Autumn traditionally transforms the Revolutionary City into a sea of rich reds, glowing oranges, and brilliant yellows. But during a recent walk through the Historic Area, we noticed this season is a little underwhelming compared to others. Many leaves have gone straight from green to brown—that is, if there are any leaves left on the tree at all. While overall it appears to be a lackluster display, there are some bright colors shining through. It took a little bit of searching but we tracked down the top spots that will provide a perfect fall backdrop for your pictures.
The guessing game started early—everyone watching and waiting to see when our leaves would peak. And then, just as many of them were finally starting to turn, a nor’easter pushed through the area. Local meteorologists tell me winds gusted up to 43 miles per hour last weekend and we had sustained winds of 15-20 mph for 18 hours straight! Unfortunately, according to Virginia Tech tree scientist, Dr. John Seiler, the weather may have literally blown our chances at seeing the foliage at its best. And often, when the peak happens during gloomy weather, we tend to think of it as a “bad season.”
As for why there seem to be more yellows and oranges this year, Seiler explained reds need cool nights, clear days, and plenty of sunlight to develop. This year, our temperatures have been all over the map. Heck, in October, we even had some days in the 80s! Dr. Seiler says drought conditions in the fall can also diminish the color and cause the leaves turn brown sooner.
So, that’s the bad news. Now, how about some good news? As I mentioned, there are still some splendid splashes of color out there. You just have to look for them! And that’s exactly what we did. Here’s a list of the top ten most beautiful spots in and around the colonial capital. Be sure to scroll all the way through for our #1 recommendation and we’ll also reveal a special resource, designed by Dr. Seiler to help you track down specific trees, even if you live outside of Virginia!
#10 MERCHANTS SQUARE
#9 BESIDE R. CHARLTON’S COFFEEHOUSE
#8 GOLDEN HORSESHOE GOLF CLUB & THE SPA OF COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG
#7 PEYTON RANDOLPH HOUSE
#6 NEAR TICKET & INFORMATION CENTER
#5 AROUND BRUTON PARISH CHURCH
#4 NEAR THE COURTHOUSE
#3 GOVERNOR’S PALACE
#2 BASSETT HALL
#1 COLONIAL PARKWAY
Don’t forget to take your phone along with your camera. Dr. Seiler has developed an app called “VTree”. It uses your smart phone’s GPS to determine exactly which tree species you’re taking pictures of. The best part is you can download it for free!
I just had to say I absolutely love reading this blog ! My favorite blog was the one about the Colonial Kitties but all of the blogs are so interesting and informative. I can’t hear enough about my favorite place in the entire world ! Keep up the great writing !
Sharon, thank you so much for taking the time to share these kind words! Our team is passionate about providing a variety of content and it’s always nice to hear which posts are favorites among our readers. Have a wonderful day (and don’t forget to check out today’s post about chocolate).
The tree just outside the courthouse is one that we always look forward to seeing as it’s color is always such a vibrant red. It’s our favorite and it has never disappointed us!
Bella, I agree that is usually the prettiest tree of all. I just walked through the Historic Area and sadly, it has already dropped most of its leaves. I’m glad we were able to get a picture - and hopefully you did too!