The Best Places To Visit In Upstate New York In Fall!

Apple orchards and pumpkin patches galore, festivals, mountainsides ablaze with color — there is no place quite like Upstate New York in fall.

New York State is an incredible destination year-round, but it especially comes to life as summer fades into winter.

If you find yourself lucky enough to visit this time of year, you’re in for a real treat. Below are some of the best Upstate New York destinations to visit in fall.

The Best Places To Visit In Upstate New York In Fall

Sleepy Hollow

Located in the Hudson Valley, this town is famous for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving.

Irving’s 1820 tale of a headless horseman who terrorizes the village of Sleepy Hollow is one of America’s favorite ghost stories and it’s based off a real-life town in Hudson Valley.

A trip to this Halloween-loving town is a no brainer come fall in New York.

Things To Do In Sleepy Hollow During Fall

• Tour the old church and Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. 
• Take a walking tour to learn of the town’s past and Irving’s impact.
• Go for a haunted hayride.
• Tour Irving’s home.  

Lake Placid

One of the best getaways in Upstate is definitely Lake Placid.

Come autumn the changing leaves and crisp air make this the perfect place to enjoy a quiet weekend before winter hits.

Whether you enjoy hiking, kayaking, shopping or spa days you’re sure to have something you enjoy in Lake Placid, New York.

Things To Do In Lake Placid During Fall

• Hiking the Adirondacks. 
• Outdoor activities on Mirror Lake.
• Browse the shops downtown.
• Tour the Olympic sites. 

Great Jack-O-Lantern Blaze 

Explore an 18th-century estate with more than 7,000 different Jack-o-lanterns, all hand-carved by local artists. 

Complete with stories-high spiderwebs and life-size dinosaurs, this Halloween extravaganza is one of the Hudson Valley’s most unique and entertaining events.  

The event runs on select nights from mid-September through mid-November. Be sure to purchase you ticket in advance.

You don’t want to miss this one, it’s something you have to see to believe.

Letchworth State Park

Letchworth State Park is one of the best spots for leaf peeping in Upstate. 

Dubbed the Grand Canyon of the East, Letchworth State Park follows the Genesee River for about 17 miles as it flows north through a deep gorge.

The wide and very scenic gorge is home to three spectacular waterfalls — Lower, Middle, and Upper Falls. 

Come autumn the falls are framed by colorful foliage of old-growth oak, maple, and beech trees showing off their vibrant hues. 

Things To Do In Letchworth State Park During Fall

• Go for a hot air balloon ride.
• Hike the gorge.
• Enjoy lunch at Glen Iris Inn. 

Catskill Mountains

Another excellent spot to leaf peep in Upstate is the Catskill Mountains.

With so much to do in this region, in just a short drive from NYC, you’ll have no problem finding a fall-favorite activity here.

You could easily spend your entire trip just exploring the area’s small towns, endless scenic drives, and sweeping, high peak views.

No matter what you decide to do, the Catskills are sure to put you in the mood for fall.

Things To Do In The Catskill Mountains During Fall

• Hike Kaaterskill Falls.
• Join Rail Explorers on a Catskill Mountain railroad ride. 
• Take in the views from Overlook Mountain.
• Grab a drink at Wayside Cider & Taproom.  

Catch A Football Game In Buffalo 

Nothing signals fall quite like the start of football season. 

While the Jets and Giants may be much closer to New York City, don’t rule out Buffalo. 

Buffalo is home to the Bills, one of the longest tenured NFL football franchises, and arguably the most famous fanbase in the sport.

No one tailgates on the level of Bills Mafia, where you’ll find shirtless fans throwing themselves through folding tables to the delight of alcohol-fueled onlookers. 

Don’t worry, you don’t have to participate in the WWE-style celebrations, but you have to admit, it’d be quite the sight to see. 

Fall is the best time to check out a game in Buffalo since the weather is still lovely this time of year.

Bear Mountain State Park 

Bear Mountain State Park has some of the best views of the Hudson River and surrounding valley, which put on a spectacular display during peak fall foliage.  

This is the perfect place to go for a hike or scenic drive as the autumn leaves are changing. Plus, the park opens a charming outdoor rink late-fall through winter.

Things To Do In Bear Mountain State Park

• Go for a hike along the river. 
• Ice skate in the outdoor rink (opens late-October).
• Take in the views from Perkins Memorial Tower.

Tip: You may also like Minnewaska State Park Preserve or John Boyd Thacher State Park.

Pumpkinville

With a name like Pumpkinville, how could I leave this off a list of Best of Upstate New York in Fall? 

Located near the small town of Ellicottville, this charming fall village has everything autumn-related you could possibly dream up. They’ve got an on-site cider mill, pumpkin carving contests, corn mazes, farm animals, hay rides, fall pastries, and even BBQ. 

This is one of the most fun ways to get your pumpkin on in Upstate.

Niagara Falls 

Niagara Falls is comprised of three massive waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, creating the border between Canada and the United States. 

The three falls — American, Bridal Veil, and Canadian Horseshoe — combined have the highest flow rate of any waterfall in North America

You won’t believe the spectacular views here.

During the early fall the air is warm and all attractions are still open, but with significantly smaller crowds than summer, making it a great time of year to visit.

Wine Tasting In The Finger Lakes

The Finger Lakes region is well worth a visit any time of year, but autumn is extra special if you’re a lover of wine.

The grape harvest begins in late-summer, carrying well into fall most years. If you’ve always wanted a first-hand look at how your wine is made, this is the time to visit.

Finger Lakes is a massive region with over 100 vineyards. In fact, its vineyards help New York claim their spot as one of the top wine producing states in the United States. 

Follow the Seneca Lake Wine Trail for some of the area’s best, and don’t forget to check out the local breweries and distilleries as well.

Tip: This region is also famous for all things farm related — I’m talking apple orchards and pumpkin patches.

Cooperstown 

Explore the National Baseball Hall of Fame as baseball season wraps up and we transition into the colder months. 

Cooperstown sits at the southern tip of Otsego Lake and offers all the charm you’d expect from an Upstate lake town. 

Their downtown area has a beautiful shopping and dining area along the main stretch of town adjacent to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Whether or not you’re a die-hard baseball fan, the Baseball Hall of Fame comes highly recommended. 

They do an excellent job preserving the game’s history, teaching about its origins, and honoring baseball greats both famous and rarely heard of. The story-telling here far outweighs the other Hall of Fames I’ve visited, it’ll surely be an experience you and the family will cherish.

Lake George

The Adirondack Mountains are an excellent place to explore during fall and one of the best spots to visit is Lake George.

The 32 mile lake is surrounded by mountain tops and colorful foliage that’ll leave you breathless.

Whether you want to spend a day out on the water or relax in town, there’s no shortage of exciting things to do here.

Things To Do In Lake George During Fall

• Get out on the water with Lake George Steamboat Company.
• Take in the views from Prospect Mountain. 
• Go for a scenic drive around the lake.
• Attend Lake George Village Oktoberfest.

Watkins Glen State Park

One of the most incredible state parks in the United States, let alone Upstate, is Watkins Glen.

The gorge is made up of shale, limestone, and sandstone all of which erode at different rates, resulting in dramatic waterfalls, potholes, cascades, plunge pools, and more.

The gorge extends 2 miles while the stream descends 400 feet, generating 19 waterfalls along its course. The trail includes 800 steps and a number of man-made bridges which blend beautifully into the surrounding landscape. 

Check out this park in early-October for the best chance of seeing the gorge while the leaves change colors.

Saratoga Springs

Saratoga Springs is a top Upstate destination no matter the time of year.

While the town is famous for summer horse races, there’s still tons to do here come autumn.

Check out the Saratoga Balloon Festival or Saratoga Giant PumpkinFest… just a few of their much-loved special events this time of year.

Things To Do In Saratoga Springs During Fall

• Have a spa day at historic Roosevelt Baths & Spa.
• Join a fall festival.
• Go for a spring tasting tour.
• Visit Saratoga National Historic Park.
• Go for a wine tour. 

Apple Picking In Hudson Valley 

Apple picking is one of the most quintessential fall activities.

With so much of Upstate covered in farmland it’s easy to find an orchard not just with apple picking but also live music, fresh cider, pumpkin patches, and cider doughnuts (of course!). 

A few of the many popular orchards in the Hudson Valley region are:

• Cedar Heights Orchard
• Barton Orchards
• Dr. Davies Farm
• DuBois Farms
• Philip Orchards
• Rose Hill Farm

Corning Museum Of Glass

Need a break from the outdoor fall activities? 

The Corning Museum of Glass is one of the most underrated attractions you’ll find in Upstate New York.  

Established in the 1950’s, this museum dedicates itself to the art, history, and science of glass and their collection is simply breathtaking. 

For those interested, they also have glassmaking exhibitions and you can even try it out for yourself, which I’d highly recommend.  

In fall they display the world’s largest glass pumpkin and have a make-your-own glass pumpkin course.

Taughannock Falls & Ithaca 

Ithaca, home to both Cornell University and Ithaca College, is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful towns in Upstate New York. 

Tucked on the south edge of Cayuga Lake in between some of the state’s most beautiful rolling hills, gorges, lakes, and waterfalls, this college town offers fantastic food, wine, and local orchards. 

While here you must see Taughannock Falls, the 215 foot free-falling waterfall is the second largest in the state and can be easily viewed from an overlook or quick 3/4 mile hike.

Green Lakes State Park

Another gorgeous state park no matter the time of year is Green Lakes State Park.

As you might imagine, Green Lakes State Park is known for two very green lakes. 

The reasoning behind the lake’s vibrant hue requires a thorough explanation, but for the sake of brevity, just know the bright aquamarine color is achieved through a combination of depth, high calcium carbonate concentrations, and photosynthetic bacteria.

Additionally, both lakes are meromictic lakes meaning the layers of water do not mix.

There’s only a handful of these lakes in North America and about 50 of them known across the globe. 

This park really shines when the foliage turns to shades of yellow and red which pop against the bright green lakes.

When To See Fall Colors In New York?

For the most part, Upstate sees fall colors from mid-September into late-October.

The higher elevations and colder regions will change first, with later fall colors as you get closer to New York City.

For updates keep an eye out on fall foliage reports.

As you can see there are so many incredible things to do in Upstate New York in fall. I hope this list inspires you to get out and explore all that Upstate has to offer.

Any questions? Please leave a comment below or reach out on social media.

Looking for more ideas? Check out my additional Upstate and New York guides below or head on over to Discover Upstate New York.