Think you missed the fall foliage this season? Though colors peaked in many regions in October, the Philly area is still going strong. According to state data tracking Pennsylvania’s fall foliage through Nov. 5, Philadelphia, Montgomery, Chester and Delaware counties are still in peak season. Lancaster County further west is also at peak.
The state will soon see its bright oranges and reds begin to decline, but there are a few places in the Mid-Atlantic whose coat of many colors will stay on through mid-November.
Close to Home
Fall leaves at The Hagley Museum, in Wilmington, Delaware, peak in the second week of November. Military families and veterans can visit for free Nov. 9 through Nov. 11 in celebration of Veterans Day, with cannon firings at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. On the day itself, parents whose children are off school for the holiday can bring them to the museum for School’s Off – Day Camp at Hagley from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday. There will be hands-on indoor and outdoor activities from second through fifth grades with a focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and history.
At the southernmost part of Delaware, in Sussex County, Trap Pond State Park also has foliage that peaks in mid-November. It’s known for having one of the largest surviving fragments of an extensive wetland and features second-growth baldcypress trees. It’s pet-friendly, a campsite and flagged as good for kids as well. It’s home to a historically Black beach, nature center and preserve and handicap-accessible trails. The park also has all-terrain wheelchairs available to give greater park access.
Both these sites were recommended by Southern Living in a list of the best places to see the fall foliage. Of course, many of the best spots lean much further south or west for peak November viewing. A fall foliage prediction map for 2025 from smokymountains.com still puts peak season through Nov. 17 in the south from Texas through Florida, with Georgia and the Eastern edge of the Carolinas at or near peak by Nov. 10.
Here are some of best southern road trips Southern Living recommends by state, with surprisingly some peak seasons extending even into early December.
Virginia
To start your southern road trip, here are two sites whose foliage peaks through mid-November. Virginia is a big state, so offers the longest leg of the journey by far with just under four hours from the picturesque James River to a scenic stop at Mabry Mill’s historic grist mill and blacksmith shop in Floyd County, followed by another nearly four-hour jaunt to the next ideal foliage location in South Carolina.
But there’s a lot to do along the James River, with 22 miles of trails and outdoor adventures like kayaking, rafting and mountain biking. The river runs through Richmond, which has a night market at 17th Street Market Nov. 8, a game night at Stone Brewing every Monday and a Kids Bingo Night (But Make it Bluey) Nov. 20 at Benchtop Brewing. There’s also a tree lighting at the American Civil War Museum the same day.
South Carolina
If you’re looking for more of a neighborhood experience rather than nature, Falls Park on the Reedy is situated in downtown Greenville and peaks through mid-November. Stop in Nov. 14 to Camperdown Plaza from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. for Fall for K Pop, which has dance play, K-Pop -inspired games and activities like a fandom pumpkin decorating contest. Families can get into the holiday spirit with a Dad & Me DIY Ornament Event at TR Makers Co. and the Simpsonville Holiday Fair, both on Nov. 15.
Devils Fork State Park, another nearby park about an hour west in Salem, actually has fall foliage tours now through Nov. 16.
It’s about three hours from the next peak spot in Ellijay, Georgia. You’ll pass through Lake Keowee in Seneca, which also peaks in mid-November for foliage.
Georgia
Noted as North Georgia’s “apple capital,” Ellijay peaks the first two weeks of November, whereas Sweetwater Creek State Park peaks the last two weeks of November.
It’s about an hour and a half from Ellijay to Sweetwater, and then 20 to 25 minutes over to Atlanta.
Florida
These two state parks are about 30 minutes apart in the northernmost part of the state near Tallahassee. They’re a nearly straight shot down from Atlanta, George in less than four hours.
Three Rivers State Park – Jackson County | Peak foliage through the first week of December
Torreya State Park – Liberty County | Peak foliage through the first week of December
