Adirondack Region

Where: Lake George 
Location: Directions
Peak Foliage: Begins end of September; peak is during third week in October.
Reasons to Visit: Fall foliage beckons New Yorkers to Lake George due to its endless acres of woodlands near ponds and lakes. 
Local Attractions: Lake George Steamboat Company offers scenic, historic tours aboard three different boats. Prospect Mountain features an exhilarating climb or a 10-minute drive to the top of its 2,030-foot summit. Other area attractions include Six Flags Great Escape (NOW CLOSED for the season), camping, apple picking and Fort William Henry Museum. For more information, visit www.visitlakegeorge.com.
Lodging: Howard Johnson Tiki Resort Inn, Best Western of Lake George, The Georgian Resort & Conference Center, Wingate by Wyndham Lake George

Where: Lake Champlain
Location: Directions
Peak foliage: End of September
Reasons to Visit: On the northwestern shore of Lake Champlain, Point au Roche State Park in Plattsburg features hiking trails and boat launch sites for fishing and viewing foliage. Lake Champlain Ferries depart from Plattsburg, Essex and Port Kent, offering scenic tours of the massive lake, whose own legends of a Loch Ness Monster have persisted since Samuel de Champlain sighted a mysterious creature in the early 1600s.
Local Attractions: The War of 1812 Museum describes the Battle of Plattsburgh’s significance during that conflict. Also of interest, the Plattsburg State Arts Museum on the campus of the State University of New York houses paintings and drawings by Rockwell Kent, photographs by Ansel Adams and German expressionist prints, as well as an outdoor sculpture garden. For more information, visit www.cityofplattsburgh.com.
Lodging: Best Western The Inn at Smithfield, La Quinta Inn & Suites Plattsburgh, Econo Lodge Inn & Suites

Capital Saratoga Region

Where: Saratoga Springs
Location: Directions
Peak Foliage: Mid to late October
Reasons to Visit: At the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, Saratoga Springs offers foliage views from the hiking trails of 2,000-acre Saratoga Spa State Park. Listed as a National Historic Landmark, it has museums, outdoor skating rinks, a performing arts center, theater and mineral springs, bathhouses and geysers.
Local Attractions: Saratoga National Historical Park commemorates the Battles of Saratoga in which American forces defeated the British during the Revolutionary War. Saratoga Race Course might be closed for the season, but you can still enjoy gaming and harness racing at Saratoga Gaming & Racing or visit the National Museum of Racing & Hall of Fame. For more information, visit www.saratoga.org.
Lodging: Best Western Park Inn, Courtyard by Marriott Saratoga Springs, Holiday Inn

Central Leatherstocking Region

Where: Cooperstown 
Location: Directions
Peak Foliage: Mid-September to end of October
Reasons to Visit: Regarded as one of the prettiest places to view fall foliage, Glimmerglass State Park features hiking trails that lead to picturesque views of Ostego Lake and woodlands. It is located just eight miles from the village of Cooperstown. For more information visit www.cooperstownchamber.org.
Local Attractions: Nearby, the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum chronicles the heritage of America’s beloved game through photographs, player memorabilia and artifacts. Other noteworthy attractions include the Glimmerglass Opera, the Farmers’ Museum and Fenimore Art Museum.
Lodging: Best Western Inn & Suites at the Commons, Rose &Thistle B&B

Catskill Region

Where: Kaaterskill Falls
Location: Directions
Peak Foliage: Second half of September and early October
Reasons for Visiting: Kaaterskill, on the northeastern side of the Catskill Mountains on Route 23A in Haines Falls, is New York’s highest cascading waterfall, according to the Greene County Website at http://greenecounty.com. It served as the inspiration for William Cullen Bryant’s poem, “Catterskill Falls,” as well as essays and paintings. It takes only 20 minutes to hike to the falls for gorgeous views.
Local Attractions: After a vigorous hike to the falls, venture to the Windham Vineyard & Winery to taste their dry red, white and dessert wines to relax or head to Windham Mountain for more outdoor adventures. The Bailiwick Ranch & Discovery Zoo in Catskill is another option, for horseback riding, paintball and a zoological park.
Lodging: Red Ranch Motel, Carl’s Rip Van Winkle Motor Lodge (both in Catskill)

Where: Sullivan & Ulster County Catskills
Location: Directions
Peak foliage: Mid-September to end of October
Reasons to Visit: Only 2 ½ hours from New York City, the Catskill Mountains offer breathtaking views of foliage as well as fall festivals and events. The Catskill Forest Preserve comprises nearly 300,000 acres, with Slide Mountain as its highest peak, reaching 4,180 feet.
Local Attractions: In Sullivan County, the new Bethel Woods Center for the Arts describes the unique experience of the 1969 Woodstock Music & Art Fair. Nearby, Monticello Gaming & Raceway features more than 1,500 gaming machines, video poker and live entertainment. In Ulster County, the Catskill Mountain Railroad in Phoenicia and Hudson River Cruises in Kingston both offer unique ways to see the fall foliage. Find more information at www.visitthecatskills.com. 
Lodging: Best Western Monticello, Holiday Inn (Kingston)

Hudson Valley

Where: Bear Mountain & Harriman State Parks
Location: Directions
Peak Foliage: Second and third week in October
Reasons to Visit: An hour away from Manhattan, Bear Mountain offers rugged mountains, a zoo, boat rentals and an outdoor skating rink. Harriman State Park, the second-largest park in New York’s park system (52,000 acres), also contains 31 lakes and reservoirs, 200 miles of hiking trails, camping and spectacular views from the park’s many vantage points.
Local Attractions: Nearby, U.S. Military Academy in West Point is off scenic Old Storm King Highway (SR 218) and offers films, exhibits, a replica of a cadet barracks room and maps and brochures at its visitor center. There are also the West Point Museum and one-hour bus tours of the campus.
Lodging: Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, The Thayer Hotel

Where: Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site
Location: Directions
Peak Foliage: Second and third week in October
Reasons to Visit: Overlooking the Hudson River on more than 400 acres, this site in Hyde Park marks the birthplace and lifelong home of our nation’s longest-serving president. FDR and his wife are buried in the Rose Garden at the 1826 house. In addition to the estate, the site offers an orientation film, walking trails, stables and an icehouse.
Local Attractions: Nearby, Roosevelt’s Presidential Library & Museum is open to the public for a separate admission fee, as is the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, which features an 1898 mansion with furnishings and architecture of the Gilded Age.
Lodging: Golden Manor Motel (Hyde Park), Best Western Inn & Conference Center or Days Inn (Poughkeepsie)

Long Island

Where: Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site
Location: Directions
Peak Foliage: Last week in October and first week of November
Reasons to Visit: The visionary poet Walt Whitman spent his childhood at this 1819 farmhouse, which also features artifacts, original letters, manuscripts and portraits of the bearded poet. The hilly terrain offers scenic vistas.
Local Attractions: The village of Huntington features a cosmopolitan downtown with fine restaurants, nightlife and museums, including the Heckscher Museum, featuring European and American art ranging from the Renaissance era to modern times.
Lodging: Huntington Country Inn, Whitman Motor Lodge, Huntington Hilton

Where: Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park
Location: Directions
Peak Foliage: Last week in October and first week of November
Reasons to Visit: This public arboretum comprises 409 acres of greenhouses, formal gardens, hiking trails, wooded paths and plant collections, as well as Coe Hall, a 65-room Tudor Revival mansion with 16th- and 17th-century furnishings.
Local Attractions: For more history, learn about President Theodore Roosevelt at the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site or visit Raynham Hall Museum, which served as the British headquarters during the Revolutionary War.
Lodging: Executive Inn at Woodbury, East Norwich Inn

Where: Sands Point Preserve
Location: Directions
Peak Foliage: Last week in October and first week of November
Reasons to Visit: Near the Long Island Sound, the preserve’s 216 acres include forests, meadows, beaches, cliffs, gardens and ponds, which are habitats for a variety of plants and animals. Additionally, six nature trails feature specific points of interest described in self-guided tour literature.
Local Attractions: The Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City chronicles Long Island’s role in aviation history, featuring Apollo lunar models developed by Grumman’s in the 1960s, IMAX films and aircraft. Nearby, the Long Island Children’s Museum aims to spark the curiosity and creativity of children through hands-on exhibits.
Lodging: La Quinta Garden City

New York City

Where: Central Park
Location: Directions
Peak Foliage: Last two weeks in October and early November
Reasons to Visit: In the heart of New York City, Central Park attracts city residents and tourists who relish in its grand landscape design by architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. Maples, oaks and elms provide the beautiful fall colors throughout the grounds, with a great panoramic view of the city from the top of Belvedere Castle. The park’s zoo displays wildlife in natural settings year-round.
Local Attractions: Inside the park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is considered one of the best museums in the world with its Greek and Roman, Egyptian, Asian, European and American art collections. A few blocks south in Rockefeller Center, the Top of the Rock, a glass-enclosed three-tiered observation deck, provides a 360-degree view of the city.
Lodging: The Westin New York at Times Square, The Benjamin Hotel

Bronx

Where: Van Cortlandt Park
Location: Directions
Peak Foliage: End of October and first half of November
Reasons to Visit: In the northwest Bronx, New York City’s fourth largest park is a perfect place for hiking and biking amid its 1,146 acres. This forested heartland contains steep ridges, smooth hillsides, open flats, freshwater lakes and cinder trails. In the Northwest Forest, which totals 188 acres, oak-hickory forests grow on rocky heights overlooking valleys covered by tulip trees and century-old oaks.
Local Attractions: The New York Botanical Garden, one of the world’s largest botanical gardens, contains 250 acres of specialty gardens and plant collections. The Bronx Zoo displays more than 4,000 animals in natural settings and indoor and outdoor habitats.
Lodging: Howard Johnson Yankee Stadium

Queens

Where: Forest Park
Location: Directions
Peak Foliage: End of October and first half of November
Reasons to Visit: Nestled in the borough of Queens, this park’s 548 acres of trees and fields is the third largest in Queens. Its red and white oak forest, with trees dating back more than 150 years, provides luminous fall colors. The eastern side contains thick woods and trails, populated by runners, hikers and horseback riders, who frequent the park’s two private stables. You can hire horses from the stables to view the foliage from higher ground.
Local Attractions: The Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria depicts the history and technology of film, television and digital media on the site of a 1920’s facility formerly used by Paramount Pictures. The Queens County Farm Museum contains barns, greenhouses, farm animals and a restored 1772 farmhouse.
Lodging: Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel, Best Western Kennedy Airport

Brooklyn

Where: Prospect Park
Location: Directions
Peak Foliage: End of October and first half of November
Reasons to Visit: In the heart of Brooklyn, Prospect Park is often referred to as an “urban oasis.” It contains the borough’s only forest, a 90-acre Long Meadow, as well as a 60-acre lake, meadows, hillsides, waterfalls, nature trails, a zoo, a restored vintage carousel, boating facilities and the Lefferts Historic House, an 18th-century homestead museum.
Local Attractions: The Brooklyn Historical Society attracts nearly 9,000 visitors a year to its museum, library and educational center detailing the rich history of Brooklyn. Also noteworthy, the Brooklyn Museum’s collection ranges from ancient Egyptian to contemporary art, and the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens feature 52 acres, including a Japanese garden and a bonsai museum.
Lodging: Best Western Gregory Hotel, Comfort Inn Brooklyn Bridge

Staten Island

Where: High Rock Park
Location: Directions
Peak Foliage: Late October and early November
Reasons to Visit: Recognized as one of Staten Island’s most tranquil places, High Rock Park contains quiet ponds and deep woods and has been acknowledged as a Natural Environmental Education Landmark. Six nature trails allow visitors to explore forests, gardens, wildlife, swamps and glacial ponds. Also, climb the 260-foot hill of Mt. Moses for a 360-degree panoramic view regarded as one of New York City’s best.
Local Attractions: Historic Richmond Town, a living history village and museum, features restored houses, shops and buildings from the 1690s to the 1900s. The Staten Island Zoo contains mammals, birds, reptiles, tropical fish, an African savannah, an aquarium and a children’s center.
Lodging: The Staten Island Hotel