Fall Guide – Places To Go & Things To See
North Carolina City Ranked #1 for Fall Foliage in 2024
It's almost leaf season! And people are preparing to come from near and far to enjoy the North Carolina fall foliage. And for good reason. It's not only some of the best in the country, one study named it the best. There is a whole subset of tourism dedicated to traveling to see the breathtaking colors of fall. I first learned about this when a friend and I planned a trip to Asheville in the fall. The hotel prices were high and we were told it was "leaf season". Then a few years later my parents actually made a trip to experience autumn in New England. But if you're looking to plan a trip this fall, where are the best spots? Closer to home than you may think. Sure you can take a trip to Vermont and New Hampshire for some new experiences. But you certainly don't have to go that far. North Carolina Fall Foliage According to recent data from our friends at Islands.com searches for “best places to see fall foliage in the USA” as well as “fall foliage map 2024” are surging in the last few weeks. So Islands.com identified the top U.S. destinations for fall foliage—and the North Carolina fall foliage found in Asheville tops the list. Factors that went into these rankings included the "length of peak foliage season, the number of nearby scenic routes, and the availability of hiking trails". This is not the first time I've heard this, and it's something I have experienced numerous times personally. I often plan a trip to Asheville in October. The city is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountain with truly incredible views year round. But those are even more spectacular in the autumn months. Peak Asheville North Carolina Fall Foliage occurs, according to Islands.com, from October 23rd through November 3rd. It's the perfect time to take a walk on more than 50 hiking trails or take a drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway. These are the top U.S. destinations for travelers to experience stunning fall foliage, according to the study: Asheville, NC Bar Harbor, ME Gatlinburg, TN Boston, MA Lake Placid, NY Lincoln, NH Taos, NM New Paltz, NY Franconia, NH Stowe, VT Nearby you also have Gatlinburg, TN in the Smoky Mountains which is also easy for a quick weekend getaway. Or take a suggestion from my parents and check out Bar Harbor, ME and Stowe, VT. But they may not be quite as good at that award winning North Carolina fall foliage. Either way happy leaf season! Thanks to our friends at Islands.com for sharing their research with us. You can read the full study here.