Congratulations, Washingtonians: You’ve survived yet another sticky, muggy, life-squelching summer in the swamp, and Mama Nature’s about to reward you with crisp autumn weather and an explosion of fall colors.

Thus, we present to you our 2019 guide for the best times and places to see the autumn leaves. We’ve got suggestions both for city people and folks itching to take a long weekend drive. Regardless of which camp you fall into, it’s time to lay yourself upon a bed of decorative gourds and get planning.

When Is Peak Fall Foliage?

The short answer: Earlier than it was in 2018.

Last year’s fall colors were kind of a bust due to lots of late summer rain and a warm fall. If you want, blame global warming, as cooler weather is one of the primary triggers for color change. “We haven’t had a good cold frost early in the season the last few years, so our colors haven’t changed suddenly,” said Sally Hurlbert, a park ranger at Shenandoah National Park. “Instead it’s been a real gradual change.”

The Weather Channel predicts this year’s peak will still be behind schedule, due to above-average September temperatures. However, it’s still too early to estimate exactly when the best colors will appear. According to the most recent predictions, the best time to see the fall foliage in the Washington region will be between October 19 and November 2. 

We’ll update those dates here if they change.

Um, The Trees Still Seem Pretty Green…

OK, fine, it’s a little early to fangirl over fall, but don’t blame a lady for getting excited. Plus, the leaves are already changing at higher elevations. Even when it’s hot and muggy in the city, it’s usually 8-10 degrees cooler up in the Blue Ridge.

“The major factors impacting peak fall are sunlight, precipitation, soil moisture, and temperature,” said Wes Melton, a data scientist with SmokyMountains.com. As days get shorter during fall, trees start producing less chlorophyll (the stuff trees use to turn sunlight into glucose, a.k.a. tree food). Without the presence of chlorophyll, the gold, orange, and yellow pigments that are always present in leaves become more visible.

Red coloration, on the other hand, comes from anthocyanin. Trees like red maples and black gums start to produce that pigment towards the end of summer to serve as a sort of sunscreen.

Blah Blah Blah Science. Just Tell Me Where I Can See The Best Leaves.

The perennial favorite for leaf peeping is Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive. It features nearly 70 overlooks, perfect for taking a moment to contemplate quitting your city job, buying a country house, and never having to drink a themed cocktail at a debate watch party ever again.

Be forewarned: Lines to enter the park can get long on weekends, particularly in October. Hurlbert recommends coming midweek or arriving before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. on weekends.

If you want to avoid the Skyline Drive crowds entirely, follow one of the Virginia Department of Forestry’s fall foliage driving tours. Each one is designed by a local forester.

For a longer trip, keep driving south to the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. Blue Ridge Mountain Life posts weekly color reports to help you plan your trip, and according to their latest report, “this year should be significantly better than last!” We hope they mean that holistically, not just in terms of leaves. Some of us could use a raise.

No Way Am I Leaving The City. Where Can I See Fall Colors Here?

Alright, Carrie Bradshaw, calm down. D.C. offers lots of hyperlocal leaf-peeping options for the likes of you. Take the National Arboretum, which, by definition, is full of trees. It hosts its annual OAKtoberfest festival on October 19.

The city’s many cherry trees are famous for their pink springtime flare, but they aren’t one-trick ponies. Head to the Tidal Basin to snap some Instagram-worthy pics of the cherry trees sporting their fall colors.

And, morbidly enough, cemeteries are also a good bet for finding beautiful autumn leaves. Try Georgetown’s Oak Hill Cemetery, Congressional Cemetery in Hill East, or Rock Creek Cemetery near Fort Totten.

Lastly, fall would be an amazing time to visit Glenstone in Potomac, Maryland. The modern art museum sits on 230 acres of rolling grassland dotted with sculptures by Jeff Koons, Andy Goldsworthy, and other visionary artists.

Honestly, I Don’t Even Want To Go Outside. Got Anything For Me?

Actually, yeah, we do. Rangers at Shenandoah National Park will livestream weekly color reports on Facebook starting September 26. They also have webcams set up so you can monitor the leaves from your desk. It’s like the National Zoo’s panda cam, just…leafier.

Enjoy!

This story originally appeared on WAMU.