Upstate NY apple orchard named best in nation in USA Today's best of fall poll

A New York orchard was named the best in the nation in the 2024 USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards.

The Readers' Choice Awards highlight the very best in travel, food and drink and lifestyle. Every week, USA TODAY 10Best invites a panel of industry experts to nominate their favorite points of interest and attractions across a wide range of categories.

This week's awards are themed for fall, including the nation's best orchards, pumpkin patches, corn mazes and more, as determined by USA Today readers. Readers also selected their favorite places to visit and view foliage each fall and favored several regions in the Empire State.

Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards

This family-owned and operated orchard in Lafayette, Onondaga County, was named the best apple orchard in the nation by USA Today readers in the latest poll. The orchard also operates a distillery and tasting room, a bakery, general store and kids' area. The orchard offers pre-picked pecks for patrons who prefer not to pick their own apples.

Pumking Imperial Ale - Southern Tier Brewing Co.

This medium-light bodied imperial pumpkin ale from Southern Tier Brewing Company landed sixth on the list of best fall seasonal beers in the nation, selected by USA Today readers in the latest poll.

The ale brings tasteful hints of vanilla, allspice and cinnamon, according to the Chautauqua County based brewery. It is sold in bottled four-packs each year from August to October.

Where is the peak foliage in NY? Latest foliage report and map shows where to see the best

Best places to visit in the fall

The lone New York destination on the latest USA Today 10Best list is Saratoga County, which is home to Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa. It was listed sixth best place in the nation to visit in the fall by USA Today readers in the latest poll.

The best places to visit for fall include:

1. Gatlinburg, Tennessee

2. Mackinac Island, Michigan

3. Allegany County, Maryland

4. Lafayette, Louisiana

5. Estes Park, Colorado

6. Saratoga County, New York

7. Loudoun County, Virginia

8. Columbus, Ohio

9. Cody, Wyoming

Best destination for fall foliage

Two picturesque regions in New York were named among the best destinations in the nation for fall foliage by USA Today readers in the latest poll. Readers selected the Finger Lakes region as the eighth best and the Adirondacks as the tenth best spot for leaf peeping.

The 10 best designations for fall foliage include:

1. Upper Peninsula of Michigan

2. Laurel Highlands, Pennsylvania

3. Hot Springs, Arkansas

4. Blue Ridge Mountains, Georgia

5. Hocking Hills, Ohio

6. White Mountains, New Hampshire

7. Stowe, Vermont

8. Finger Lakes, New York

9. The Berkshires, Massachusetts

10. Adirondacks, New York

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards named best in nation in USA Today poll