1. Spy the very best fall foliage thanks to New York’s ‘Leaf Peepers’

As the famous jazz song goes: “Autumn in New York, why does it seem so inviting?” Reason number one: the fall leaves. New York State is one of the very best places in America to see the changing leaves and, because of its size, the state has one of the longest fall foliage seasons in America’s Northeast. 

Thanks to the state’s Leaf Peeper programme, you’ll never miss the most brilliant hues. It’s serious work: Starting every year in September, Leaf Peepers (dedicated community volunteers from all across the state) go out to find the best places to visit that week to see the most vivid autumn colours. They then compile a weekly fall foliage report, denoting the expected colours visitors will see, the brilliance of the leaves, and the stage of the autumn season, with the peak lasting three to four days. It’s a fantastic resource and you can sign up here.

2. Head out on a fall road trip

At over 140,000 sq km, New York State is slightly larger than England, which clocks in at around 130,000 sq km. Of the 11 regions that make up the state, New York City is located at its southern tip and the region of Long Island lies east; while the remaining nine regions (commonly called upstate New York) extend all the way to Canada in the north and the Great Lakes in the west. 

This is to say, the state is absolutely massive; however, a solid transportation network makes it easy to get around. While there are plenty of trains and planes, the fall is the perfect time for a scenic drive or road trip. Pick up a car at one of New York City’s three major airports, and within a couple of hours, you can reach the Catskills, Hudson Valley, or even the Hamptons on Long Island — which, though famed for its chic summer scene and sandy beaches, is a cosy, suddenly quaint delight during sweater weather.

3. Try fresh produce at a farmers’ market

Farming has always been a part of the state’s culture. In fact, Central Park's Sheeps Meadow gets its name from the sheep that grazed there until the 1860s. These days, you’ll have to leave the city to find farmland, but the season's harvest can still be enjoyed at one of the many open-air farmers’ markets. While markets are plentiful in cities, there’s something exceedingly charming about visiting a local, small-town farmers’ market for straight-from-the-earth vegetables or even late-blooming fall flowers like chrysanthemums. 

Check out the New Paltz Farmers’ Market in the Hudson Valley, where producers come from within a 64km radius of New Paltz; the Rochester Public Market in the Finger Lakes, which dates back to 1905; or the Ithaca Farmers’ Market (also in the Finger Lakes), where one of the most coveted things to eat are the apple-cider doughnuts from Littletree Orchards.

4. Visit a pumpkin festival

It’s not autumn without pumpkins. Make the most of gourd season by checking out one of the pumpkin festivals across the state: At the Saratoga Giant Pumpkinfest in the horse-racing hub of Saratoga Springs, pumpkin growers compete to cultivate the biggest pumpkin of the year (pumpkins topped out at over 725 kilograms in previous years).

At the Punkin Chunkin Fall Festival in the Thousand Islands (a group of more than 1,800 islands in the St. Lawrence River, on the border of America and Canada), it’s all about how far you can catapult your pumpkin. After dark, New York is illuminated by the pumpkin-themed Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze, where over 7,000 creatively carved Jack-o'-lanterns make the nights glow with spooky, shadowy light in two different locations across the state: the Hudson Valley and Long Island.

5. Pick apples at an orchard

We have to talk about apples, and not just because New York City is famously nicknamed the Big Apple. The state is actually the nation’s second-highest producer of apples, and autumn is when the fruit is at their peak. Make like a local and go apple picking at one of the many orchards across the state, such as Beak & Skiff in the Finger Lakes or Indian Ladder Farms in the Capital-Saratoga Region. It’s not just about coming home with a big bushel of crisp apples or the Insta-friendly snaps; these orchards also famously serve up fall treats, including fresh-from-the-oven apple pies and – the classic autumn drink – apple cider, available as both a hard or non-alcoholic beverage, made from pressed apples.

6. See autumnal New York from above

The autumn leaves are especially spectacular from above – see for yourself by going ziplining. At Bristol Mountain Aerial Adventures, outside the city of Rochester, there’s a Zipline Canopy Tour with seven different ziplines, plus evening bonfires to get you in the fall mood; while Catamount Mountain Resort has the longest zipline in the USA at just over 1.6km. 

For those looking to appreciate a bird’s-eye view of the colourful forests without the adrenaline spike, there are always scenic gondola rides like Gore Mountain in the Adirondacks (which run until 8 October) or the Catskill Thunder Gondola at Belleayre Mountain in the Catskill (which runs until 15 October).

7. Lace up for an autumn hike

One of the best ways to enjoy the fiery foliage and crisp (but still-mild) autumn air is on foot, and New York has no shortage of trails to tackle. In the Catskills, the 978m Mount Utsayantha makes for a short-but-sweet adventure. It only takes around an hour and a half to complete. Keep your eyes peeled for a faded granite gravestone, which according to old legend, marks the burial site of the mountain’s namesake, Utsayantha, the daughter of the chief of the Lenape tribe, who once inhabited the area.

For a more challenging hike, go for Breakneck Ridge, a trail that just reopened in the dense, 8,000-acre Hudson Highlands State Park in the Hudson Valley Region. Be prepared for some serious rock scrambling and steepness. Also, there’s the Gorge Trail in the “Grand Canyon of the East”, Letchworth State Park in the Greater Niagara Region, for dizzyingly dramatic views of river-carved gorges, frothing waterfalls, and the colourful canopy of hemlock trees, sugar maples, and white ash.

8. Raise a toast with a seasonal tipple

You will not go thirsty in the state of New York: Try award-winning Belgian-style ales at the postcard-pretty Brewery Ommegang, located on a 136-acre farmstead in Cooperstown, or hazy Buffalo-style IPA and American-style pale ales at the craft  Resurgence Brewery and beer garden on the West Side of Buffalo in Greater Niagara, where you can start with a brewery tour.

For alcoholic ‘hard’ apple ciders and apple wines, there’s the 150-year-old, water-powered cider mill Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard in Otsego County. (The cider mill is just one of the stops on the Cooperstown Beverage Trail Tour, which celebrates the area’s history as a former hops-growing capital and shows off the best breweries, wineries, and cideries.)

Autumn is harvest time at the vineyards. Get a taste of Long Island’s best bubbles at Sparkling Pointe Vineyards; try over 35 wines at the Adirondack Winery in stunning Lake George; or check out the state's oldest vineyards in Hudson Valley wine country. (The spiced apple fruit wine at Baldwin Vineyards is autumn in a glass, while Benmarl Winery is said to be the oldest vineyard in America, growing Seyval Blanc and Cabernet Franc.)

9. See New York’s fall from the railway

There’s something completely serene and timeless about watching the scenery fly by from the cosy seat of a train. Riding the Adirondack Railroad, which links Central New York with the northern Adirondacks, is like a trip back in time, with scenic rides lasting from a few hours to the whole day. Catskill Mountain Railroad is great for families, with autumn-themed jaunts like the Pumpkin Express, which includes a trip to the pumpkin patch, and the Fall Foliage Adventure Train. Built in 1869, the Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley Railway along the forested Susquehanna River Valley also has leaf-peeping and pumpkin train trips, as well as the brand-new Trick-or-Treat Express, where Halloween costumes are very much welcomed.

10.  Spy waterfalls in the foliage

We all know about Niagara Falls — the three epic waterfalls on the border of New York state and Canada — but that famous natural spectacle isn’t the only waterfall to see in the state. When surrounded by fall foliage, the waterfalls in the Adirondacks — which has one of the longest foliage seasons in America — are even more impressive. Check out the almost-countless falls at the massive Adirondack Park, which, at a staggering 6 million acres, is the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous U.S., covering an area larger in size than Yellowstone, Everglades, Glaciers, and Grand Canyon National Parks combined.

Formed during the Ice Age, the Finger Lakes are another hub for waterfalls, with Watkins Glen State Park at the top of the list for its landscape of thrillingly high cliffs and 19 waterfalls.

11.  Take a haunted history tour

Get in the spooky season spirit with a trip to Sleepy Hollow, New York State’s unofficial Halloween headquarters, located on the eastern shore of the Hudson River. Made (in)famous by The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (the 1820 tale by Washington Irving), travellers might not find the Headless Horseman but will be entertained nonetheless with festivals and parades. Other highlights include the Lyndhurst Castle, used in the Dark Shadows TV series and the lantern-lit Sleepy Hollow Cemetery tour.

For other ghoulish delights, check out the Haunted History Trail of New York State, which pinpoints over 90 chilling destinations across the state, or the regular live outdoor readings and dramatic performances that take place across the Halloween weekend in the Hudson Valley.

12.  Explore a pumpkin patch

Heading out to a local pumpkin patch to pick your own pumpkin for Halloween is probably the most popular festive fall activity. It’s not just about picking the perfect pumpkin. Some farms also have haunted hayrides, corn mazes, and food (try a candy apple, or one of the many pumpkin-spiked treats like pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin-spiced coffee, or even pumpkin beer).

There are too many pumpkin patches to mention, but some local favourites include the family farm of Pumpkinville in the Chautauqua-Allegheny Region for the panoramic views; Awald Farms in the Northern Niagara Region, which has been in the same family for four generations; and the working farm, Fishkill Farms in Hudson Valley Region, for the annual Harvest Festival Weekends, with live music, homemade fare, and history – the property dates back to 1913, and the original owner was even friends with Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who lived nearby as governor of the state of New York, before going on to become president in 1933.