Golden Days, Harvest Nights & Your Fall Getaway
October in Palisade is an underappreciated season. Our boutique hotel is on the Fruit and Wine Byway in Palisade, Colorado, where October brings sunny, mild days for wine tasting and exploring, golden cottonwoods along the Colorado River, and the tail end of an unforgettable harvest.
Wineries across the Grand Valley are finishing the crush and starting to ferment this year's vintage, orchard stands are still stacked with late-season fruit, and the evenings turn cool and star-filled.
Now, here's the fuller picture of why October is better in the Grand Valley, and how to plan the perfect one.
The Perfect Palisade Evening
Here's how we recommend doing it right:
Start with a tasting. Stop by Peach Street Distillers, just minutes from the hotel, and pick up something special. Their small-batch spirits are distilled right here in the valley — and when you stay with us, our Sip & Stay special gets you a complimentary flight and 10% off any bottle. A bottle of their whiskey or peach-infused spirit by the fire is about as good as it gets.
Or go local with the wine. Prefer grapes to grains? Wineries are pouring while finishing up the harvest and starting to ferment this year’s vintage. A bottle of something crisp and local, shared at the vineyard, or back on the patio at the Homestead, is a great way to spend a fall day in Palisade.
Grab a spot by the fire. Our backyard fire pit is ready and waiting for you. Enjoy the cool evening air, sky full of stars, and quiet desert night without leaving the property.
Stay a while. The fire's burning, the drink is poured, and the October sky over the Grand Valley is putting on a show. This is the part of the trip that you can't get at a chain hotel.
Fall Evenings + Palisade = Perfection
Colorado's Western Slope gets over 250 days of sunshine a year, and that doesn't stop in October. Experience warm days for hiking and wine tasting, cool nights perfect for lingering by the fire. The desert air makes even the chilliest evening comfortable with just a fire and a jacket, and the lack of light pollution means the stars put on a display made for “oohhs” and “ahhhs.”
Add in the smell of woodsmoke, the golden cottonwoods along the river, and the tail end of harvest season, and you've got the coziest corner of Colorado.
Make It a Weekend
Fire pit season pairs perfectly with everything else fall in the Grand Valley offers. Spend your days exploring the late-harvest valley — spirits or wine tasting, small shop browsing, leaf-peeping up the mesa — then come back to the Homestead and let the evening slow down around the fire.
Ready to get cozy? Book your fall stay at The Homestead Palisade and don't forget to ask about our Sip & Stay special — your complimentary flight at Peach Street Distillers is waiting. The fire's lit. All you need to bring is yourself.