2023’s Best States To Visit This Fall

November 2, 2023

Grab your pumpkin spice latte — Autumn is here. But which states are the most festive for fall?

With leaves beginning to change their hues in many parts of the U.S., LawnStarter ranked 2023’s Best States To Visit This Fall.

Lawnstarter compared the 48 contiguous U.S. states based on four categories. Lawnstarter looked at the length of projected fall foliage, scenic drives, fall festivals, and pumpkin patches, among 22 total metrics.

See the 5 best (and 5 worst) states to visit this fall below, followed by key stats from their report.

Best States To Visit This Fall

1. California
2. New York
3. Washington
4. Michigan
5. Pennsylvania

Worst States To Visit This Fall

1. Louisiana
2. Oklahoma
3. Delaware
4. Florida
5. Texas

Gold State Hues

California brought home the gold for the 2nd year in a row, dominating at 1st place in 10 metrics. The Golden State features the most national parks, state parks, and trails. California also boasts the most scenic drives, 139. Pick your pumpkin early — the state disappoints with the 3rd-fewest pumpkin patches per capita.

Natural Northeast

Northeastern states offer optimal sights for leaf peeping, thanks to abundant natural space. New York (No. 2) enjoys the longest projected period of peak fall foliage for 2023 and the 2nd-highest number of forest trails, 3,524, to stroll through the colors. 83% of Maine (No. 6) is covered by forest land, the highest in our ranking.

Mountainous Memories

Have a peak celebration in Vermont (No. 6), boasting the most corn mazes, pumpkin patches, and cideries per capita. Its neighbor, New Hampshire (No. 17), offers the most apple orchards per capita, followed by Vermont. 80% of the White Mountain State and 74% of the Green Mountain State are covered by forests.

Full of Fall Festivities

Indulge in apple cider doughnuts and other harvest season favorites in Pennsylvania (No. 5), which planned the most fall festivals, 46, for 2023. Six Midwestern states stand out — including Missouri (No. 23), Wisconsin (No. 11), and Ohio (No. 12) — among the top 10 states with the most fall festivals.

Hitch a Hayride

Take a spin in Rhode Island (No. 30): the smallest state boasts the most hayrides available per capita, followed by Maine (No. 10) and New Hampshire (No. 17). Despite the state’s abundant farms, Californians might feel cramped with the 2nd-fewest hayrides, 0.11 per capita, after Wyoming (No. 36).

Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island and is one of the oldest cities in the United States.

Pacific Coast Cornucopia

Oregon (No. 7) offers the most wineries, 21.93 per capita. California (No. 1) enjoys over 4,700 more wineries than Washington (No. 3). However, WA claims the 2nd-highest number per capita, 17.61, and CA lands in 3rd with 15.19. Take the sober route with a tour through the Evergreen State, which spins down the 5th-highest number of scenic drives, 35, followed by the Beaver State with 24.