Getty Images / Sean Rustay
The fall season is upon us, and if you want to see the best and brightest fall foliage, you'll want to know the best time and place to see fall foliage. As it turns out, Florida, which is not a state known for fall colors, actually has a great place to see fall foliage. It's different for every region, and the best time to view fall colors is actually different each year, because so many factors go into when colors change and just how much they change. If you're looking to do leaf-watching, keep this information about the best time to see fall colors handy.
Best Fall Foliage in, Yes, Florida
The fall colors for the 2024 season are going to be different than ever before, in terms of when and where they peak. According to the experts at Accuweather.com, if there isn't a lot of consistent rainfall during the summer, it can stress out trees and cause them to lose their leaves early. That makes for "duller colors." On the flipside of that, having too much rainfall is also an issue. "If there's a lot of rain from late summer into the early fall, you can get mold to develop on some of the trees and also invite lots of insects," AccuWeather lead long-range meteorologist Paul Paselok said. Because of this year's weather patterns, "the best areas to see vivid fall foliage this year will be outside of the traditionally popular tourist destinations due to the weather across the United States leading up to peak leaf-peeping season."
According to the Accuweather map, the most vibrant fall colors will be in the Midwest and Mississippi River Valley this season. But, the Northeast and New England will also get decent colors, with those areas falling into the "typical" colors area. Most of the U.S. will also get "typical" colors, which can still be beautiful.
As for timing, the experts at SmokyMountains.com have released their annual Fall Foliage Prediction Map, which predicts when the color change will hit its peak across the U.S. If you want to see the brightest and most colorful fall foliage, not surprisingly, most of the U.S. will peak in early October, with southern areas peaking later and northern areas peaking sooner.
As for Florida, Torreya State Park is a choice spot to see beautiful fall foliage every season. "Forests of hardwood trees provide the finest display of fall color found in Florida," Florida State Parks notes. If you've never experienced the glory of fall in Torreya State Park, this might be the year you should make the trip and do it. It's truly a rarity in the Sunshine State.
