It's that time of year again and I just spent some time looking at the leaves in and around Burlington, VT! I'll talk more about them later. For now, I'm gonna share some other favorite spots!
1. The White Mountains, Northern New Hampshire. The White Mountains are some of the tallest mountains in the Northeast. Mount Washington is the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi. It's also home to the world's worst weather, so consider that. The Presidential Range in the White Mountains is full of pines, rocky and just plain big. By late September they're starting to sport some gorgeous colors. As with most parts of the northeast, follow foliage trackers and maps closely, so you don't miss the show.
The last time I went for foliage season, we were a tad early, but still got to see some great colors. We went to the top of Mount Washington, which I recommend everyone does in the morning. The later the hour, the more likely to find yourself in a cloud or a storm with no view. Taking the route that circles the area through Conway, Lincoln, Franconia, etc. is a great way to get varied foliage scenes. There are waterfalls all over, lots of beautiful still ponds, and trails galore to walk. There are a lot of activities in the area like train and gondola rides. Take advantage of that and a bunch of covered bridges and you have yourself a beautiful getaway!
https://www.visitwhitemountains.com/events/fall-foliage/foliage-tracker/
https://www.visitnh.gov/plan-your-trip/fall/peak-foliage-map
https://www.nordicvillage.com/news/experience-fall-foliage-in-the-white-mountains/
https://www.cannonmt.com/attractions/aerial-tramway
https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/mt-washington-state-park
2. Moosehead Lake and Greenville, Maine. I love this area. I've visited at pretty much all times of the year. I've even seen cars race on the frozen lake. This massive almost entirely wilderness area is absolutely gorgeous in the fall. It starts by mid September and continues until it's done. Unfortunately, there's no real way to predict mother nature. You can only try to follow along with the trackers online.
One of the unique things you will encounter around Moosehead Lake are the moose. Fall is the Rut. This is mating season. While that tends to be in October, always watch out for frisky moose in the fall. They are enormous and you don't want to irritate one. While the moose are a lot harder to find around Greenville now, due to ridiculous timber companies, they are still in the area and it's great fun to see one. One of the best ways to enjoy the foliage in the area is to take a flight seeing ride over the lake and just look at the beauty.
https://destinationmooseheadlake.com/seasons/fall/
https://lodgeatmooseheadlake.com/blog/2023/08/maine-fall-foliage-at-moosehead-lake/
https://wilsonsonmooseheadlake.com/fall-into-moosehead-lake
https://themainehighlands.com/places-to-visit/moosehead-lake-region/
3. Hunter Mountain, Hunter, The Catskills, New York State. There's no place like the Catskills. Everyone from Washington Irving to the people that brought us "Dirty Dancing" love this area. Hunter Mountain is obviously a ski resort, but it's pretty busy year round. There are festivals and hiking and concerts and scenic lift rides. It's a great place to spend some time. They have luxury condos and lodge rooms for rent and Hunter; the town, is a great place to hang out and enjoy the view as well as the food and drink.
When fall arrives in this area, it's just plain special. Foliage season will come when mother nature decides, but that's normally mid September. The chair lift is open a lot during this season and the views and the foliage light up the world up there. One of the best things about this location is that they have Oktoberfest for three weekends every fall. There's Schnitzel and music and of course beer. I've been there for weddings, concerts, parties, and sometimes just the view. While in the area you should always visit Kaaterskill Falls. It's one of the most beautiful falls in the Northeast.
https://www.greatnortherncatskills.com/explore/towns/hunter-ny
https://townofhunterny.gov/community/arts-recreation/
https://www.greatnortherncatskills.com/explore/kaaterskill-falls
4. Ithaca, Finger Lakes, New York State. This is a magical place. In the fall, it explodes with color, only to add more beauty to one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. What's so special? The Finger Lakes are gorgeous, and Seneca Lake is probably my favorite. But it doesn't end there.
There are over 200 waterfalls in this area, and some of them top 200 ft. high. There are more leaf trees than evergreens and that makes the color explosive in fall. Ithaca is one of those places where you don't even have to leave the center of town to see all of this. Ithaca Falls and Cascadilla Gorge are basically downtown. Add in the food scene, the wine and beer scene and the best Wegman's Grocery Store I've ever been to, and there's nothing quite like it or better in the fall. The season here is a little later, running into the beginning and mid October, but check those foliage trackers!
https://www.visitithaca.com/plan-your-visit/the-ithaca-experience/fall-foliage-report/
https://www.visitithaca.com/blog/post/ithaca-fall-events-guide/
https://www.fingerlakes.org/blog/forecasting-fall-foliage-peak-reliable-sources
https://www.explorefall.com/states/new-york
https://www.inntfalls.com/go-local/attractions/local-state-parks-attractions
5. Niagara Falls, New York or Ontario. I have yet to find a bad time to visit Niagara Falls. There, I said it. I've been there every season of the year and it's all good. However, I'm a fall baby and that seems to make me a fan of fall. I don't care which side of the border you're on; this place glows in the fall. One of my favorite views is actually from Goat Island on the American side. That isn't normally my opinion, but in fall it simply glows all over that gorge.
Another one of my favorite spots in fall is a little down from the falls at the whirlpool area. That spot is surrounded with trees and is just fire in foliage season. Other great things about visiting Niagara Falls is the falls and all the activities, especially on the Ontario side. Whether you're doing activities on Clifton Hill, overlooking the falls gorge from the Skylon Tower or the wheel, or just gazing at the falls; the activities never seem to stop. There are casinos and all kinds of stuff for kids of all ages 2 to 102. The American side is a little less busy, but in the fall some of my favorite views are from there. Make sure you check that foliage tracker, because you'll probably catch this one at the end of September, but not always!
https://www.niagaraparks.com/visit-niagara-parks/attractions/
https://www.niagarafallsusa.com/
https://www.niagarafallsstatepark.com/
https://www.niagarafallstourism.com/seasons/autumn/
Fall is a great time to take a trip and the views that are always good are even better. I love to travel in the fall because the heat of summer is over and the foliage is like frosting on an already beautiful cake. Lots of foliage areas are truly alive with activities and events just for leaf peeping season. There are tours for foliage, cruises for foliage, festivals for foliage and so on. Don't always plan your holiday in the overpriced summer season. Fall is great and foliage is beautiful!
I just returned from this year's foliage trip to Burlington, Vermont as I was saying. Check out my YouTube channel in the coming days and weeks to see what that looked like! It's "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon." That's me! https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026
You can also find out a lot about New York City and some other spots in the world on my channel.
In the meantime, make sure you don't overlook foliage season. It's gorgeous! Or as they say in Ithaca, "Ithaca is gorges!" Thanks for joining me! Enjoy!
