RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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List slides The 10 best destinations in the world to see fall foliage, ranked List slides Previous Start over By Ambia Staley · Updated August 29, 2026 Add QZ to Google Fall brings its own particular magic to travel. As mornings and evenings call for a cozy sweater, soup returns to the menu, stargazing conditions turn ideal, and the landscape slowly morphs into a rustic tapestry of reds, golds, and everything in between, the season offers a genuinely different kind of appeal than summer’s sunny days.
From fiery maples and copper-colored tundra to liquid gold aspens and larches, these destinations capture fall’s magic across the globe, each offering its own distinct take on the season.
The 10 destinations below appear on Lonely Planet , covering the best places to see fall foliage around the world. They span six continents, from the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York to the volcanic slopes of Conguillío National Park in southern Chile, giving travelers a genuine sense of how differently fall unfolds depending on where they are. Timing varies dramatically across the list too, since Northern Hemisphere destinations such as New Hampshire and Scotland peak in October, while Tasmania and Chile, in the Southern Hemisphere, see their own version of autumn color arrive in April and May instead. Wine ties several entries together as well, from Burgundy’s storied vineyards to Ticino’s scarlet-hued grapevines and Tasmania’s cool-climate pinot noir, giving oenophiles plenty of reasons to plan a foliage trip around a glass of something local. Wildlife also plays a significant role throughout the list, whether that means larch-loving elk in Alberta, red squirrels in the Scottish Highlands, or the Magellanic woodpeckers found among Chile’s ancient Araucaria forests. Getting to these destinations often requires some genuine planning, since several sit hours from the nearest major airport and reward travelers willing to rent a car for the final stretch of the journey.
The seasonal shift in New York’s Adirondack Mountains begins slowly in August, and by mid-September, the landscape erupts in a diverse medley of hues thanks to red and sugar maples, beeches, tamaracks and birches. An extensive network of lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams makes leaf-peeping from the water a genuine highlight, alongside numerous hiking trails and 14 scenic byways that meander through the wild, rugged land.
Elk Lake Lodge, an all-inclusive wilderness lodge tucked into the High Peaks region, offers a fitting nostalgic fall stay, complete with one of the park’s best views and a dinner bell that calls guests to the table each evening.
Various routes lead into the vast six-million-acre park, with driving from Montreal taking about an hour and a half, from New York City around four hours, and from Boston roughly five hours. Flying into Albany International Airport puts travelers about an hour and a half away, while Burlington and Syracuse airports are about two hours away by car. Renting a car offers the best access throughout the park, and the Foliage Tracker Map provides up-to-date color-progress information, with popular cabins typically requiring booking a few months ahead for weekend stays.
Island camping on Saranac Lake, fall festivals such as the Adirondack Balloon Festival or Whiteface Oktoberfest, and hikes up Cascade or Giant Mountain all rank among the region’s highlights, alongside biking the 34-mile Adirondack Rail Trail. Tupper Lake stands out as an up-and-coming dark sky area, with Coney Mountain’s short two-mile round trip delivering a 360-degree night sky view for stargazers willing to make the climb. Paddlers hoping to combine water views with foliage should plan a canoe or kayak trip through one of the park’s quieter ponds instead of the busiest lakes, since narrower waterways tend to bring the colorful shoreline much closer to the boat. This slower pace often reveals herons, loons, and other wildlife that's easy to miss from a busier boat launch.
Mountain-fringed alpine lakes, sprawling swaths of golden larches, and possible wildlife sightings of elk, moose, and bighorn sheep define fall in Alberta, Canada. From mid-September to mid-October, larch trees warm the landscape with pops of yellow, and with five national parks and more than 400 provincial parks sitting fairly close together, park-hopping becomes possible even within a single day. Basing a trip in Banff or Jasper puts travelers in an ideal position to explore, with plenty of spots to eat and drink after a day of adventuring.
Spray Valley Provincial Park, the quaint town of Canmore, and an overnight stay at Banff Sunshine Village, where a gondola leads up to Sunshine Meadows and its untouched larch scenery, all rank among the region’s lesser-known gems.
Flying into Calgary puts travelers just an hour and a half from Banff National Park, while Edmonton International Airport suits those heading toward Jasper, roughly three and a half hours away. Offline maps matter given the spotty cell service in several areas, and hikers should carry bear spray as a precaution, given the wildlife throughout the region.
Banff’s iconic spots include Lake Louise, Two Jack Lake for sunrise, Moraine Lake, which requires a shuttle, and Johnston Canyon, while heading north toward Peyto Lake and along the scenic Icefields Parkway rewards travelers with near-constant photo opportunities....
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