Now is the time to plan a fall leaf-peeping trip from NYC

As the weather in New York City finally breaks from the heat waves seen earlier in the summer, many are craving autumnal scenes of trees in different hues of red, orange and yellow lining a long highway to picturesque towns and (at least in one’s imagination) a more tranquil lifestyle.

Multiple parts of New York State is associated with a long fall foliage season lasting from late September to what in some cases can be as late as early November. While Central Park in Manhattan is also known for its stunning fall tree colors, those looking for an autumnal getaway will typically go farther upstate for more bucolic scenery: the Hudson Valley for the shortest getaways from the city and all the way up to the Finger Lakes and farther up north to Lake Ontario and the Canadian border.

For the perfect blend of being within a reasonable drive and far enough away to feel like a true getaway, The Catskills in the southeast of the state and just west of the Hudson River has attracted leaf-peepers for centuries.

How to get to and where to stay on a Catskills fall foliage trip

With fall foliage on the region’s sugar and red maples as well as different varieties of oak typically peaking in early October, the region that encompasses Greene, Ulster, Sullivan, and Delaware counties brings in hundreds of thousands of visitors during the early fall period every year.

Most will typically make the roughly 120-mile drive from New York City or a significantly longer one from other parts of the Northeast while towns such as Phoenicia, Woodstock (made forever famous as the site of the 1969 festival), Livingston Manor and Callicoon Hills are the most popular bases from which to explore the surrounding scenic roads and forests. All offer ample choices for booking a stay in a bed-and-breakfast, boutique hotel or Airbnb.

For those looking for the infrastructure of a large resort, the Resorts World Catskills in Monticello is an 18-story tower many of whose 334 rooms provide panoramic views of the endless trees of the nearby Forest Reserve at Smallwood as they switch colors.

The property opened in 2018 as an integrated casino resort featuring a 100,000-square-foot gaming floor and over 110 table games and 2,150 slot machines. Other amenities that attract visitors include the 18-hole Monster Golf Course, a spa and pool area and the 2,500-seat live entertainment venue RW Epicenter.

As such, the property has become somewhat of a regional hub for those interested in gambling as well as those passing through the area for everything from leaf-peeping in the fall to summer escapes and tours of the original Woodstock location at the Museum at Bethel Woods.

Monitcello is one of the gateways to autumnal scenery in The Catskills.

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Leaf-peeping season prices will soar: how to score hotel and accommodation deals

During the peak fall foliage season, hotel and vacation property rooms that during other parts of the year average at $150 per night can soar to over $500 on the weekends due to high popularity.

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As the exact moment the tree colors change enough to create the striking effect comes on suddenly from year to year, the I Love New York tourism board has an annual tracker showing when fall foliage peaks in different parts of the state.

Numerous similar trackers for specific regions can be invaluable for arboreal professionals and those looking to see fall foliage at its very peak but, for everyone else, booking early during typical range dates is the best way to avoid being priced out as we get closer to the season.

While driving around is the best way to take take in autumnal scenes that can be spread out across a sprawling region, another option for those coming in from the city without a car are day cruises up The Hudson River as well as various bus tours taking tourists along various scenic rides during the season.