Only One New York Town Made America’s List of Coziest Fall Destinations

Which New York Town is the Coziest Fall Destination?

Are you ready for fall? Do you have a favorite place to go?

If you need some inspiration, BetMGM has recently released a list of the 20 Coziest Fall Destinations in America for 2026.

Out of the list of 20, there is only 1 location in New York state. Which is a little shocking to us considering there are such cozy towns in our neck of the woods, but maybe we're just biased.

I digress.

According to the data BetMGM collected, Lake Placid New York is considered the 2nd coziest fall destination in America. They say they collected data from National Centers for Environmental Information, NOAA, and the Explore Fall Foliage Map 2026.

They explain that "Fall conditions make up 70% of the final score with cozy amenities (farmers markets, pumpkin patches, bookstores, coffee shops, and parks) contributing 30%."

As for what Lake Placid makes the perfect fall destination they explain:

The alpine village of Lake Placid ranks second with a score of 63.3/100, pairing classic Adirondack scenery with crisp fall conditions and a small but fitting selection of cozy amenities. The village averages a chilly 45°F throughout fall, alongside a moderate 11 inches of seasonal rainfall.

Sounds like a good enough reason for us!

Fall Foliage: When Will The Leaves Start Changing In the Hudson Valley?

The first official day of fall is Tuesday September 22nd, 2026. With that being said, it will take some time for it to really feel like fall.

When will the leaves start changing? It's different all over the United States, but The Old Farmers Almanac has their interactive fall foliage map up and running.

According to their data we'll start seeing a slight change in the leaves starting around September 25th, 2026.

Then, the Hudson Valley will hit its peak foliage stride around October 20th, 2026.

Where's Your Favorite Hudson Valley Fall Destination?

On a personal note, I'm a little confused as to how no Hudson Valley locations made the list for coziest towns to visit during the fall.

Sleepy Hollow is currently in the running for 10Best Places to Visit in the Fall in the U.S. according to USA Today readers.

Saratoga County in Upstate, New York is also on that same list along with Rochester, New York. You know what town is missing from that list? Lake Placid.

Interesting, right? Where's your favorite cozy fall destination in the Hudson Valley? We might have to make our own list for future use.