I never had any desire to visit the Midwest — until a fall trip to Door County changed my entire outlook on travel

I had an amazing time visiting Door County, Wisconsin, in the fall, and it changed my perspective on travel.

Hayley Hutson I never had a desire to see the Midwest until I saw photos of Door County , Wisconsin, in the fall.

On my trip to Door County, I found amazing fall foliage , exciting traditions, and friendly locals.

I'm now open to visiting more places around the world rather than just the big-name tourist spots.

I love traveling up and down the East Coast, and I have always wanted to see the Pacific Northwest — but I can't say I ever dreamed of visiting the states that fill out the center of the United States.

However, I changed my mind the second I saw photos of Door County, Wisconsin, during autumn.

I was awestruck by images of lush trees that seemed to go on forever in the most vibrant hues of red, yellow, green, and orange.

Growing up in Virginia , I was no stranger to fall foliage — but I had never seen anything quite like this.

I felt an immediate pull to the area, and within a few weeks, my flight was booked for a trip in late October.

Door County looked like a place right out of a Hallmark movie The fall foliage in Door County was breathtaking to me.

Hayley Hutson On my first day in Door County, I woke up to views of Lake Michigan from my balcony at The Water Street Inn, a circa 1896 hotel that looked like it was right out of a Hallmark movie .

I kicked off the day with a ride aboard the Door County Trolley to get a closer look at the leaves I had been dreaming of for weeks.

It's one thing to see that kind of beauty in a picture, but seeing it in person was surreal.

It had rained that morning, so the wet streets reflected the colors of the maple trees towering over them, with brightly colored leaves covering many of the roads in blankets of orange and gold.