Fall in the Finger Lakes: Your Local Guide to Foliage, Wineries, Festivals & More
There’s something different about FALL in the Finger Lakes. The hillsides turn gold, orange and crimson. Vineyards change color just as harvest gets underway. Orchards fill with apples, farm stands overflow with pumpkins and squash, and small towns come alive with festivals and seasonal traditions.
Add cool mornings, winding country roads, waterfalls, wineries, fresh cider, grape pies and those unexpected roadside stops, and it’s easy to understand why autumn is one of the best times of year to explore the Finger Lakes.
But with eleven lakes, dozens of towns and hundreds of places to explore, deciding where to go can be the hard part.
That’s why we created FALL: The Finger Lakes Way, a FREE, beautifully designed 50+ page digital guide built by Finger Lakes locals.
DOWNLOAD FALL: The Finger Lakes Way HERE
More Than a Finger Lakes Fall Foliage Guide
Yes, the Finger Lakes fall foliage is spectacular, but autumn here is about much more than the leaves.
This is harvest season. Vineyards are busy, Concord grapes are ripening around Naples, apple trees are heavy with fruit and roadside stands are filled with pumpkins, squash, cider, maple syrup, honey and other local favorites.
Our Fall Guide brings all of that together, with recommendations for fall foliage, wineries, festivals, harvest experiences, scenic drives, food, outdoor adventures and small towns worth wandering.
When Is the Best Time to Visit the Finger Lakes in Fall?
There isn't one perfect weekend.
Early to mid-October often brings stronger foliage, crisp mornings, comfortable hiking weather and vineyards turning shades of yellow, bronze and red. It's also one of the busiest times of the season, so lodging and dinner reservations are worth planning ahead.
By late October, crowds begin to thin and the region takes on a quieter, cozier feel. It's a great time for tasting rooms, long lunches, village shopping and leisurely scenic drives.
Peak foliage changes every year depending on weather and elevation, so don't make color the only reason for your trip. Fall here is just as much about harvest, food, wine and small-town experiences.
Chase the Fall Colors
The Finger Lakes' glacial landscape gives the region its long lakes, steep hillsides, gorges, waterfalls and sweeping valleys. Add forests, vineyards and farms, and the scenery can change completely within a few miles.
The guide highlights places including Bristol Mountain Fall Sky Ride, Grimes Glen, Watkins Glen State Park, Keuka Lake State Park and the Keuka Lake Outlet Trail.
But some of the best fall views are found through your windshield.
Try driving around Keuka Lake, passing through Penn Yan, Branchport and Hammondsport, or follow Route 414 along Seneca Lake through Burdett and Hector toward Lodi.
Our advice? Take the long way.
Leave enough time to stop at the scenic overlook, farm stand or little shop you didn't know you were looking for.
Taste the Finger Lakes Harvest
Fall in the Finger Lakes has plenty of flavor.
Think fresh apples, pressed cider, cider doughnuts, Concord grapes, Naples grape pie, maple syrup, local honey, pumpkins, artisan cheese, seasonal pies and small-batch preserves.
The guide features local experiences including orchards, farms, markets and cheesemakers, with stops such as Apple Barrel Orchards, Keuka Harvest, The Windmill Farm & Craft Market, Lively Run Goat Dairy and Crosswinds Farm & Creamery.
And if your fall travels take you to Naples, don't leave without trying a Concord grape pie. It's one of those Finger Lakes traditions that makes even more sense when you taste it where it began.
Experience Finger Lakes Wine Country During Harvest
Fall isn't simply a beautiful time to visit Finger Lakes wineries. It's harvest.
Grapes are being picked, winemakers are monitoring ripeness and another vintage is beginning its journey from vineyard to bottle. That makes autumn one of the most interesting times to explore the region's tasting rooms.
The Fall Guide explores wine country around Keuka Lake, Seneca Lake, Canandaigua and Naples, including wineries such as Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, Keuka Springs Vineyards, Weis Vineyards, Bully Hill Vineyards, Wagner Vineyards, Glenora Wine Cellars and Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard.
Don't try to visit them all.
Two or three thoughtful winery stops usually make for a better afternoon than six rushed tastings. Enjoy the view, have something to eat and leave time to discover what lies between the tasting rooms.
Discover Finger Lakes Fall Festivals & Small Towns
Autumn also means Finger Lakes fall festivals.
The guide features the Naples Grape Festival, September 26–27, 2026, celebrating more than 60 years of grapes, regional food, artisans, music, wine and the community's famous grape pies. It also highlights The Windmill Farm & Craft Market, Wings & Wheels in Hammondsport, the Penn Yan Fall Festival and other seasonal experiences.
Then make time simply to wander.
Communities such as Naples, Penn Yan, Hammondsport, Watkins Glen and Canandaigua are filled with independent shops, cafés, bakeries, restaurants, galleries and local businesses.
Sometimes the best fall plan is to park the car, put away the itinerary and see what you find.
Download Your FREE Finger Lakes Fall Guide
The Finger Lakes is too big and too interesting to experience through a checklist.
Instead, eat something grown here. Sip something made here. Buy something from someone who lives here. Get outside. Take the long way. And leave room for the unexpected. That's the idea behind Fall: The Finger Lakes Way.
Whether you're planning a Finger Lakes fall weekend getaway, scenic day trip, wine-country adventure or looking for something new close to home, the guide is a great place to start.
50+ beautifully designed pages filled with Finger Lakes photography, local favorites, fall foliage, wineries, festivals, harvest experiences, scenic drives and small towns worth exploring.
Ready to experience fall the Finger Lakes way?
Get Your copy of Fall: The Finger Lakes Way HERE
Presented by Shop Finger Lakes, Green Heart of the Finger Lakes® and Keuka Roots
Go explore. Get a little lost. Find something local. 🍂