This Dreamy Road Trip Will Take You To The Best Fall Foliage In All Of New York
It’s hard to believe that fall is already here at our doorsteps, but indeed it is! Quickly we’ll start to see our state transform into its annual vibrant scenery, giving us an up close look at New York’s colorful leaves. To help make sure that everyone sees the best of the best, we’ve put together a road trip that will lead you through the heart of the Empire State’s fall foliage. So, who’s ready for the weekend of a lifetime?
The dark red color on the map shows where in New York you'll be able to find peak foliage on September 24th, with the main area being the Adirondacks. So what better place to focus our road trip than up north where the heart of our foliage always blows us away with its beauty? To view the full map, click here.
Another thing to keep in mind? I Love NY will be releasing their full weekly fall foliage report this year on September 14th!
Another thing to keep in mind? I Love NY will be releasing their full weekly fall foliage report this year on September 14th!
We'll start the trip off up in Essex County with a scenic drive to the top of Whiteface Mountain. If you've been longing to take this drive for yourself and can manage to hold off until the end of September, you won't regret making yourself wait! Driving up this gorgeous mountain while our state is in its peak foliage is one of the most rewarding scenic experiences you could have in New York! To learn more about this drive, click here.
Next you'll take a quick drive down to the 8,000 foot long Cloudsplitter Gondola. The gondola ride is an amazing way to take in the Adirondack foliage, generally taking about 15-minutes to go both up and down the mountain. To find out more about the Cloudsplitter Gondola, click here.
Up around Lake Placid you can find some of the most beautiful hikes in all of our state, but not all of them feature easy or moderate trails. To make things accessible for you, we've given you Mount Jo to tackle. The moderate hike is only 2-miles long round trip and still manages to give you a breathtaking view of our High Peaks. The trail will take you by the shores of Heart Lake where you can see our crystal clear Adirondack water that's surrounded by flawless foliage. To find out more about this awesome hike, click here.
There are so many things to love about Lake Placid, but if you're like me then one of the things at the top of your list is all of the town's amazing restaurants. Lining the shores of Mirror Lake and all along Main Street, you can find restaurants with great views, but if we had to suggest one during this time of year? We'll tell you to head over to Dancing Bears. Giving you a view of the gorgeous foliage that's all around the water, Dancing Bears has incredible food and extravagant Bloody Marys.
If you haven't made your annual trip up to Tupper Lake to visit The Wild Center then have no fear! The Wild Walk remains open through most of October, which means you can explore this gorgeous aerial walk during our peak foliage! To find out more about The Wild Center and The Wild Walk, click here.
Another hike to cross off of your bucket list, Mount Arab is only a 2.1 mile long out-and-back trail that has rewarding views. The trail is dog-friendly and also features a fire tower at the top that will give you an opportunity to reach even greater views of the Adirondack Mountains. To find out more about this hike, click here.
If you're going to experience one of New York's scenic gondola rides, why not go ahead and experience both? Make your way over to the beautiful town of North Creek to see how Gore Mountain's gondola ride compares to the one in Lake Placid! Offering scenic sky rides to view our fall foliage, the gondola ride is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10AM to 4PM. To find out more information, click here.
While many of our favorite attractions will start to close down now that summer has come to an end, amazing destinations like Revolution Rail Company will stay open during New York's fall season! Offering scenic rides to view our fall foliage, soon will be the perfect time to go for a ride on one of these amazing rail bikes. To find out more about this adventure, click here.
Lots of these stops along this fall road trip will give you a view of the water, but how about actually getting out on the water to experience the Adirondack's scenic beauty? Offered right in Old Forge, the Old Forge Lake Cruises take you out onto the Fulton Chain of Lakes to see our breathtaking forests while they're changing colors. To find out more information, click here.
Last but not least it's time to end the road trip with a relaxing ride on the Adirondack Scenic Railroad. Hop aboard the train in Thendara and you'll get to enjoy the railroad's scenic Fall Foliage Train Rides from September 16th through October 20th! To purchase your tickets and to find out more information, click here.
If you’re interested in heading down south towards the Catskills, try This Charming New York Town That’s Picture Perfect For An Autumn Day Trip!
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