They say this is not just because of the growing popularity of traditional foliage tours, college homecomings, parents' weekends, baseball playoffs and the like, but above all because of an improving economy.

Departures on Sept. 11, 18 and 25 are also fall foliage tours.

The New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx will offer a walking foliage tour around some of the garden's 200 acres on Saturday.

Last October alone, more than 600 tour buses visited Newport, R.I., a popular way station on foliage tours, as well as a reminder of America's gilded age.

Were his parents trying to dramatize another foliage tour with the empty promise of water moccasins?

The organizing committee is arranging international sporting events and such seasonal events as snow and ice carnivals, a cherry blossom festival, seaside concerts in summer and fall foliage tours.

David Murray, 54, came from Wichita Falls, Tex., for the foliage tour, bringing with him a certain curiosity about whether there actually would be trees.

Students find pleasant surprises in little-known Nashville, Ind., only 20 minutes away, with everything from skiing to homemade apple butter plus handmade crafts and jewelry and foliage tours.

Today, it is a popular area for self-guided foliage tours, as well as home to a 2500-acre (10 km2) off-road motorcycle park popular with riders from all over the United States.

At Clermont, walking foliage tours of the extensive grounds overlooking the Hudson start at noon and at 2:30 P.M. today, next Sunday and on Oct. 21.