Fall is the best time of the year, especially in the South. There's just something special about that long-awaited cool breeze blowing away the remnants of a scorching summer. It's energizing and seems to breathe new life into the world. It's the signal that you have, in fact, survived another sweltering season of rain deprivation, and you're good to go for another nine months.

1. Turning of the Leaves

One truly beautiful reason to love autumn is the turning of the leaves. If you've never seen the changing colors of the leaves in the south, you’re missing out! The colors turn from green to shades of yellow, orange, red, brown, and nearly any color in between.

(Tip — To see the changing colors without the crowds, Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area is the best place to be.)

2. Outdoor Activities

It's an even more spectacular sight when you are out enjoying some hiking or biking or whatever else tickles your fancy. This leads to the next reason the fall season rocks.

It is finally cool enough to do all those outdoor things you've been longing to do. With the summer heat behind you and the winter chill yet to arrive, fall is the perfect time to enjoy nature and all its beauty.

3. Football Season

If you're a football fan, you know that itch you start to feel coming on around mid-summer. Whether you watch high school, college, or professional football, you can't deny there's something about the start of the new football season that just invigorates your soul.

Whether you enjoy it on the big screen, from the bleachers, or out at the cabin, football season in the south is another reason to look forward to autumn.

Fall is kind of like a reward you get for surviving the summer heat! By the time spring turns to summer again, the memories of the higher temperatures will have faded. Once summer is in full swing, they'll return, but you’ll have another calming fall to look forward to again.