Autumn is calling! Discover some of America’s most breathtaking foliage from the golden canopies of Roger Williams Park in Providence and Bristol’s waterfront charm, to Lancaster County’s rolling farmland, Buffalo's dramatic gorges, Santa Fe’s glowing aspens, and Cliff House Maine’s ocean-front forests. Here are all the fall foliage details and the scenic drive & train routes that make the journey as breathtaking as the destinations themselves.
Destination: Providence, Rhode Island
Description/Why Visit for Fall Foliage: Roger Williams Park is a beautiful place to visit any time of year, but it becomes a colorful wonderland in mid-October when vibrant foliage transforms the 435-acre landscape. Designed in 1872 by Horace Cleveland to showcase natural vistas framed by notable trees, the park features standouts like the golden-leaved American Sycamore at the historic Betsey Williams Cottage, deep red Scarlet Oaks, bronze-hued Weeping Beeches, amber Crabapple Grove, gold Gingkos, copper Purple Beeches, star-shaped Sweetgum leaves in orange and purple, and the Yellowwood with yellow foliage and dangling seed pods. The Civil War Veterans Grove boasts 27 Sugar Maples glowing orange each fall, while the Botanical Center is home to the rare Dawn Redwood, which drops its needles in September. Visitors can stroll the park’s five miles of natural trails, ride bikes along the three-mile greenway, kayak or take a swan boat around the lakes, and explore attractions like the Museum of Natural History, Roger Williams Park Zoo, and Carousel Village. For an extended foliage adventure, the nearby East Bay Bike Path offers a 14.5-mile paved ride from Providence to Bristol, winding past Narragansett Bay, marshes, and wooded stretches that explode with autumn color, especially near Brickyard Pond and Haines State Park.
Scenic Routes to Get There: From Boston, a quick drive down I-95 or a coastal Amtrak ride offers views of salt marshes and fiery maples. New York visitors can relax on Amtrak’s Northeast Regional through colorful Connecticut shoreline towns. Travelers from Vermont and New Hampshire can take Route 2 through the Berkshires’ rolling sugar maples, while those from Connecticut or Western Massachusetts follow I-91 and Route 146 past farms and historic mill towns. Even drives from Cape Cod or coastal Maine combine seaside charm with bursts of fall foliage, making the journey to Providence as vibrant as the city.
Destination: Bristol, Rhode Island
Description/Why Visit for Fall Foliage:
One of New England’s best under-the-radar destinations, Bristol, Rhode Island is a storybook waterfront town overlooking Narragansett Bay. In the fall, its quaint streets lined with authentic colonial architecture become a visual feast as the leaves turn to glorious shades of red, yellow, and orange. But the leaf-peeping pièce de résistance is Blithewold Manor, a sprawling 19th century country-place style mansion set on a 33-three-acre garden on the shores of the bay. During the fall, Blithewold is an autumnal wonderland, featuring a century-old Giant Sequoia, Weeping European Beech Tree, Japanese Maple, and much more. Visitors can stroll the leaf-lined lover’s lane towards the bay, enjoy the perennial bloom of October Chrysanthemums, and participate in fall-themed watercolor classes. The gem of Rhode Island parks, Colt State Park, too, offers stunning views of fall foliage against the backdrop of the bay. It features a maze of hiking trails and bike paths through gorgeous red maples, sycamore maples, and white oak trees, which can also be admired by water via canoe on the bay.
Scenic Routes to Get There: Route 114 leading into the Wampanoag Trail carries travelers south from East Providence along the eastern edge of Narragansett Bay. This short, scenic stretch blends glimpses of sparkling water with salt marshes, wooded curves, and bursts of autumn color overhead, eventually passing the entrances to both Colt State Park and Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum in Bristol.
Destination: Cliff House Maine
Description/Why Visit for Fall Foliage: A stunning fall destination, Cliff House Maine is located just twenty minutes from Mt. Agamenticus, a 672 ft monadnock that turns flaming colors each fall. Cliff House Maine offers guests complimentary transportation through its Volvo check-out program, which keeps the trip to the mountain simple. Home to a garden of its own and robust tree and plant life, visitors to Cliff House Maine can also appreciate fall foliage on the property with the unexpected backdrop of Bald Head Cliff and the Atlantic Ocean and enjoy seasonal spa treatments made with garden-fresh botanicals.
Scenic Route to Get There: Travelers looking for the scenic route can travel from Cliff House Maine to Mt. Agamenticus via US 1, which provides views of brilliant fall foliage, classic New England villages, tidal marshes, rugged cliffs, and rolling hills.
Destination: Lancaster, PA
Description/Why Visit for Fall Foliage: Lancaster County’s fall foliage season offers a colorful backdrop for outdoor adventures and small-town charm. In Lititz, Lititz Springs Park invites leisurely strolls past winding streams, historic pavilions, and brilliant autumn canopies. Cyclists can take in the season’s splendor along the North West River Trail, a scenic route hugging the Susquehanna River with views of golden forests and historic river towns. For a nostalgic ride, the Strasburg Rail Road rolls past patchwork farmland and fiery fall leaves aboard beautifully restored vintage trains. And at Cherry Hill Orchards and Farm Market, visitors can pick crisp apples, shop for seasonal produce, and sip fresh cider surrounded by the colors of harvest.
Scenic Routes to Get There: Lancaster County offers some of Pennsylvania’s most picturesque drives, each starting from nearby cities and winding through farmland, covered bridges, and Amish communities. From Philadelphia, take US 30 West, then veer onto PA 772 through Intercourse and Bird-in-Hand. From Harrisburg, follow PA 283 East and connect to PA 23 toward New Holland, where rolling hills and roadside markets line the way. Travelers from Baltimore or Washington, D.C. can head north via I-83 and cut across the historic Lincoln Highway (US 30) toward Columbia for sweeping Susquehanna River views.
Destination: Buffalo, NY
Description/Why Visit for Fall Foliage: The Buffalo Niagara region comes alive in fall foliage season, with a variety of parks and landscapes ideal for a scenic escape. In Orchard Park, the short hike to Eternal Flame Falls winds through a wooded ravine to reveal a 30-foot waterfall with a natural gas flame behind the cascade, especially enchanting beneath the fiery autumn leaves. Just southeast in East Aurora, Knox Farm State Park offers a peaceful stroll through rolling meadows, woodlands, and quiet ponds, all framed by vibrant reds and golds. For a wilder adventure, Zoar Valley in Cattaraugus County delivers dramatic scenes of steep gorges and cascading views along Cattaraugus Creek. Launching soon, Visit Buffalo Niagara’s digital hiking guide will showcase these gems as well as many others where visitors can explore the rich beauty of Western New York’s landscape in the fall and beyond.
Destination: Santa Fe, NM
Description/Why Visit for Fall Foliage: Fall in Santa Fe, New Mexico is a golden season where groves of aspens blaze against the city’s adobe architecture and the surrounding Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The foliage typically peaks from mid-September to early October, with stunning views found along the Santa Fe National Forest Scenic Byway - a 16-mile drive from Hyde Memorial State Park to Ski Santa Fe lined with brilliant gold and crimson leaves. The best fall foliage hikes showcase golden aspen groves and sweeping views of the surrounding peaks. The Aspen Vista Trail near Ski Santa Fe is the most iconic, with a moderate climb through aspen forests up toward Tesuque Peak. The Atalaya Trail offers a rewarding summit view over the Sangre de Cristo foothills, dotted with autumn colors. At Hyde Memorial State Park, beginner-friendly trails like East Circle and Piggyback wind through aspen and pine, while the Dale Ball Trails provide routes through pinyon-juniper woodlands and into higher-elevation forests. For a quieter option, the Borrego Trail follows an old sheepherder’s path through serene mountain scenery accented with fall hues.
Scenic Routes to Get There: From Denver, a six-hour trip down I-25 offers sweeping plains-to-mountains views, with the option to detour onto Colorado’s Highway of Legends Scenic Byway for aspen-lined mountain passes before crossing into New Mexico. Texas visitors can follow U.S. 84 or U.S. 285 through wide-open ranchlands and river valleys aglow with golden cottonwoods. For a relaxed and picturesque arrival, Amtrak’s Southwest Chief connects Los Angeles or Chicago to Albuquerque, NM, where The New Mexico Rail Runner offers a final, golden-hued ride straight into Santa Fe.
