Octoberfest!

Football is back, baseball is heading toward the playoffs, and the leaves are glowing with autumnal flame. All of these are highlights of the year, but if you need another reason for a celebratory road trip -- think Octoberfest, or Oktoberfest as it should be in proper German. Despite the name Oktoberfest actually starts in mid-September, and comes from a very long wedding party held 200 years ago in the beer-drinking capital of the world, the city of Munich in Bavaria. German-Americans have carried the traditions with them to our New World, as you can see from reading about the hundreds of seasonal beer festivals listed at the semi-official Oktoberfest website. One of the oldest and biggest festivals is held in La Crosse Wisconsin, which is also the home of the World's Largest Six Pack.

Along with the fall foliage in much of the country, Oktoberfest peaks this weekend, so get out there.

(Photo of the world's Largest Six Pack comes from page 228 of the latest edition of Road Trip USA, and was provided by City Brewery, makers of La Crosse Lager.)