn:
- Visit a local pumpkin patch or apple orchard so you can spend a day off doing some of fall’s most loved activities.
- Research fall events or festivals happening around the area. Social media groups and local travel blogs are a great resource to keep up with what is happening in the community.
- If you’re a fan of spooky season, take some time to look up activities you can do in the area such as visiting haunted houses or going on a guided ghost tour.
- Research local hikes where you can enjoy the outdoors and the remarkable fall foliage. Check out our other blog on the Best Travel Nursing Apps to locate trails on assignment.
- If you’re feeling like staying in and being comfortable, take some time to watch some classic fall or Halloween movies such as Hocus Pocus, Halloween, Scream, and much more!
As you can see there are many great places to take a travel nurse contract in the fall, depending on what your interests are! These top 5 states for travel nurses in the fall have something unique to offer everyone when it comes to scenery, attending fall festivals, spooky events, and more.
What are you waiting for? Don’t wait for the next contract to fall in your lap. Now is the time to go visit PRN Healthcare to find the next place to travel nurse this fall!
