New York City makes a fantastic holiday destination at any time of year, but it is arguably at its best in autumn. All the usual tourist favourites, including China Town, Central Park, Times Square, the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty, are there and open for business and the hordes of summer sightseers have left.

If you’re planning an adventure to the Big Apple this autumn, you might want to check out the Circle Line Sightseeing cruise trips available. These excursions offer a fun and relaxing way to see the city’s skyline and, in October, Circle Line offers return cruises along the Hudson River to Bear Mountain. You can enjoy the clear air and stunning views as your vessel negotiates the waterway and then you’ll get to spend three hours at Bear Mountain’s annual Oktoberfest. If you’re feeling active, you can explore the miles of trail available either on foot or by bike, or if you simply want to chill out, take a pew at the Bear Mountain Inn, which offers Bavarian food and beer.

If you’re after some free sightseeing, you can simply stroll through Central Park, taking in the changing leaves. While there, you can wander along the 1.58-mile track that surrounds the picturesque Central Park Reservoir. Other green spaces well worth a look at this time of year include Prospect Park with its colourful mixture of foliage, and Fort Greene Park, which is home to more than 40 different species of tree. Of course, the New York Botanical Garden is also a great spot to visit. Across the 250-acre site there is a sea of orange, crimson and gold to view. From oaks and maple trees to more unusual flora such as the cutleaf staghorn sumac, you can immerse yourself in autumnal plant life. You might also want to take a look at Staten Island’s Clove Lakes Park, which boasts a 300-year-old 107-foot tall tulip tree.

In addition, it’s well worth checking out the Open House New York festival. Every year in October, hundreds of the city’s most architecturally and culturally significant sites are opened up to the public. Many of these attractions are usually off limits. This year, the event is taking place on October 12th and 13th.

Another top attraction is the Village Halloween Parade. This sees thousands of revellers walk up Sixth Avenue decked out in some outlandish and spooky attire. With roots tracing back to 1974, this celebration is now the largest of its kind in the world and it’s a great way to spend some time if you happen to be in the metropolis on October 31st.

One thing’s for sure, you won’t be stuck for things to do if you travel to New York during the autumn.