Fall in NYC: The Best Fall Activities in New York City

Fall in NYC is a magical time of year. The leaves in New York City’s parks are changing colors, the weather has cooled down from the insane summer heat, and New Yorkers are back from their summer vacations. The city feels alive.

New York City is at its best in the fall. The city’s parks have incredible fall foliage and there are so many fun fall activities for you to enjoy.

I highly recommend visiting NYC in the fall at least once in your life. If you’re spending the fall in NYC, keep reading for the best NYC fall activities you just can’t miss!

And if you love taking photos, don’t miss my guide to the best Instagram spots in NYC.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click a link and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Table of Contents

Explore Central Park During the Fall in NYC

Fall in NYC isn’t complete without a visit to Central Park – New York City’s famous 843 acre park. Central Park is absolutely magical in the fall when the leaves change colors. You can walk the park for hours admiring the beautiful fall foliage in NYC.

The best spots to visit in Central Park during fall in NYC are Bethesda Terrace, the Bow Bridge, the Conservatory Garden, the Reservoir, the Gapstow Bridge, Belvedere Castle, the Mall, the Ramble, and Harlem Meer.

Harlem Meer in Central Park also hosts one of NYC’s best fall activities: the Pumpkin Flotilla. At the Pumpkin Flotilla, participants drop off their carved pumpkins and then watch the jack-o’-lanterns float across Harlem Meer.

You can also join a guided bike tour of Central Park during the fall foliage season, which is a fun and memorable way to explore NYC’s most beautiful park.

A view of Central Park during fall in NYC - there is colorful fall foliage, a wooden bridge, a pond and tall buildings in the background

See Central Park from Above

In addition to walking through Central Park during NYC’s fall season, seeing the fall foliage in Central Park from above is absolutely magical. The best ways to catch an aerial view of Central Park’s fall colors are:

From the Top of the Rock observation deck at Rockefeller Center. If you’re planning to visit multiple attractions in NYC, consider getting a New York CityPASS that includes Top of the Rock. The New York CityPASSS lets you visit 6 NYC attractions, including Top of the Rock, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, The Met Museum and more, for up to 40% off!
For free from The Shops at Columbus Circle: take the escalators up a floor or two to catch a view from the large windows over the front doors, or enjoy the view from your table at Bluebird London NYC restaurant.
On an epic helicopter tour over Manhattan.

Visit the New York Botanic Garden

Fall is an ideal time to visit the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) in the Bronx. You’ll see beautiful fall foliage on the NYBG’s 250 acres of botanical gardens, and the NYBG also hosts a number of fun fall activities in New York City.

Don’t miss the NYBG’s annual display of giant pumpkins that features some of the largest pumpkins in the world. Some of the giant pumpkins weigh up to 2000 lbs!

Wander the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

I’ve lived in Brooklyn since 2013, so couldn’t leave the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) off my list of the best things to do during the fall in NYC. The BBG is one of Brooklyn’s most important cultural institutions and it’s a fantastic place to see fall foliage in NYC.

One of the highlights of visiting the BBG in the fall is seeing the colorful maple trees that frame the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden.

Explore Brooklyn’s Prospect Park

Just as Manhattan has Central Park, Brooklyn has Prospect Park. Prospect Park is a 586 acre park in Brooklyn located between the neighborhoods of Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Prospect Heights and Prospect Lefferts Gardens.

Prospect Park is the perfect place to walk, explore and even have a fall picnic. The Prospect Park Boathouse is a must-see when visiting Prospect Park in the fall, especially when the surrounding fall foliage is at its peak.

A brunette woman wearing a pink sweater and jeans. She is walking among the bright orange fall foliage in Prospect Park during fall in NYC.

Walk The High Line

The High Line is a public park on Manhattan’s west side built on what used to be an elevated train track. The High Line is a must-see any time of year, but it’s especially beautiful during the fall in New York City.

The High Line was once slated for demolition but the community rallied together and it was repurposed into one of NYC’s most popular parks. It’s now a 1.45-mile long greenway in Manhattan that features 500+ species of plants and trees. It runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District all the way up to 34th Street on Manhattan’s west side.

My favorite way to enjoy the High Line is by starting off in the Meatpacking District. First, grab a coffee from nearby Kobrick Coffee (24 Ninth Avenue, New York, NY) to enjoy while you walk. Then head to the Gansevoort Street entrance of The High Line.

As you walk north on The High Line, be sure to look for all of the public art on display, catch views of the city and peep all of the beautiful plants and trees.

At the end your walk of the High Line, you’ll find yourself at Hudson Yards. You can check out The Vessel, one of NYC’s newest iconic structures that’s also quite controversial (you either love it or hate it).

A view of the Highline Park during fall in NYC: you can see that it is an elevated train track with trees turned into a park over the city, whose leaves are turning yellow.

Enjoy Seasonal Cuisine + Fall Decor at SERRA by Birreria

SERRA by Birreria takes seasonal dining seriously. This rooftop restaurant at Eataly Flatiron changes its menu and decor to reflect the season.

SERRA by Birreria is at its absolute best during the fall in NYC. The faux leaf canopy that drapes over the rooftop is absolutely charming and the menu is inspired by the autumnal Italian countryside. It’s the perfect stop for lunch or dinner as you explore New York City in the fall.

Visit a Pumpkin Patch in NYC

Visiting a pumpkin patch is a classic fall activity, but did you know that we have pumpkin patches you can visit in NYC? That’s right, you don’t even have to leave the city to visit these pumpkin patches.

Queens Farm: Queens Farm is an actual working farm in Queens, New York. It’s been continuously farmed since 1697, making it one of the longest continually farmed sites in New York State. The pumpkin patch at Queens Farm is open daily in October.
Governors Island: Governors Island is a 172 acre island with public parks and other recreational space just 800 yards from Lower Manhattan. It’s easily reached by ferry from both Manhattan and Brooklyn. At the end of October, Governor’s Island is home to Pumpkin Point, a pumpkin patch in historic Nolan Park. Visitors to Pumpkin Point can pick out a pumpkin to take home in exchange for a small suggested donation. There are also free Halloween and fall themed activities, and vendors selling seasonally inspired food and beverages.
Green Meadows Farm: Green Meadows Farm in Brooklyn is home to Brooklyn’s only pumpkin patch from early October into mid-November.
Historic Richmond Town: Historic Richmond Town is a town and farm museum complex in Richmondtown, Staten Island. In October, Historic Richmond Town has a pumpkin patch at Decker Farm. As of 2021, timed-entry tickets are required to visit.

Watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade

If you’ll be in NYC for Thanksgiving weekend, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is THE biggest event during autumn in NYC. In fact, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the biggest parade in the world. And while you can watch it on TV, there’s nothing like being part of the crowd watching it in person.

The parade started in 1924 and has become not only a New York tradition, but an American tradition. The 3-hour parade is known for its massive balloons, over the top floats, marching bands, celebrity appearances, and more.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is held on Thanksgiving from 9:00 am to noon, and the parade route usually begins at 77th St and Central Park West and goes down to 34th Street to Macy’s Herald Square.

A view of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade during fall in NYC: a large yellow Pokemon balloon is being flown above the crowd, above parade marchers wearing yellow uniforms

Take a Fall Foliage Cruise

One of my favorite ways to explore NYC and the surrounding area is by boat. And the most beautiful time of year to take a cruise from NYC is during fall foliage:

NYC Grand Palisades Fall Foliage Yacht Tour: Take a 1920’s style yacht from Manhattan to explore fall foliage up the Hudson River.
NYC Hudson River Fall Foliage Yacht Cruise: Another option to board a 1920s-style yacht and watch the fall foliage of Palisades Park up the Hudson River.
Classic Harbor Line Cruises Fall Foliage Sail: If a sailboat is more your style, take a classic sailboat up the Hudson River to see the colorful leaves.

Visit Little Island

Little Island at Pier 55 is one of NYC’s newest attractions. Little Island is a 2.4-acre public park in Hudson River Park on Manhattan’s West Side. It’s located in the Hudson River off the West Side Highway. The entrances to Little Island are at West 13th and 14th Streets. As of fall 2021, time entry reservations are required on weekends and holidays from noon onwards.

Celebrate Oktoberfest

New Yorkers love any excuse to celebrate, so why not celebrate Oktoberfest during NYC’s fall season? NYC has its own Oktoberfest festival, so grab a beer stein and some lederhosen and enjoy the festivities.

6 people's hands holding beer steins full of beer. They are clinking their glasses to cheers during fall in NYC's Oktoberfest

Shop at Harry Potter New York

Looking for the perfect Gryffindor or Ravenclaw swag to perfect your Harry Potter Halloween costume? Harry Potter New York has the largest collection of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts products you can shop all under one roof.

You may need join the day’s virtual queue before you can visit – check their website the day of your visit. But once you’re inside, you’ll be rewarded with a ton of fun Harry Potter merch you can shop, plus installations and experiences that immerse you in the Harry Potter world.

A brunette woman wearing a Harry Potter themed costume, standing in a red British style phone booth in the Harry Potter store in NYC.

Tackle NYC’s Fall Corn Maze

Queens Farm brings so many fun fall activities to NYC, and it never fails to blow my mind that we have a working historic farm in New York City. Not only does Queens Farm have the pumpkin patch I mentioned above, but it also has NYC’s only corn maze. The Amazing Maize Maze at Queens Farm is a 3-acre adventure full of puzzles to solve and clues to find.

Visit Brooklyn Grange – an Urban Farm

If you’ve already been to Queens Farm or can’t make the trip to the outskirts of Queens, visit Brooklyn Grange instead. Brooklyn Grange is the world’s largest rooftop soil farm, located on three rooftops in NYC.

Brooklyn Grange offers farm tours, food and beverage series, and more. Check out their website for more details on visiting.

Go to a Broadway Show

Fall in NYC is a great time to see a Broadway show. This is because the new Broadway season begins in the fall, with many shows starting previews in September. Some shows even have their official opening in September. By October and into November, more and more new Broadway shows open. That means you’ll have a ton of options when choosing which Broadway show to see during NYC’s fall season.

If you’re hoping to score last minute Broadway tickets at a discount, you can either stand in line at the TKTS booth (the most well-known location is right in Times Square) or download the TodayTix app.

TodayTix is my favorite way to buy last minute Broadway tickets because I hate waiting in line. When you buy tickets for a Broadway show from TodayTix, one of their representatives will meet you by the box office of that show and hand you your tickets right before the show. It’s so easy and convenient!

A woman's hand holding a playbill for the broadway show Les Miserables

Shop at a Farmer’s Market

The best place to buy seasonal produce and fall goodies like apple cider and apple cider donuts in NYC? One of New York City’s beloved farmer’s markets. Fall produce and other seasonal treats are in abundance at NYC’s farmer’s markets, including:

Union Square Greenmarket: Shop for fruits and vegetables, cheese, wine, artisanal baked goods, flowers and more at this NYC staple farmer’s market. The Union Square Greenmarket is open year round on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Grand Army Farmer’s Market: The Grand Army Farmer’s Market near Prospect Park in Brooklyn features vendors offering local produce, baked goods, dairy products, meat and more every Saturday from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Fort Greene Park Greenmarket: Also located in Brooklyn, the Fort Greene Park Greenmarket is open Saturdays year-round from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Visit the Met Cloisters and Fort Tryon Park

Fall in NYC is one of the best times to visit the Met Cloisters. The Met Cloisters is the only museum in the U.S. dedicated to displaying medieval art and architecture and its building and grounds are absolutely beautiful.

The Met Cloisters are worth a visit any time of year, but are especially beautiful in the fall when the leaves in the internal garden courtyard and the surrounding Fort Tryon Park have changed colors.

The Met Cloisters museum has a very European feel and the grounds and building are the perfect backdrop for fall photos and videos. This museum is also located in the north of Manhattan, making it a true escape from the crowds and noise in midtown and lower Manhattan.

A row of medieval columns that open up to an internal courtyard garden with trees and grass at the Met Cloisters museum during fall in NYC

Attend Open House New York

Open House New York is an annual event each fall in NYC where members of the public can visit locations in NYC that are usually off limits. During the weekend of Open House New York, hundreds of buildings and other attractions are opened up for public viewing. If you want to feel like a true NYC insider, participating in Open House New York is one of the best ways to do it.

Explore Wave Hill

Wave Hill is a 28-acre estate with a public garden located in the Bronx, with views of the Hudson River. Wave Hill features lush flower gardens, greenhouses, and a cultural center. The oldest part of the main house at Wave Hill, called Wave Hill House, dates back to 1843.

Wave Hill’s gardens are especially beautiful in the fall, when the leaves have turned. It’s a wonderful place to see fall foliage in NYC. You can also see stunning views across the Hudson River of the foliage in the New Jersey Palisades.

Have a Slice of Apple Pie or Pumpkin Pie (Or Both!)

Head to one of NYC’s best pie shops and enjoy falls ultimate dessert – apple pie. The best places to find apple pie in NYC are:

Little Pie Company in midtown Manhattan: Here you can find both apple pie and pumpkin pie during the fall season.
Four & Twenty Blackbirds in Gowanus, Brooklyn: In the fall, come for the brown butter apple streusel and the brown butter pumpkin pies.
The Blue Stove in Williamsburg, Brooklyn: This Brooklyn pie bakery serves up an excellent classic apple pie.
Clinton Street Baking Company in the Lower East Side: This popular LES spot is best known for its pancakes but also serves up delicious slices of apple pie.
Bubby’s in TriBeCa: This popular brunch spot also sells pies, including a double crust apple pie and pumpkin pie in the fall.

Visit Snug Harbor in Staten Island

Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden is just what its name implies: a cultural center and botanical garden. Snug Harbor has 28 buildings, 14 distinctive botanical gardens, a two acre urban farm, wetlands and park land. If you want to explore all of the 5 boroughs during your time in NYC (New York City is SO much more than just Manhattan), head to Snug Harbor to view some of the best fall foliage in Staten Island.

Imbibe in a Pumpkin Ale at Brooklyn Brewery

Brooklyn Brewery’s beers are now served around the world. I’ll never forget seeing it served up when I was in a tiny bar in Tokyo. But its original brewery and tap room is in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

During the fall season, you can enjoy a seasonal pumpkin ale at the Brooklyn Brewery’s taproom and also take a brewery tour for a behind the scenes look at how Brooklyn’s favorite beers are brewed.

See a Magic Show at Speakeasy Magick

New York in the fall, especially leading up to Halloween, gives off magical spooky vibes. So, why not see NYC’s premiere magic show? Speakeasy Magick at the McKittrick Hotel features a changing roster of New York City’s best magicians. It is such a fun way to spend a fall night in NYC.

Prepare to be dazzled by this intimate magic show that includes up close and personal magic tricks performed right at your table as well as on a stage in front of the whole audience.

Cheer On the NYC Marathon Runners

New York City loves a spectacle so, unsurprisingly, crowds of people show up each fall to cheer on the runners in the TCS New York City Marathon. Even if you don’t know anyone participating, it’s a blast to cheer on the runners.

Attend New York Comic Con

New York Comic Con is an annual convention dedicated to comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, cosplay and more. It’s held each fall in NYC. Whether or not you attend in costume, you’re likely to see some famous faces as celebrity guests.

See a Film at the New York Film Festival

The New York Film Festival takes place in NYC in the fall and is presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center. It’s one of the longest running film festivals in the U.S., having been founded in 1963. Tickets are available in advance online, or you can try your luck at lining up for same day tickets.

Celebrate Italian Culture at the Feast of San Gennaro

The Feast of San Gennaro is an Italian American festival and celebration that takes place during the autumn in NYC. For 11 days in September, Mulberry Street in Little Italy (between Canal and Houston Streets) is taken over by Italian food vendors and live entertainment. There’s even a cannoli eating contest!

The festival has been held in September since 1926, in honor of the patron saint of Naples. It’s become one of NYC’s top fall festivals where you can feast on some of the city’s best Italian food from the participating vendors.

Celebrate Halloween in NYC

New York City goes all out for Halloween. These are some of the best Halloween activities in NYC that you shouldn’t miss.

The NYC Village Halloween Parade

The NYC Village Halloween Parade is a New York institution. On Halloween night, join spectators to see some of NYC’s most creative people flaunt their epic Halloween costumes. Or, sign up in advance to walk in the parade. The parade is free to watch, and usually starts at 7 pm on Halloween night.

Pumpkin Arch at Pier 17

NYC’s Pier 17 displays an Instagram-worthy pumpkin arch in October as it gets closer to Halloween. Check out the Pier 17 Instagram account for updates in October to see when the arch has gone up.

A woman wearing a beige oufit holding a jack o' lantern in front of her face. She is standing underneath an orange arch made up of hundreds of pumpkins with the Brooklyn bridge in the background seen through the pumpkin arch at Pier 17

Madame Morbid’s Trolley Tours

Love ghost stories? Hop on Madame Morbid’s Trolley Tour for Brooklyn’s only year-round trolley tour that specializes in ghost stories and sharing Brooklyn’s dark history. Although Madame Morbid runs trolley tours year-round, it’s an especially fun experience in the weeks leading up to Halloween.

Have Drinks at a Spooky Bar/Restaurant

During spooky season in NYC, the best places to enjoy a cocktail or bite to eat are:

The Cauldron, a wizard-themed bar where you can go for a magical drink or sign up for a potion making class.
Beetle House, where every day is Halloween at this Tim Burton inspired bar.
Lillie’s Victorian Establishment, which is known for its epic seasonal decor.
Oscar Wilde NYC, another restaurant featuring over the top Halloween decor.

Take a Day Trip During Fall in NYC

While there are a ton of fall activities in NYC to choose from, sometimes you just want to get out of the city. These are the best day trips to take from NYC in the fall:

Go For a Hike

New York State has a ton of great hiking options, and many of them are an easy day trip from NYC. Some of the most popular day trips from NYC to go hiking include:

Harriman State Park: the second largest state park in New York has 200 miles of hiking trails and can be reached by public transportation (New Jersey Transit from Penn Station to Tuxedo Station).
Bear Mountain State Park: Another popular option for a hiking day trip is Bear Mountain. Bear Mountain can also be reached by public transportation if you don’t have a car. Take the Metro-North to Peekskill and grab a taxi to the park entrance.
Breakneck Ridge: This steep hike is also accessible by train from NYC on the Metro-North to Breakneck Ridge (if Breakneck Ridge Station isn’t open, take the train to Cold Spring). This hike is strenuous but rewards you with stunning views of the Hudson Valley. This hike is also right near the charming town of Cold Spring, NY, which is also worth exploring.

Go Apple Picking

Apple picking is a classic fall activity in the northeast. Although there’s nowhere to go apple picking in NYC, there are plenty of orchards that you can visit within a 2 hour drive or train ride from New York City. Three great orchards you can day trip to from NYC in the fall are:

Fishkill Farms: Fishkill Farms has a 270 acre orchard that has been owned by the same family for over 100 years. Located in Fishkill, NY, it’s about a 1.5 hour drive from NYC or you can take the Metro-North train on the Hudson line to Beacon Station and take a taxi from there to Fishkill Farms (a 1 hour and 45 minute total trip).
Harvest Moon Farm and Orchard: Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard is an apple orchard located in North Salem, NY, that’s family owned and operated. Harvest Moon is one of the closest u-pick apple orchards to NYC. It’s about a 1 hour and 15 minute drive from NYC. Or if you prefer to take public transit, take the Metro North train’s Harlem Line to Croton Falls and take a taxi to the farm (less than a 90 minute total trip).
Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm: This farm has apple picking in the fall and choose-and-cut Christmas trees in the winter. It’s an easy 1 hour drive from NYC. Or, you can take the Metro-North train on the Hudson line to Peekskill Station and then jump in a taxi to the farm (about a 90 minute total trip).

A brunette woman smiling while picking an apple off a tree at Fiskhill Farms in New York. She is wearing a denim skirt and a cream sweater, hat and knee high socks.

See Storm King Art Center’s Sculpture Garden Against the Fall Foliage

Storm King Art Center is a 500-acre outdoor sculpture park that features a collection of large-scale contemporary outdoor sculptures. Storm King is set against the beautiful backdrop of the Hudson Valley. Storm King has been open since 1960, and it’s a fantastic day trip from NYC.

Storm King features large scale sculptures by big-name artists like Alexander Calder, Donald Judd, and Richard Serra. It has both a permanent collection and special limited-time-only exhibits.

Fall is a particularly beautiful time to visit Storm King, when you can view the museum’s sculptures against a backdrop of fall foliage.

Storm King is about a 90 minute drive from NYC. If you prefer to take the train, take the Metro-North Hudson Line train to Beacon Station. The train ride is about 1 hour and 40 minutes, and on weekends there’s a shuttle from the train station to Storm King. Storm King can also easily be combined with a trip to Dia Beacon (mentioned below).

A large red modern sculpture in the Storm King Art Center garden. Behind the sculpture are trees that are turning orange and red fall colors.

Experience the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze

The Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze is an annual outdoor event leading up to Halloween that features over 7000 hand-carved pumpkins. It is a walk-through experience where you can see thousands of elaborate Halloween displays all lit up with atmospheric music and synchronized lighting.

The Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze has two locations, one at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson and the other at Old Bethpage Village Restoration in Old Bethpage. I’ve only visited the Croton-on-Hudson location, but have a friend who’s been to both and says that the Croton-on-Hudson location is a larger and more dazzling event.

Tickets to The Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze sell out every year, so book early. In 2021, we bought our tickets in August – two months before our visit!

We drove about 90 minutes to the Blaze in Croton-on-Hudson, but you can also take the Metro-North Hudson Line train to Croton-Harmon Station and take a 5 minute taxi or walk 10 minutes to the event.

A brunette woman facing away from the camera. She is standing under an orange arch made up of carved and illuminated jack o' lanterns at The Great Jack O' Lantern Blaze.

Visit the Pumpkin Patch at Happy Day Farm

Happy Day Farm in Manalapan, New Jersey is a 130 acre farm that’s a fantastic day trip from NYC in both the summer and the fall. In the summer, you can visit their lavender fields and go berry picking. In the fall, Happy Day Farm has sunflower fields, a pumpkin patch and eye-catching fall pumpkin installations and photo opportunities.

Happy Day Farm is about a 90 minute drive from NYC, and advance tickets are generally required for Friday-Sunday visits.

A brunette woman sitting on a wooden swing at a pumpkin patch called Happy Day Farm in New Jersey, one of the best day trips during fall in NYC.

Explore Charming Cold Spring

Cold Spring is charming town that you can easily visit as a day trip from New York City. You can reach Cold Spring by train on the Metro-North to Cold Spring Station in just about an hour from NYC.

This small, cute town has restaurants and shops you can visit. Plus, the Breakneck Ridge hike I mentioned above is nearby.

If you want to combine hiking with exploring the town of Cold Spring, spend the morning at Breakneck Ridge and then head into town, grab lunch at one of Cold Spring’s restaurants, and spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the town’s boutiques.

See Modern Art at Dia Beacon

Dia Beacon is a contemporary art museum in New York’s Hudson Valley that features artworks from the 1960s until the present. Dia Beacon is a fantastic day trip from NYC any time of year, but the train ride or drive up is especially beautiful in the fall when the leaves are colorful.

Dia Beacon is housed in a former Nabisco factory, and it’s expansive warehouse space enhances the viewing experience of its art.

Storm King Art Center is just 13 miles away from Dia Beacon, making them a great combined day trip from NYC.

It takes about 80 minutes to drive to Dia Beacon from NYC. Or you can take the Metro-North train to the Beacon train station. If you also want to check out the nearby town of Beacon, there’s a free bus that runs from the museum into town.

A very large white room at a museum called Dia Beacon, with a red and white floor.

Take a North Fork Winery Tour

The North Fork of Long Island is one of my favorite escapes from NYC. It’s much more laid back than the Hamptons, has beautiful beaches, and 40+ wineries. The North Fork is especially beautiful during the fall season, when the leaves are turning and the local farms are ripe with fall produce.

If you don’t have time to spend a weekend on the North Fork, take a day trip from Manhattan to check out two North Fork wineries. A wine day tour to the North Fork from Manhattan means that you can imbibe at the vineyards, without worrying about who’s going to be the designated driver.

A closeup photo of a vine with grapes at a north fork vineyard on Long Island, one of the best fall day trips from NYC.

Visit New Haven, Connecticut

New Haven, Connecticut, is an underrated fall destination. New Haven in the fall boasts beautiful foliage, free museums and cultural institutions, and surprisingly good restaurants. New Haven is home to Yale University and boasts academic buildings with a Harry Potter and dark/light academia aesthetic.

You can either day trip to New Haven, or stay overnight and book a room at the trendy Graduate Hotel New Haven.

A smiling brunette woman wearing a copper colored shirt, tan beret hat and blue jeans. She is sitting on a bench in a park in New Haven Connecticut with fall foliage in the background.

Fall in NYC: Where to Stay

If you’re visiting NYC in the fall, my favorite places to stay are:

Arlo Nomad: A trendy hotel with floor to ceiling windows near Madison Square Park.
Refinery Hotel: Skip Times Square and stay a little further south in the Garment District at this hotel with a buzzy rooftop bar. The hotel used to be a hat factory and Prohibition-era tearoom.
The Nolitan: If you want to feel like an NYC insider, stay at the Nolitan Hotel which is right by NYC’s SoHo neighborhood and close to plenty of chic boutiques and restaurants.
Mandarin Oriental: For a 5 star luxury stay, the Mandarin Oriental is an excellent choice.
Wythe Hotel: Stay in Brooklyn for the most epic views of the NYC skyline. The Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, has a popular rooftop bar.
William Vale: Another stylish option in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with amazing Manhattan views.

Fall in NYC Review

This concludes the best things to do during the fall in NYC. New York City is at its absolute best during the fall months, and these fall activities in NYC will make your trip memorable.

Have you been to NYC in the fall?