Michigan Claims Top Spot Among Best States to Visit in the Fall

Surface of a freshwater lake located in Ludington State Park. The shot is framed by a beautiful maple tree in full autumn colors.

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As summer transitions to fall, many people eagerly look forward to the offerings of the fall season. The vibrant fall foliage, scenic drives, festive events, and visits to pumpkin patches and apple orchards. But which states are the best for a fall visit? LawnStarter has compiled a ranking of the best states to visit in the fall.

Their Methodology

They identified the key factors for ranking the best states to visit in the fall. Afterward, they assigned weights to these factors, considering their relative importance, these criteria and organized them into four distinct categories: fall scenery, outdoor recreation, entertainment offerings, and safety considerations. Data pertaining to these factors was then collected from various sources for all 50 states. Hawaii and Alaska were excluded from the analysis due to insufficient data in a single category. Ultimately, scores were calculated for each state on a scale of 100 points to determine their rankings within each factor, category, and overall. The overall score for a state represents the average of its scores across all factors and categories, with the highest score earning the title of "Best" (No. 1) and the lowest being labeled as "Worst" (No. 48).

Where Michigan Ranks

Michigan secured the fourth position in the ranking. It stood out for having one of the longest projected fall foliage periods. Additionally, the state received recognition for its high density of hayrides and cideries per 100,000 residents.

The top spots in the ranking were predominantly claimed by states in the West Coast and Northeastern regions, such as California (No. 1), New York (No. 2), and Washington (No. 3), due to their abundant state parks, extensive forest trails, and an extended season of vibrant foliage. A total of 14 states shared the distinction of having the longest projected period of fall foliage, lasting for 12 weeks.

Delaware (No. 46) found itself towards the lower end of the list, alongside Southern states such as Texas (No. 44), Florida (No. 45), and Louisiana (No. 48), which occupied the last position. According to the study, the South typically experiences shorter windows for leaf peeping, with Florida and Louisiana tied for the shortest duration at just five weeks of fall colors.

See how other states ranked with the full study here.

Autumn Fall fall activities

Kayla MorganWriter

Kayla is the midday host on Detroit’s 105.1 The Bounce. She started her career in radio back in 2016 as an intern at another Detroit station and worked her way here. She's made stops in Knoxville, TN, Omaha, Ne and other places before returning to Detroit. She’s done almost everything in radio from promotions to web, creating content on social media, you name it. She’s a true Michigander, born and raised. So, you can catch her camping or vacationing up north to exploring the downtown Detroit or maybe even catching a sports game. During her free time, Kayla enjoys watching movies, roller-skating, crafting, and music festivals. She and her husband together dip into many of the great things Michigan has to offer. Together they also like to travel. A few hobbies of hers include wine and beer tastings, crafting, hiking, roller skating, movies, home improvement projects, gardening, and festivals. She’s always looking to take on more local events happening in the community. She loves connecting with the community. When writing, Kayla covers topics including lifestyle, pop culture, trending stories, hacks, and urban culture.