Special Autumn Places New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey and Washington DC by Jeff Perso

Ah, autumn. Cool nights and colorful days, summer’s sensuous greens turning to fall’s fabulous reds, yellows and burnished browns. For those organizing or attending family reunions in the northeast, along the eastern seaboard or in the nation’s capital, the sights, sounds and smells of autumn can be especially invigorating.

Very small reunions looking for a thoroughly different and unique location, a farm in Pennsylvania holds interesting promise. The Pennsylvania Farm Vacation Association offers a brochure of twenty-four farm families who enjoy sharing their country lifestyles. From cattle to poultry, fruit to Christmas trees, each farm is unique. Accommodations include farm house rooms, and private cottages some secluded cabins are available year round. Call 888-856-6622; www.pafarmstay.com.

Descendants of the Synder Forney family are one group to take advantage of Pennsylvania’s historical attractions. Allegra Sanner expected over 100 relatives to attend the family’s first reunion, organized to celebrate her mother, Mary Synder Forney’s 100th birthday. Held outside Ephrata, deep in rural Pennsylvania Dutch country, the reunion planned tours of the original family homestead built in 1790.

Families looking for something special for the kids will find it at Sesame Place, a water park offering fourteen water rides, slides and a family roller coaster. Only thirty minutes outside Philadelphia, Sesame Place’s special fall schedule includes “Elmo’s Lowdown Hoe-down” and in October “Count’s Halloween Spooktacular.” Open weekends from 9 AM-8 PM in September and October, admission is $29.95 per person. Sesame Place is closed November through April. For discounts and lodging information, call Sesame Place at 215-752-7070.