Where to See Fall Foliage in North America

There are few places in the world where the golden, fiery display of autumn leaves is as magnificent as New York state. If you’re visiting New York City in fall, a trip to the Hudson Valley makes a great escape from Manhattan. A cruise or helicopter ride up the Hudson River to Bear Mountain is a great way to view the foliage, and it’s fewer than 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Times Square. 

A little ways south, the leaves are especially beautiful in Cape Cod. Once the summer crowds have lessened, it’s possible to take full advantage of the Cape’s natural and historic sights like the rich fall colors and Hyannisport, the famed Kennedy family compound.

For die-hard leaf-peepers, a multi-day tour through New England is the best way to fully enjoy the autumn colors. Travel through Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine to see the fall foliage at its peak.

Quebec is famous for its autumn colours because of the sugar maple trees, and the Laurentian Mountains offer one of the most beautiful displays of fall foliage in North America. A helicopter ride over Mont Tremblant is a great way to take in the gorgeous colors.

Because the warm waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Northumberland Strait give Prince Edward Island a relatively moderate climate, the province’s forests have one of the longest fall foliage periods in the Northeast. In Nova Scotia on Cape Breton Island, the Cabot Trail is hailed as one of the world’s most beautiful drives.

Visiting Victoria’s famous Butchart Gardens on a crisp fall day is a great way to see some of the West Coast’s most beautiful autumn displays. Families with kids will enjoy exploring the more than six miles (10 kilometers) of trails in Pendray’s Corn Maze, too.