Best time to travel to Boston

Fall Foliage in & around Boston

A leisurely stroll in Boston's parks is a delightful autumn experience

Best time: October

Fall Foliage in & around Boston
Fall Foliage in & around Boston
Fall Foliage in & around Boston
Fall Foliage in & around Boston
Fall Foliage in & around Boston
Fall Foliage in & around Boston
Fall Foliage in & around Boston
Boston skyline in fall

Boston's leafy outskirts are lovely in the fall. The city looks stunning with crimson and golden colors of the season. Local tour operators offer guided fall foliage tours across New England—to Cape Cod, the Maine coast, and New Hampshire villages. There are also plenty of excellent places for leaf peeping in Boston itself. You can discover beautiful parks and forests on your own or join a fall foliage tour.

The Public Garden

The Public Garden, nestled in the heart of Boston proper, is America’s first botanical garden. As fall descends upon the city, the leaves in the garden are some of the first to turn. Japanese maples are the champions of the season as they tend to turn red early on. The Public Garden hosts a diverse array of trees, so the leaves of the different species change colors at different rates and times. So, be ready to see a different layout each time you walk through the park. For even more striking views, go to the footbridge across the lagoon in the heart of the garden. Another attraction in the park is the cute Make Way for Ducklings statues close the northeast corner, near Beacon Street. Cost: Free Where to stay: Boston's fall foliage colors will be right at your door when you stay at one of the hotels overlooking the Public Garden or just around the corner. Some hotel rooms have fireplaces, making your stay even cozier. Staying in the area also gives a quick access to the top theaters and restaurants of Boston.

The Esplanade

The iconic Boston Esplanade is a long, narrow park that stretches along the Charles River between the Museum of Science and the Boston University Bridge. When fall is in full swing, this three-mile-long pedestrian park turns gold and orange in October. Some of the best fall foliage views can be spotted from the footbridges that connect the river bank with "The Island." You can go for a walk, a run, or a bike ride along one of the river paths of the Esplanade and enjoy reflections of the stunning hues in the water. In mid-October, you can also cheer participants of the Head of the Charles Regatta (remote event in 2020), Boston's biggest rowing event on the Charles River. Cost: Free Where to stay: Beacon Hill, within a ten-minute walk from the Esplanade, boasts a wide choice of hotels from luxury to more affordable options. This area also offers lots of dining options. There are several accommodations along Beacon Street, just a block or two away from the Esplanade.

Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

Arnold Arboretum puts on a magnificent display of Boston fall foliage throughout the month of October. The Arboretum is open every day from sunrise to sunset and offers free admission. The area features over 15,000 trees and shrubs, all contributing to the fall foliage symphony of Arnold Arboretum. You can get there by bus, subway, or car. Cost: Free Where to stay: Jamaica Plain neighborhood, where the Arboretum is nestled, is home to well-educated professionals and artists. There is a significant Spanish-speaking population, so you can find lots of Latin owned businesses here. Most folks congregate around Centre Street with an eclectic mix of independently owned shops and restaurants.

Mount Auburn Cemetery

A bit further from Boston's city center, you can find Mount Auburn Cemetery, which boasts some 5,000 trees of about 630 species. One of the best spots in Massachusetts for fall foliage, Mount Auburn Cemetery is located to the north of Boston, in Cambridge. Mount Auburn's wooded rolling hills are known as America's first garden cemetery—what a place for a pensive stroll! The cemetery hosts seasonal walking tours to observe the best of the fall foliage. Moreover, Memorial Drive (Mem Drive to locals) close by is another good place for a peaceful walk since it's closed to traffic on Sundays between Western Avenue and Mount Auburn Street until mid-November. Cost: Free Where to stay: There are several accommodation options in the Mount Auburn area to choose from. Otherwise, you can easily get there by bike, subway, or car.

The best time for leaf peeping in Boston

The fall foliage display starts in late September and continues into early November. October is the best time for a walk as fall colors peak and the weather is still pleasant. Fall colors paint Boston's landscapes at a different times each year. The first splashes of color are visible during the second or third week in September. In some years, leaves start to turn even earlier in the month, especially if the summer months were rather dry. By early October, leaves expose all shades and hues of yellow, red, orange, and eventually brown. Fall colors peak in Boston in mid-October, but again, each year it might happen a week earlier or later. At this beautiful time of year about 50% of leaves turn gold or crimson. By mid-November, vibrant colors may be gone, but you still might be lucky to see plenty of subdued colors before winter takes over.

When planning your fall trip to Boston, make sure to book a place close to the most scenic spots like The Public Garden, the Esplanade, Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, or the Mount Auburn area.

Practical info

When is the best time to go leaf peeping in Boston?

Late September to early November is the perfect time for leaf peeping in Boston. October is the best month for a fall hike as the leaves start changing colors from the second or third week of September and reach their peak in mid-October; the actual timing may differ yearly, depending on the weather. In November, you can still enjoy the peaceful, less vibrant scene before winter comes. Show more

Where are the best places to see fall foliage in Boston?

Boston has many beautiful spots that showcase the best fall foliage. The Public Garden, The Esplanade, Arnold Arboretum, and Mount Auburn Cemetery are some of the recommended places for the most scenic views. These parks offer free admission where visitors can walk or bike through and join a fabulous seasonal walking tour or guided fall foliage tour provided by local tour operators. Show more

What are some unique attractions in The Public Garden?

America's oldest botanical garden, The Public Garden, has a lot to offer. Its most highlighted features are the Japanese maple trees, which change to a stunning red hue as early as the season's beginning. Other unique attractions include diverse forest species, which alter their colors at different times within the fall. Visitors can explore the park's heart, cross the lagoon footbridge, or take photos with the Make Way for Duckling statues located by Beacon Street. Show more

What is the Head of the Charles Regatta?

The Head of the Charles Regatta is the biggest annual rowing event in Boston, and it takes place every mid-October. However, the 2020 event was canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Nevertheless, in previous years, this event drew crowds from worldwide because of its iconic rowing race. People could watch the race from the Esplanade's riverbank and relish the serene view of autumn foliage reflected in the Charles River waters. Show more

Are there any guided fall foliage tours in Boston?

There are plenty of local tour operators providing guided fall foliage tours in Boston and New England regions. These packages include multiple scenic locations across Cape Cod, coastal Maine, and several New Hampshire villages, showcasing the most beautiful fall foliage colors. These tours save you from planning the trip, dealing with traffic, or finding parking. Visitors also have the option to explore Boston's stunning forests and parks by foot, bike, or car. So, they can have a relaxing autumn day out without any hassle. Show more

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Last updated: by Eleonora Provozin