When do the leaves change in Delaware?
Delaware's low, flat terrain turns gradually, with oaks and sweetgums coloring the Brandywine Valley by mid-October and bald cypress swamps at Trap Pond State Park holding russet tones into November.
Peak: November 2–November 6
Color builds from October 24 · mostly bare by November 26
4 weather points cover Delaware, and the model shifts their answer 3 days later, which is what it takes to match 1 published peak date from smokymountains.com. Against Delaware's own climatology, the 2026 weather puts the peak 4 days earlier. Peak barely moves inside Delaware, roughly 2 days between the first place to turn and the last. How the forecast works
Known for
Things to do in fall in Delaware
7 iconic stops, including scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.
Winterthur
GardenPeak October 29
Henry Francis du Pont's 979-acre former estate near Wilmington, opened as a museum in 1951, pairs a renowned American decorative-arts…
Frightland
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks November 1
A cluster of eight haunted attractions on a farm outside Middletown, including the Haunted Hayride, Idalia Manor, Zombie Prison, Ghost Town…
Fifer Orchards
OrchardColor nearby peaks November 4
A Kent County farm and country store near Wyoming, Delaware, whose autumn Fall Fest layers a corn maze, pumpkin picking, pedal tractors…
Ramsey's Farm
FarmColor nearby peaks October 29
Family-run outside Wilmington since 1860, Ramsey's Farm still centers on a pumpkin patch and corn maze each fall, alongside a produce stand…
New Castle
Historic townColor nearby peaks October 31
Six miles south of Wilmington on the Delaware River, New Castle packs around 500 buildings dating from 1700 to 1940 into a district about…
Apple-Scrapple Festival
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks November 6
Bridgeville's signature festival takes over downtown for a weekend built around scrapple, the pork-and-cornmeal loaf that is a Delmarva…
Odessa
Historic townColor nearby peaks November 1
Founded in 1721 as Cantwell's Bridge, this small Delaware port town once shipped wheat and corn down the creek to the bay, and its historic…
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in Delaware in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for November 2–November 6 (best estimate November 4). Color starts around October 24 and trees are mostly bare by November 26.
- How reliable is the Delaware forecast?
- The forecast blends recent-year weather normals with photoperiod and elevation; it tightens as the season approaches. Against published peak dates the model lands within a few days for most regions, but it can be a week or more out. Mountains and coastlines are the hardest. Higher elevations turn roughly one day earlier per 300 m.
- When is Delaware's autumn season?
- Delaware is in the northern hemisphere, so its color season is autumn (September to November). The turn takes roughly 33 days end to end, centered on November 4, and the last 13 of those are thinning canopy rather than color.
- What are the best things to do in fall in Delaware?
- The iconic stops: Winterthur, Frightland, Fifer Orchards, Ramsey's Farm, New Castle, Apple-Scrapple Festival. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.
Nearby & similar
Season by season
2026 (forecast)
Peak November 2–November 6
October 24 → November 26