Fall color near San Antonio
San Antonio stays green deep into the year, with bald cypresses along the river and in Brackenridge Park going amber as a modest local show. The real reason autumn matters here is Lost Maples, under two hours northwest, where canyon-bound bigtooth maples turn genuinely brilliant red.
Fall activities in San Antonio
Little classic fall color reaches San Antonio itself — these are the closest real shows, ranked by distance.
In San Antonio itself
Peak: November 24–November 28
Color builds from November 11 · mostly bare by December 21
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures (Open-Meteo) drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at San Antonio’s own coordinates rather than a regional average. Dates are computed for San Antonio itself at 203 m elevation. Estimates, not promises — street trees vary block to block. Check locally before you plan around a weekend.
Where locals go
Things to do in fall in San Antonio
Orchards, cider, haunts, and harvest season — the iconic fall stops within a day trip of San Antonio.
Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours
Ghost tourColor nearby peaks November 26
Founded by San Antonio natives Lauren and James Swartz, this outfit has been "Keeping San Antonio Spooky Since 2011" and has been rated in the top 3 ghost tours in the country for five straight years by USA TODAY. Tours leave nightly from Alamo Plaza.
Don’t miss: USA TODAY top-3 ghost tour · Nightly from Alamo Plaza · Ghost walk, ghost bus or pub crawl
13th Floor Haunted House San Antonio
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks November 26
A downtown San Antonio haunt on East Commerce Street built around a main walk-through house, Dose of Decay, plus bolt-on extras including The Last Spinehelm zombie shooting range, a Respawn Pass for a second run and a secret bar combo.
Don’t miss: Dose of Decay main house · Zombie shooting range add-on · Respawn Pass for a second run
Six Flags Fiesta Texas Fright Fest
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks November 26
The San Antonio park turns over to Fright Fest on select nights from September 11 to November 1, 2026, with roaming scare zones after dusk and separately ticketed pay-to-panic haunted mazes on top of the usual coasters.
Don’t miss: Scare zones after dark · Pay-to-panic haunted mazes · Coasters running through it all
Ghost City Tours Austin
74 miGhost tour
Color nearby peaks November 26
Three after-dark walking tours of downtown Austin, all running seven days a week year-round. The all-ages Ghosts of Austin tour steps off at 8 p.m. from the gates of the Texas State Capitol and runs 90 minutes, rain or shine.
Don’t miss: Starts at the Texas State Capitol gates · 90-minute all-ages walk · Also a 21+ haunted pub crawl
in Texas
Frequently asked
- Does San Antonio get fall colors?
- Some, but it's understated. San Antonio stays green deep into the year, with bald cypresses along the river and in Brackenridge Park going amber as a modest local show. The real reason autumn matters here is Lost Maples, under two hours northwest, where canyon-bound bigtooth maples turn genuinely brilliant red.
- Where's the closest good foliage to San Antonio?
- Texas, about 151 mi away, peaking around November 19. Texas foliage varies wildly by region: bigtooth maples blaze red at Lost Maples State Natural Area in the Hill Country, East Texas Piney Woods hardwoods turn gold, and Davis Mountains aspens color the far west, mostly in November.
- When does San Antonio see what color it gets?
- The model predicts the area's late-season change around November 24–November 28 — subtle in town, and no match for a trip toward Texas and Louisiana.
- What are the best things to do in fall in San Antonio?
- Beyond the leaves: Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours (1 mi); 13th Floor Haunted House San Antonio (1 mi); Six Flags Fiesta Texas Fright Fest (14 mi); Ghost City Tours Austin (74 mi). All of them are mapped on this page.
- What are the best things to do in autumn near San Antonio?
- Come autumn — autumn (September–November) — locals head for Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours (1 mi); 13th Floor Haunted House San Antonio (1 mi); Six Flags Fiesta Texas Fright Fest (14 mi); Ghost City Tours Austin (74 mi). Each is on the map with the distance from San Antonio.