[title]
Pumpkin spice might hog the headlines, but in New York, the true sign of fall’s arrival is when the leaves start showing off. Governor Kathy Hochul has officially kicked off the 2025 autumn travel season by announcing the return of the state’s famous weekly fall foliage reports—your cheat sheet for chasing peak reds, golds, and fiery oranges across the Empire State.
The first report lands September 10 and will drop every Wednesday through November, courtesy of more than 90 volunteer “leaf peepers” stationed across New York’s 11 vacation regions. Their job is to obsessively monitor tree lines and send in dispatches on everything from the percentage of color change to the best viewing spots for the upcoming weekend. In other words, you’ll know exactly when it’s worth leaving your couch for a road trip.
This year, the state is doubling down on the visuals. An interactive map will let you track the color wave in real time, complete with suggested viewing locations and inspo pics of what “peak” actually looks like. And because it’s 2025, there’s also a social component: post your prettiest snaps with #NYLovesFall, and you might find your handiwork featured on I LOVE NY’s Instagram, Facebook, X (yes, still Twitter to most of us) or Threads.
Beyond the leaves themselves, the fall campaign is basically a full-blown invitation to play tourist in your own backyard. Think apple orchards and pumpkin patches, haunted hayrides and craft beer trails, plus this year’s marquee events—the Erie Canal Bicentennial and the Ryder Cup at Bethpage State Park, adding extra reasons to hit the road. Tourism bosses are clear about what’s at stake: Last year, visitors spent $94 billion in New York, generating an economic impact of $145.2 billion. Turns out foliage isn’t just pretty; it’s also profitable.
Whether you’re plotting a Catskills cabin weekend, a foliage-framed hike in the Adirondacks or just an excuse to sip cider on the North Fork, consider the state’s weekly reports your unofficial fall bible. Grab your coziest sweater, clear some camera roll space and prepare to argue with friends over whether upstate or the Hudson Valley is truly the fairest of them all. Spoiler: Everyone wins when the leaves turn.