Fall Foliage in NYC Is at Its Peak: Five Great Places to See It
By Oct. 18, 2019
Leaf-peeping season is upon us! And for busy New Yorkers who can’t spare the time for a nature-filled trip out of town, never fear: Autumn colors are also hitting their vibrant peak right here at home. According to the Ultimate Smoky Mountains Guide, which tracks the changing leaves all over the country every fall, New York City experienced peak foliage between October 19 and October 26 — but the colors will still be blazing for weeks to come. Here are five fantastic places to see fall foliage in NYC, no trek upstate required.
Central Park
(Getty Images)
A no-brainer. Central Park is stunning all year round, of course, but it’s particularly magical in the fall, when its 18,000 trees (yes, that many!) form a glorious riot of color. Guided foliage tours are already sold out for peak week, but not to worry: The Central Park Conservancy produces a highly detailed fall-foliage map of the entire park, complete with the types of trees in each area and the colors they turn. Follow the map, or just wander — and don’t forget your camera!
1BRs Near Central Park Under $1MArticle continues below
Lincoln Square
130 West 71st Street
$625,000
1 |
1
Lincoln Square
235 West 70th Street
$750,000
1 |
1
Lenox Hill
330 East 75th Street
$850,000
1 |
1
South Harlem
1330 Fifth Avenue
$699,000
1 |
1
Upper West Side
215 West 91st Street
$875,000
1 |
1
Manhattan Valley
50 West 106th Street
$555,000
1 |
1
Lenox Hill
530 East 72nd Street
$650,000
1 |
1.5
Lenox Hill
399 East 72nd Street
$960,000
1 |
1
Lenox Hill
230 East 71st Street
$615,000
1 |
1
Yorkville
200 East 84th Street
$700,000
1 |
1
Upper West Side
7 West 92nd Street
$595,000
1 |
1
Manhattan Valley
467 Central Park West
$895,000
1 |
1
Prospect Park
(Getty Images)
It’s directly adjacent to the renowned Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a foliage wonderland to be sure, but the park itself is well worth a leaf-looking expedition this time of year. The Prospect Park Alliance is happy to help, with an array of fall events, foliage walks, and even an Instagram-inspired photo gallery dedicated to its autumnal beauty. Tag your own pics with #ProspectPark and they might get added!
1BRs Near Prospect Park Under $1MArticle continues below
Prospect Park South
221 East 18th Street
$510,000
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1
Park Slope
1 Plaza Street West
$925,000
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1
Prospect Heights
207 Park Place
$799,000
1 |
1
Prospect Heights
233 Park Place
$735,000
1 |
1
Windsor Terrace
243 Mcdonald Avenue
$529,999
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1
Park Slope
306 Garfield Place
$575,000
1 |
1
Park Slope
264 Sixth Avenue
$750,000
1 |
1
Prospect Heights
34 Plaza Street East
$785,000
1 |
1
Prospect Park South
1735 Caton Avenue
$540,000
1 |
1
Windsor Terrace
112 East 2nd Street
$675,000
1 |
1
Park Slope
78 Eighth Avenue
$895,000
1 |
1
Prospect Heights
83 Underhill Avenue
$785,000
1 |
1
(Getty Images)
Green-Wood Cemetery
Autumn leaves don’t need a setting as dramatic as Green-Wood to be worth seeing, but it sure doesn’t hurt. This National Historic Landmark location, always a gorgeous green oasis, becomes absolutely enchanting when fall’s vibrant reds, oranges and yellows make their appearance. The grounds are home to 8,000 trees and shrubs, so look for a good range of colors mixed in with the history.
Fort Tryon Park
(Daniel Avila/NYC Parks)
Speaking of drama, this park near the northern tip of Manhattan – home to The Cloisters – combines fabulous foliage with sweeping views of the Hudson River and the Palisades. The combination is enough to take your breath away, especially when you consider that John D. Rockefeller, who donated this land to the city in 1931, also purchased the land directly across the river from it to preserve the spectacular views.
Van Cortlandt Park
(Friends of Van Cortlandt Park)
This 1,000-plus-acre gem in the Bronx has a robust schedule of fall events to help you enjoy all it has to offer this season, including foliage and mushroom-hunting hikes with park rangers. There are many nature trails to follow as you leaf-peep, including the National Historic Landmark Old Croton Aqueduct Trail, which travels the route of the city’s original water-supply aqueduct up into Westchester.