Are you ready for fall NYC?
Written & edited by
Simer Dhume
Crisp breeze, amber, auburn, crimson or carmine leaves, harvest festivals, Halloween, warm cider cocktails, pumpkin spice, and everything nice—Fall is a dream. It’s a season of the soul more than of nature alone.
It’s October, fall feels so real and omnipresent. The crisp mornings awakens my soul. I wonder what it would be like to soar like a leaf caught in the fall breeze. It must feel so carefree and joyful, like sails without boats. The vibrant fall colors sing to the blue of the sky above and the green grass below. Planting smiles on countless faces that watch this spectacle before the leaves bury under the soil.
Later in the day, the vivid, coruscating sunsets makes it tough for me to decide what I enjoy more the fall colors or the fall sunset? Sitting by the Hudson river I watch countless such striking sunsets until the winter gloom sets in NYC. What do you like more the fall foliage or the fall sunsets?
― L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
Fall is hard to beat in New York City. It’s indeed the best time to visit NYC. The weather is moderate and mellow, city landscapes look stunning, and crowds are thinner compared to summer. Despite being an urbanized megalopolis, NYC boasts 300 mi (482 km) of trails and over 500,000 trees. Norway maples and red maples are especially scenic in the fall, revealing bold orange and red tones. Oaks, hickory, American sycamore, dogwood, and American beech add gold and bronze into the picture.
When is the best time to see fall foliage in New York?
Even though it’s hard to predict fall weather and each year is different, October is generally the best month to visit NYC for leaf-peeping. The leaves start to change color at the beginning of the month, but the peak time usually comes in the second half of October and lasts up to early November. By mid-November, many trees already lose their leaves.
The list of NYC’s top leaf-peeping destinations always starts with Central Park. With over 20,000 trees growing in over 840 ac (339 ha), it can hardly be surpassed by another urban oasis. The park’s numerous hickories, birches, elms, and cherries look stunning from any angle. The best way to enjoy the landscape is to rent a boat and take a scenic ride. The most beautiful spots include the Pond and Hallett Nature Sanctuary, located on the south side of the park, the Pool, the North Woods, and the Ramble.
Hints Of Life lists here the must visit city parks for leaf-peeping in 2021. We have also included the suggested routes and don’t miss places for an extraordinary fall experience. Whether, you are visiting NYC or a city goer our suggestions would equally delight you.
Today, our guest writer Sugandh Swani shares a beautiful fall poem from New Delhi, India. Fall is the season of magic, bliss and celebrations that connects us all in someway, no matter where in the world we live. We suggest you find your cozy nook, sit back and enjoy “The song of the fall” by Sugandh Swani.
Fall sun kissing the wild greens in Bir, Himachal Pradesh, India.
Sugandh Swani is a Public Relations professional and a poet at heart. To know more about her poetic endeavors follow @sugandhswani on instagram and twitter.
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