Best way to see Fall colors back east ?

There is a whole lot of "east". In the southeast you can't beat the blue ridge parkway. Sky lifts, zip lines, open trains, provide much better views that you'll get from a car window, or ground level. Organized and scheduled tour would be too restrictive/controlling for me, much like being on a cruise.
A bit of irony, I'm east and want to go west to see the redwood trees. I see plenty of fall colors but I don't see tree bases I could drive my car through.
Riding a bus through just wouldn't be the same.