hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

I went to college in Troy and all the NYC people thought upstate was anything north of Westchester County...

rdgreenwood Loc: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

I'm from Syracuse, but I'd encourage you to stick close to the area north of Albany. My daughter and I took a trip last year and started in North Elba, the place where John Brown lies a'molderin' in the grave, and found that by hugging the border between NY and VT we were treated to some incredibly beautiful sights.

The area between Albany and the Canadian border is filled with interesting bits of American history and unspoiled vistas. Someone earlier mentioned the lakes, Champlain and George, and they're definitely worth visiting.

Enjoy your trip.

hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Went through Moira this fall on my way to Massena. It was getting dark, so I didn't have much time to see that area. I was impressed with New York north of the Adirondacks, especially Plattsburgh and the 1000 Islands areas.

hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Besides the scenery, if you are interested in battlefield sites from the French and Indian Wars to the War of 1812, New York has many. I came across a cemetery north of Rome, that has graves dating back to the Revolution, very moving.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

For timing there is are interactive fall foliage maps:

national:
https://smokymountains.com/fall-foliage-map/
New England:
https://newengland.com/seasons/fall/foliage/peak-fall-foliage-map/

AlfredU Loc: Mooresville, NC

I beg to differ with Wikipedia. Upstate does not include Buffalo, Rochester or the Finger Lakes region if you were born there and I was. That region is referred to by those who live there as western NY. The southern half of that is referred to by those who live there as the Southern Tier of NY. So, it does depend on who you talk to.

I would go earlier than late October. I visited western NY this year in late October and it was a disappointment. Fall colors can be best from late September into mid October, but these days with unpredictable climate it is anybody's guess. But September is usually beautiful. I recommend Letchworth State Park named America's favorite state park last year. And of course Watkins Glenn, always my favorite. All this is west of what you were planning, but worth the trip. The finger lakes and their wineries are always spectacular.

switchman Loc: Virginia

Working for NY Tel. in the 80s thru the 90s, north of Yonkers is referred to as upstate NY. Westchester is always referred to as Westchester, that's all. Same as Manhattan is called the city from where I live in the borough of Queens inspite of having the 5 boroughs as New York city.

My tip to you, stop by Saratoga if your driving on the thruway. Lots of old homes to view near the racetrack, some picturesque and some are not.

Quinn 4

Saratoga is at least one hour North of Thruway at Albany. At Albany get off Thruway and get on 87 North. Lot of people don't understand the size of New York State. 7 hours to New York City from Moira. 7 hours to Buffalo from Moira. In what is call "Northern New York" you do not have 4 lane highways. You can hook up with 87 at Plattsburgh. Which is hour and half East of Moira or Watertown's area hook up with 81 which is 2 hours West of Moira. Adironacks is bigger than Yellowstone.

lmdavid

thanks for the information mark

CPowerShooter

Highly recommend Watkins Glenn, NY in the Finger Lakes Region. Within two miles, the glen's stream descends 400 feet past 200-foot cliffs, generating 19 waterfalls along its course. The gorge path winds over and under waterfalls and through the spray of Cavern Cascade. Rim trails overlook the gorge. I recommend the Gorge Trail (uphill or downhill) and looping back on one of the two rim trails. See
https://parks.ny.gov/parks/attachments/WatkinsGlenTrailMap.pdf

charlessl

It is both surprising and not that no one has mentioned Cranberry Lake. It is the third largest lake in the Adirondacks after Lake George and Great Sacandaga Lake. It is also the least developed and most wild. It is very irregular and many hidden alcoves and bays and a shoreline of about 150 miles. A memorable trip would be to canoe from one end to the other exploring the shore one as you go. There are some camp grounds on the way. The first two weeks in October would be an ideal time for fall color.

Photocraig

Excellent note. Any New Yorker is likely to take exception to a term that could be misheard as UpperUS!

All the suggestions are great. Please not a few Eastern facts;
1. As you travel from North to South (which I strongly suggest) it is like travelling in Altitude in the West from 12,000 feet to 5,000 and lower.
2. Vermont is easily accessible from parts of Eastern NY via ferry (if they still run) on Lake Champlain and via road at Ticonderoga and Lake George Village and further South. This trek roughly following Route 9 in it's many variants from 9n to (c) (a) and whatever else they invent. It parallels the Northway, but stay on the local slower roads. ON the lakes, try to get onto a boat for unobstructed views of the foliage, and the double treat of the mirror reflections.
3. The Hudson Valley is fantastic and very photogenic. You could spend several weeks here following the footsteps of George Washington's armies and when you got tired, following Washington Irving's Ichabod Crane and that, what seems no longer to be an anomaly, Headless Horseman.
4. New York City, especially Central Park is magnificent in the Fall. Keep your wits about you!!!!

The entire Western NY region is enormous, as well and worth its own trip. But suggesting covering them both in a single Foliage season is like suggesting covering two different states hundreds of miles apart. They're BOTH worth the trip.

Don't miss The Real Maple Syrup--yup, NY as well. And the NY Cheddar Cheese.

Timing is everything. The leaves turn according to temperature and length of daylight. The timing varies from year to year and is a topic of intense speculation. Early October near the Canadian border make general good sense.Starting in September, track the early temperatures and foliage forecasts and make as flexible arrangements as possible given that the leaf Peepers--like you're going to be--sell out the accommodations early. There's nothing more disappointing to hear than, "You should have seen them LAST week." OR "Next week they should be peaking!"

Enjoy what I know will be a great trip.

Craig, a native New Yorker but living in Nevada now.

rdgreenwood Loc: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

"western NY," "Southern Tier"! Dead on. You forgot that Syracuse is in "Central NY,"
and I'm not sure I've ever heard Albany referred to as being in "Upstate." I've always heard of it being in the "Capitol Region."

lmdavid

Thanks sounds exciting

lmdavid

Wow. Thanks for the suggestions