From a zipline excursion to a mountain coaster in the Catskills and of course a scenic train ride, there’s plenty of opportunity for autumn leaf peeping, but nothing quite beats embarking on a good ‘ol roadtrip, and according to this new study New York is the best state for a fall road trip!
That’s according to a study done by Coworking Cafe, who looked at all 50 states and rated each on three categories: Entertainment (35% of the total index), Outdoors (35% of the total index), and Accessibility (30% of the total index). Based on numerous metrics from the number of fall festivals and apple orchards to the number of hiking trails and the quality of roads, each state was awarded a score out of 100.
As for New York, we scored a total of 62.01, awarding us the title of the best state for a fall road trip due to all of the great entertainment and outdoor activities available. The study writes:
Cloaked in crimson and gold this time of year, New York is the crown jewel of fall road trips…a hike through the Adirondack Mountains will reveal storybook sceneries, especially during the 31 days when the vibrant fall foliage is at its peak. Otherwise, when the autumn rain calls for cozy, indoor activities, Broadway offers great plays — such as “Wicked,” which is perfect for getting into the Halloween spirit. Or, for fans of classic spooky tales, the Headless Horseman legend awaits the brave in Sleepy Hollow.
New York’s best rankings across the metrics are as follows:
- Number of apple orchards: 282 (#1)
- Number of corn mazes: 64 (#1)
- Number of hayrides: 100 (#1)
- Number of national parks: 24 (#1)
- Number of scenic drives: 115 (#2)
- Number of fall festivals: 54 (#3)
- Number of days of peak fall foliage: 31 (#3)
- Number of state parks: 180 (#3)
- Restaurant establishments density: 950 per 100K residents (#4)
- Number of places with free Wi-Fi: 912 (#4)
- Number of wineries: 437 (#5)
- Coworking space density: 2.48 spaces per 100K residents (#5)
The top ten best states for a fall road trip are as follows:
1. New York
2. Virgina
3. California
4. North Carolina
5. Michigan
6. Pennsylvania
7. Ohio
8. Massachusetts
9. Indiana
10. Maryland
With the fall weather finally settling down around us there’s no better time than now to embark on a northeast fall road trip! For the perfect fall getaway to experience the natural beauty and charm of the season, we suggest heading to one of NY’s historic towns or small towns! Read the full study here and be sure to check out our ultimate NYC fall bucket list for more fall fun!