Empire State Development announces start of fall foliage and travel season

I LOVE NY's weekly fall foliage reports begin Wednesday, Sept. 13; available at iloveny.com/foliage

√ Integrated marketing campaign will encourage travelers to explore seasonal attractions throughout state

Empire State Development announced the start of New York's fall foliage and travel season.

It stated, “Thanks to one of the longest and most colorful foliage seasons in the country, autumn is traditionally one of New York's most popular travel times, attracting visitors from around the world who explore the seasonal attractions throughout the state's unique and diverse regions.”

To encourage and help travelers plan a fall getaway, I LOVE NY will be launching an integrated marketing campaign; and weekly foliage reports return on Sept. 13, with updates issued every Wednesday throughout the season.

ESD President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "New York's fall foliage and travel season welcomes guests from around the world to eat, experience and explore all that the state offers. Fall travel provides a unique opportunity to enjoy both indoor attractions and outdoor destinations, highlighted by the Empire State’s brilliant and colorful autumn landscape. When travelers visit our communities this fall, they are also adding economic vibrancy in supporting our small businesses and generating new growth that helps regions thrive."

ESD Vice President and Executive Director of Tourism Ross D. Levi said, "As we welcome the start of the popular fall travel season, I LOVE NY continues to encourage residents and visitors alike to plan a getaway, explore new places and regions, and see for themselves why it's easy to fall in love with New York. Our size and geography mean that each week throughout the fall it is peak foliage somewhere in New York state. When coupled with our amazing array of fall favorite activities like apple and pumpkin picking, visiting wineries and craft beverage producers, hiking, biking, paddling, celebrating Halloween and enjoying outdoor fall festivals, travelers have the makings of an unforgettable autumn trip right here in the Empire State."

I LOVE NY's fall foliage reports are compiled weekly using the on-location field observations from a team of more than 85 volunteers throughout the state's 11 vacation regions. The spotters track color changes in their area by detailing the prevalent leaf colors, and predicting both the percentage of total transition and how much the foliage will have progressed relative to peak conditions for the upcoming weekend. Peak conditions, considered the best that the foliage will look in a given season, generally occur between late September and mid-November, depending on the location.

As part of the report, an interactive foliage map on the I LOVE NY website tracks weekly changes and progression throughout the season. The map offers recommended viewing locations, examples of peak foliage in designated areas, and information about popular local and regional attractions. It also provides an option for users to filter attractions by category, including arts and culture, and food and drink.

Travelers are invited to share their best New York state foliage photos on social media using the #NYLovesFall hashtag for a chance to be featured on the I LOVE NY website and official social media accounts, reaching more than 2 million followers on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Threads.

Reports and the interactive foliage map are available at www.iloveny.com/foliage, or toll-free at 800-CALL-NYS (800-225-5697) from anywhere in the U.S., its territories and Canada.