Summer may be the busiest season for many local businesses, but the peak of autumn – when the region is blanketed in vibrant color – gives it a run for its money.
And this year, there are bonus days.
Bright sunshine filters through the colorful trees along the trail in Amherst State Park on Tuesday. Many local businesses get a shot in the arm from visitors viewing fall foliage.
The mild temperatures and sunny days have extended the short-lived leaf-peeping season longer than usual, bringing pennies from heaven to companies that benefit from traffic seeking fall foliage.
And while the 70-degree highs of early this week will give way to more seasonable temperatures through the weekend, highs are expected back in the 70s right through Halloween, giving weather-dependent businesses even more valuable days to bring out customers.
Fall foliage creates an array of vibrant hues in East Otto, October 22, 2024.
The foliage, which is running later this year, is a spectacle unique to our part of the country, and one that can give businesses a boost as leaf seekers hit the road to take in the magic.
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Leaf peepers from Western New York and beyond buzz through the region’s landscapes, traveling its scenic byways and stopping to spend on everything from meals to souvenirs.
For many small businesses, the influx of fall visitors provides a vital source of revenue. Local entrepreneurs have adapted, offering autumn-inspired products, special promotions and expanded services to capitalize on the increased traffic.
At Johnson Estate Winery in Westfield, the colors are blazing.
“Most of our customers come from Pittsburgh and Cleveland and the Southtowns of Buffalo, so they know this is the snow belt and one of their last times to get out and really enjoy the countryside,” said Fred Johnson, the third generation Johnson to run the vineyard.
Normally, the winery closes its outdoor eating area and ends its autumn vineyard walks on Columbus Day, but the weather has been so nice, it extended both until last weekend.
Leaves are changing throughout Western New York, and The Buffalo News’ photographers are out and about to document the brilliant colors as the…
“Our sales in September, October aren’t as good as our sales in July and August, but our biggest weekend is often Columbus Day weekend,” Johnson said. “The overall month is less, but the weekends are actually some of the busiest in the fall foliage time.”
For a vineyard walk, guests get a pair of shears and a basket, and get to fill their bellies and their baskets with grapes before heading back in for a flight of wine and a charcuterie board.
“Certainly, once the leaves fall off, it tips over and it doesn’t bounce back until we get into the Thanksgiving, Christmas season,” Johnson said.
Destination Niagara USA, the region’s tourism bureau, engages in autumn marketing for the region and has a web page dedicated to “Fall at the Falls“ – a travel guide with everything you need to view the fall leaves at their best angles in the cataract city.
“I’m a little biased, but I do think Niagara County has some of the best fall foliage here,” said Libby Tonellato, vice president of marketing at Destination Niagara USA. “It truly is spectacular.”
Niagara Falls State Park offers free guided hikes year round, but they are particularly popular during leaf peeping season, she said. And since attractions such as the Maid of the Mist are open until November, they get a boost, too.
Farm businesses get a major influx of customers and cash.
“I think this time of year, everyone’s looking for that authentic experience with the U-pick apples, the apple cider donuts,” Tonellato said.
Anyone located along a scenic byway can expect to see more customers, as tourists stop by in their travels. That is especially the case for wineries, she said.
“Even just a fall drive,” she said. “There’s so many wineries along the Niagara Wine Trail, USA, so people can stop there. They offer activities throughout the season, especially during fall. I know they’re offering a fall scavenger hunt.”
Colorful leaves stir in the wind as a four-wheeler rides up a hill in East Otto on Tuesday.
Peek n’ Peak ski resort in Clymer just finished up its Fall Fest, which is the last time for the season that its Mountain Adventures aerial park is open. It includes ziplines, ropes and ladders creating an obstacle course in the trees, giving a unique, close-up encounter with fall foliage.
“It takes you right into the trees,” said Zane Thomas, a spokesperson for the resort. “You have small zip line things within the course that’ll have you zip in between our big tree lines.”
The extended nice weather has brought guests flocking to its golf course, which is open until the beginning of next month, and gives a great vantage point for leaf peeping.
“Golf has been pretty fantastic this year, especially compared to this time last year,” Thomas said. “The golf course is up at the very peak of our properties, and you can look down into the countryside of the town.”
The Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours that operate out of Lewiston and Queenston on both sides of the Canadian border may seem an unlikely option for viewing the leaves this time of year, but the company has been trying to get the word out that it’s a great autumn destination for those seeking fall color.
“The water is the exact same temperature now as it is on the Fourth of July,” said John Kinney, founder of the Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours. “The lake warms up so much over the summer, but takes time to cool down in the fall.”
The company has hybrid boats and offers enclosed seating for those who are still not keen on getting wet. The tours give a great view of the leaves from Devil’s Hole, and tour operators share the history of the falls while the river provides the thrills. Enclosed “dry” tours run into December, or until there is ice on the river.
“We’ve had a wonderful October. We had a lot of rain in June, July and August, so to have the nice weather here in the fall, on top of the fall colors, is a late season shot in the arm,” Kinney said.
