This Foliage Report Will Show You When NY Leaves Are at Their Best This Season

13.09.2023 - 20:43 / travelandleisure.com

The end of summer is officially marked by autumnal essentials: apple cider, pumpkin spice, and for New Yorkers, the launch of a special foliage report.

Starting Wednesday, I Love NY Fall Foliage Report, will note the weekly color progressions, as well as the best places to see the leaves. Suggestions for activities near the prime viewing areas will also be included. The report will be updated every week on Wednesdays throughout the season. Prospective leaf peepers can also receive the weekly report in their inboxes by signing up for the newsletter.

The report comes together every week thanks to a crew of 85 volunteer leaf spotters are out in the field in the Empire State’s 11 travel regions, reporting on the current state fall colors to help direct leaf chasers to the most vibrant and dazzling displays. 

Darren McGee/Courtesy of NYSDED

“Our size and geography mean that each week throughout the fall it is peak foliage somewhere in New York State,” Empire State Development (ESD)s Vice President and Executive Director of Tourism Ross D. Levi said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure. “When coupled with our amazing array of fall favorite activities like apple and pumpkin picking, visiting wineries and craft beverage producers, hiking, biking, paddling, celebrating Halloween, and enjoying outdoor fall festivals, travelers have the makings of an unforgettable autumn trip right here in the Empire State."

In general, the best peak conditions in New York start are between late September and mid-November, varying by region.

“Thanks to one of the longest and most colorful foliage seasons in the country, autumn is traditionally one of New York's most popular travel times, attracting visitors from around the world who explore the seasonal attractions throughout the state's unique and diverse regions,” the ESD said in a release. 

Darren McGee/Courtesy of NYSDED

Visitors and residents are encouraged to share their foliage photos by using the hashtag #NYLovesFall for the opportunity to be featured on the I Love NY site and social media channels, including Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), and Threads.

«New York State residents and visitors are fortunate each fall to have a front row seat to nature’s spectacular show of color,» Levi said in a separate release.

In addition to celebrating the autumn colors, the state is also highlighting its past through one of its two annual Path Through History weekends from October 7 to 9, 2023 with events like Africans in America and Antiquity at Kingston’s Matthewis Persen House Museum, Putnam County’s Mysterious Stone Chambers: Panel Discussion & Tours at Garrison’s Putnam History Museum, and Guided House Tours of the  Seward House Museum in Auburn.