2 Upstate destinations among best to peep leaves: See Southern Living's full list

Summer is almost over, and with the new season comes a new color palette.

Nature will soon paint the leaves in red, orange, and yellow, the sidewalks paving the way for autumn.

As southerners get ready to trade their bikinis and shorts in for sweaters and mittens, they will get to experience this change, which never fails to fills the heart with wonder each year.

In Southern Living's roundup of best places to experience fall foliage , two Upstate destinations were named, meaning residents won't have to travel too far to take in the season's brilliance.

Here's where to experience the best fall foliage in S.C.

When does fall begin in SC?

Fall in S.C. will officially begin Sunday, Sept. 22 and end Saturday, Dec. 21.

What is fall foliage?

According to the Old Farmer's Almanac , "foliage" is a word used to refer to the leaves of a tree or a plant. Fall foliage is the period when the leaves begin to transform from green to the autumn's shades of orange, yellow, and red. What may come as a surprise to leaf peepers is that the colors the leaves change to were always underneath the leaf. This is due to the decrease of sunlight and increase in cold, causing the tree to slow down in growth. In return, the production of green chlorophyll in the leaves also slows, giving way for new colors.

Greenville is known as 'Bikeville' to cyclists

To see Greenville's foliage at its peak, Southern Living suggests plan a visit to the area somewhere between the last two weeks of October through the first two weeks of November. The publication refers to Greenville as "Bikeville" due to its cyclists, who spend their time winding through the city's many trails, like the Swamp Rabbit that chases the Reedy River for 18 miles. And if you plan on taking in the brilliant transition from summer to fall with a drink in hand, try stopping at one of the breweries along the trail, like Travelers Rest's Swamp Rabbit Brewery.

Ride through mountains, 'quaint towns' in Travelers Rest

Like Greenville, Travelers Rest is another Upstate destination frequented by cyclists. Various routes may be traveled in this town, with routes from 15-25 miles to 50 miles to 80, per Southern Living. On the 50-mile trip, you will get to experience the true beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains while climbing up 1,500 feet. For "epic climbs," you can take your biking game to the next level and venture the 80-mile ride ― one of American racing cyclist George Hinacapie's favorites while training for the Tour de France.

15 best destinations to see fall foliage in the south, according to Southern Living

∎ The Blue Ridge Parkway

∎ Bryson City, North Carolina

∎ Cloudland Canyon State Park

∎ Dahlonega, Georgia

∎ Eureka Springs, Arkansas

∎ F.D. Roosevelt State Park

∎ Greenville, S.C.

∎ Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

∎ Historic Banning Mills

∎ Jackson County, North Carolina

∎ Nantahala National Forest, North Carolina

∎ Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

∎ Tallulah Gorge State Park

∎ Travelers Rest, S.C.

∎ Virginia Creeper Trail

Nina Tran covers trending topics for The Greenville News. Reach her via email at ntran@gannett.com .

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: 2 Upstate destinations among best to peep leaves: See Southern Living's full list