It's Time To Plan a Fall That Feels Like a Reset

Because the trees know when it’s time to let go and so do you.

DO. SEE. EAT. DRINK. is your weekly guide to discovering what’s interesting, delicious, inspiring, and worth savoring. Each month, we drop a special issue that deep dives into a single city or region, giving you our personal take on what to do, see, eat, and drink while you’re there.

Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/Anthony Quintano

It’s probably 90 degrees where you are, but hear me out: it’s time to plan your fall leaf-peeping trip.

A few years ago, we flew into Albany, picked up a rental car, and drove 70 winding miles into the Catskills. By the time we reached the Roxbury Motel for a family party, the trees had exploded into color. I pulled over multiple times, just to get out and stare. How are these leaves even real?

Daniel joked that I was officially a “leaf peeper,” and something clicked. Growing up in Inglewood, CA, seasons didn’t change like this, not in a way that was immediately noticeable. There was something magical, almost sacred, about watching the world turn colors in real time. I kept trying to capture it—photos, videos—but it all fell short. That trip planted a vow: every other year, I’d go. I had to. That transition felt like a reset I didn’t want to miss.

My mind was blown! The photos do it such a disservice. Sheer beauty!

Fall is nature’s masterclass in letting go. Katherine May writes in Wintering that we’re not meant to be “always on”—that there’s profound wisdom in rest, reflection, and preparation. Fall bridges summer’s urgency and winter’s stillness. The trees show us how: they let go of what they no longer need, and do it beautifully.

In my coaching work, I see it everywhere: we’re craving permission to slow down. To honor our cycles. To see release not as failure, but as part of the rhythm.
A leaf-peeping trip isn’t just about the colors; it’s about witnessing nature’s courage to let go and maybe learning to do the same.

Turns out, I’m not the only one. The next year, when I tried to book again, everything was gone. That’s why I’m telling you now: if you want to go, plan it now. Fall doesn’t wait.

Before we get into where to go, here’s where to stay if you want beauty, comfort, and a solid glass of wine steps from your door: