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In the foreground is Central Park Lake. There are people in row boats on the lake. The lake is surrounded by trees with colorful Autumn leaves. In the distance are tall city buildings. Shutterstock

Where to see fall foliage in NYC

10 of the best spots for leaf-peeping in the five boroughs

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It’s still a bit too early for the leaves to start changing colors in New York, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared for one of the region’s more stunning seasonal displays. And you don’t even have to go outside of the confines of New York City to do some leaf-peeping; there are parks in every single borough that have stunning fall foliage.

Here, we’ve gathered 10 of the best spots in New York City for leaf-peeping, from the well-known (Central Park, duh) to unheralded (seriously, give Staten Island a try).

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Central Park

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Fall is one of the most photogenic times at the park as 20,000 trees change into shades of yellow, red, and orange. The Central Park Conservancy, the organization overseeing the maintenance of the park, recommends visiting a variety of spots in the park including the Pool, the North Woods, and the Ramble. The Conservancy also created a helpful fall foliage map, and conservancy guides will lead at least a couple 90-minute fall foliage walks in October and November.

A pathway through Central Park in Autumn. There are trees with leaves in shades of orange and red on either side of the path. Shutterstock

Inwood Hill Park

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This park at the northernmost tip of Manhattan has tons of oak, hickory, and Tulip poplar trees, all of which will transform with stunning shades in autumn. The NYC Parks Department recommends checking out the trees along the Blue Trail, which starts near the entrance on Indian Road and runs through the center of the park.

Red autumn leaves on a set of stone steps in Inwood Hill Park. Getty Images/EyeEm

New York Botanical Garden

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The 250-acre Bronx garden has introduced a Fall Color Cam, where you can follow the changing of the leaves from the comfort of your home. The garden will also offer guided walks of the 50-acre Thain Family Forest for two weekends in November and a private 90-minute tour of the garden via golf carts called Gram the Garden Tour.

A glass greenhouse at New York Botanical Garden in the autumn. The greenhouse has a domed roof. A pond lined with trees and shrubs is in front of the building. Shutterstock

Wave Hill

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In addition to brilliant trees found throughout this Bronx botanical garden, the Confier Slope is home to several cone-bearing varieties that are especially lovely in autumn. On November 6, Wave Hill’s horticultural interpreter, Charles Day, will lead a fall foliage walk through the park and talk about his favorite trees and shrubs throughout the 28-acre public garden.

Pelham Bay Park

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The Bronx’s largest park is home to many different trees that change color in the fall, but the NYC Parks Department suggests looking out for a white oak tree located on the Split Rock Golf Course, which is though to be more than 400 years old.

A group of trees with colorful autumn leaves in shades of yellow, orange, and red in Pelham Bay Park. Shutterstock

Queens Botanical Garden

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Located within Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, the Queens Botanical Garden has several areas where you’ll find plenty of pretty foliage. The Oak Allée, in particular, is home to dozens of pin oak trees, which turn especially vibrant in fall.

Alley Pond Park

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One of the largest parks in Queens is also home to one of the city’s most impressive trees: The Queens Giant, an enormous Tulip tree that stands nearly 134 feet high, and is “probably” the oldest living thing in the city, according to the Parks Department. The park is also home to plenty of other trees—oak, sweetgum, maple, and the like—that turn brilliant shades of orange and red in the fall.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

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The garden has provided a guide for what to look for this season, which includes the Katsura Tree, one of the oldest in the garden; the scarlet oaks flanking the Cherry Esplanade; and sumac and maple trees that can be found near the Discovery Center.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden in the Autumn. There is a pond surrounded by trees with multicolored leaves.

Prospect Park

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Throughout this Brooklyn park’s 526-acre expanse, you’ll find all manner of trees that will transform with vibrant shades in the fall. (Don’t miss the Camperdown elm near the Boathouse, perhaps the park’s most famous tree, which has a dramatic weeping willow-esque shape.) In autumn, the park typically holds hikes and other events to celebrate the seasonal shift.

Prospect Park in the autumn. There is a bridge over a waterway. Trees with leaves in shades of yellow and orange are visible behind the bridge. Shutterstock

Clove Lakes Park

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This 200-acre Staten Island park is home to various trees that turn in the fall, including tulip trees (including a 107-foot tree that’s approximately 300 years old, if not older), red oaks, and birch. Stroll along the three-mile hiking trail to get your fill of leaf-peeping.

A path through Clove Lakes Park in the autumn. There are trees on both sides of the path. The trees have multicolored leaves. Shutterstock

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Central Park

Fall is one of the most photogenic times at the park as 20,000 trees change into shades of yellow, red, and orange. The Central Park Conservancy, the organization overseeing the maintenance of the park, recommends visiting a variety of spots in the park including the Pool, the North Woods, and the Ramble. The Conservancy also created a helpful fall foliage map, and conservancy guides will lead at least a couple 90-minute fall foliage walks in October and November.

A pathway through Central Park in Autumn. There are trees with leaves in shades of orange and red on either side of the path. Shutterstock

Inwood Hill Park

This park at the northernmost tip of Manhattan has tons of oak, hickory, and Tulip poplar trees, all of which will transform with stunning shades in autumn. The NYC Parks Department recommends checking out the trees along the Blue Trail, which starts near the entrance on Indian Road and runs through the center of the park.

Red autumn leaves on a set of stone steps in Inwood Hill Park. Getty Images/EyeEm

New York Botanical Garden

The 250-acre Bronx garden has introduced a Fall Color Cam, where you can follow the changing of the leaves from the comfort of your home. The garden will also offer guided walks of the 50-acre Thain Family Forest for two weekends in November and a private 90-minute tour of the garden via golf carts called Gram the Garden Tour.

A glass greenhouse at New York Botanical Garden in the autumn. The greenhouse has a domed roof. A pond lined with trees and shrubs is in front of the building. Shutterstock

Wave Hill

In addition to brilliant trees found throughout this Bronx botanical garden, the Confier Slope is home to several cone-bearing varieties that are especially lovely in autumn. On November 6, Wave Hill’s horticultural interpreter, Charles Day, will lead a fall foliage walk through the park and talk about his favorite trees and shrubs throughout the 28-acre public garden.

Pelham Bay Park

The Bronx’s largest park is home to many different trees that change color in the fall, but the NYC Parks Department suggests looking out for a white oak tree located on the Split Rock Golf Course, which is though to be more than 400 years old.

A group of trees with colorful autumn leaves in shades of yellow, orange, and red in Pelham Bay Park. Shutterstock

Queens Botanical Garden

Located within Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, the Queens Botanical Garden has several areas where you’ll find plenty of pretty foliage. The Oak Allée, in particular, is home to dozens of pin oak trees, which turn especially vibrant in fall.

Alley Pond Park

One of the largest parks in Queens is also home to one of the city’s most impressive trees: The Queens Giant, an enormous Tulip tree that stands nearly 134 feet high, and is “probably” the oldest living thing in the city, according to the Parks Department. The park is also home to plenty of other trees—oak, sweetgum, maple, and the like—that turn brilliant shades of orange and red in the fall.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

The garden has provided a guide for what to look for this season, which includes the Katsura Tree, one of the oldest in the garden; the scarlet oaks flanking the Cherry Esplanade; and sumac and maple trees that can be found near the Discovery Center.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden in the Autumn. There is a pond surrounded by trees with multicolored leaves.

Prospect Park

Throughout this Brooklyn park’s 526-acre expanse, you’ll find all manner of trees that will transform with vibrant shades in the fall. (Don’t miss the Camperdown elm near the Boathouse, perhaps the park’s most famous tree, which has a dramatic weeping willow-esque shape.) In autumn, the park typically holds hikes and other events to celebrate the seasonal shift.

Prospect Park in the autumn. There is a bridge over a waterway. Trees with leaves in shades of yellow and orange are visible behind the bridge. Shutterstock

Clove Lakes Park

This 200-acre Staten Island park is home to various trees that turn in the fall, including tulip trees (including a 107-foot tree that’s approximately 300 years old, if not older), red oaks, and birch. Stroll along the three-mile hiking trail to get your fill of leaf-peeping.

A path through Clove Lakes Park in the autumn. There are trees on both sides of the path. The trees have multicolored leaves. Shutterstock