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Where to Go in October: The Best Places to Travel
Pleasant temperatures, fewer tourists, and shoulder-season deals make October a great time to travel to a large swath of the globe. Since you can’t go everywhere, we’ve pinpointed a few of the optimal spots. From vineyard-hopping in France to whale-shark-spotting in the Seychelles, the following destinations and experiences belong on your October travel list.
To understand what makes a trip WOW, read these recent reviews from our travelers. And don’t miss the rest of our “Where to Go” series on the best destinations for every month of the year.
Italy: From the Cinque Terre to Puglia
Castello di Grinzane and village in Piedmont – one of the most famous wine regions of Italy. Photo: Shutterstock
From the northern coastline to the boot of the heel—and just about everywhere in between—Italy is gorgeous in October. The weather is pleasant, hotels aren’t charging their peak-season rates, and you’ll enjoy a more authentic experience when the people dining beside you at the trattorias are locals, not tourists. On the Amalfi Coast, October is when the throngs of cruise-ship passengers have thinned, prices have dropped (a little), there’s plenty of sun, and the sea is still warm enough for swimming. In Tuscany, festivals for the olive and grape harvests abound, and the fall foliage is stunning. In Rome, you don’t need to wait in line for an outside table in the city’s iconic piazze.
Read reviews of WOW trips to Italy. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
Burgundy, France
Burgundy’s rolling hillsides. Photo: Trufflepig
The chaos of harvest is over and the grapes are in—which means there’s still lots of activity in the wineries, since the wines are fermenting and the vinification is in full throe, but the winemakers themselves have a little more time to spend with visitors. It’s also the prettiest time: The leaves on the vines turn yellow and gold, and you realize why they call it the Côte d’Or (the golden slopes). And beyond the wines, it’s the most interesting time for seasonal produce: Mushrooms and squashes complement wild game on the menus of the local restaurants.
Read reviews of WOW trips to France. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
Madrid, Spain
Cultural events pick up in fall in Madrid. Photo: Shutterstock
In September and October, the blistering summer heat abates and cultural events pick up, with festivals, theater shows, and concerts. It’s also much easier to get a room at one of the new luxury hotels that has opened in the city in recent years, from the Four Seasons to the Rosewood to the Edition.
Read reviews of WOW trips to Madrid. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
Austria’s Danube Valley
The Wachau Valley, Austria. Photo: Austrian Tourist Board
October is at the end of peak season, there’s gorgeous fall scenery, and it’s harvest time in the vineyards, which means that the Heuriger (wine taverns) are especially fun and lively and you’ll probably get to try new wines. More important, especially for wine buffs, many of the smaller (and better) Heurigers aren’t open year-round, but they’re all open in October.
Read reviews of WOW trips to Austria. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
Sicily and Malta
Mt. Etna, Sicily. Photo: Pixabay
October is one of the most colorful and flavorful months in Sicily and Malta. It is the season of the harvest in Sicily, which means fresh olives, almonds, and chestnuts—not to mention wild mushrooms, prickly pears, and carob—complement the island’s always-bountiful variety of culinary offerings. In nearby Malta, it is still warm enough for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, or a romantic overnight sail to the island of Gozo with nobody else around. Throughout the region, the air and sea temperatures are still warm and inviting, flights and accommodations are less expensive than during the summer, and the fewer tourists mean you get a more intimate experience with the local people.
Read reviews of WOW trips to Sicily and Malta. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
Croatia
On Hvar, it’s still swimsuit season but the party crowds have gone. Photo: Exeter International
Visit Croatia in the first half of October and you’ll find good weather, fewer tourists, and lower hotel prices than during peak season.
Read reviews of WOW trips to Croatia. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
Greece
Boats off the island of Naxos. Photo: Billie Cohen
Smart travelers will let the summer crowds die down, then go to Greece in the fall. As with Croatia, at that time of year you’ll find pleasant temperatures, quieter streets, and lower prices.
Read reviews of WOW trips to Greece. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
Turkey
Istanbul, Turkey. Photo: Tim Baker
The fall shoulder season is a sweet spot for Turkey: Istanbul and Cappadocia are sunny and mild, while on the Aegean Coast, it’s warm but not sweltering, and the sea is calm.
Read reviews of WOW trips to Turkey. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
Utah’s National Parks
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. Photo: Mark Campbell
October is one of the best months to explore Utah’s stunning national parks: The temperatures are generally moderate and the crowds thin. An insider can show you the parks on foot, by vehicle, and even from a helicopter.
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Big Island, Hawaii
Wai’pio Valley Lookout, Big Island, Hawaii.
October is the choicest month for the Big Island, as the weather is driest—with daytime temperatures hovering around 85 degrees—and families aren’t traveling, so prices are lower. (The only thing it’s not an ideal time for is surfing.)
Read reviews of WOW trips to Hawaii. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
Olympic National Park, Washington
Sun on the ocean among the rocks, Cape flattery trail, Olympic Peninsula, Washington state. Photo: Shutterstock
In October, the weather is usually pleasant across all three of the park’s environments: the Olympic Mountains, the temperate Hoh Rain Forest, and the rugged Pacific coastline. There may be snow at the high elevations and some rain lower down, but the waterfalls will be flowing, and the area is very lush. Sunsets also tend to be spectacular at this time of year.
Read reviews of WOW trips to Washington. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
Japan
Cherry blossoms bloom around Heian Shrine in Kyoto, Japan. Photo: Shutterstock
Autumn in Kyoto brings cooler air and bright red maples (which last into November), magnificent to behold alongside Zen gardens and royal villas.
Read reviews of WOW trips to Japan. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
Bali
Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, Hindu temple on Bratan Lake, Bali. Photo: Shutterstock
While October falls during the rainy season, showers are usually limited to a few hours in the afternoon or overnight. It’s also less busy than the high season, making hotel rates more attractive.
Read reviews of WOW trips to Bali. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
Northern Thailand
The view from Anantara Golden Triangle Resort in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Photo: Anantara
Northern Thailand is at its best at the end of the green season: From mid-October to mid-December, the rains have diminished but the waterfalls and rivers are full, and the crowds and higher prices of the late-December to mid-January peak season have yet to arrive. The mountains are lush and green, and morning mists hanging in the valleys send shivers up your spine. (Bangkok is a year-round destination, and short bursts of rain can easily be dodged in the city.)
Read reviews of WOW trips to Thailand. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
Northern Chile and Argentina
The Atacama Desert of Chile has an otherwordly and beautiful landscape. Photo: Awasi
While both the Atacama Desert in Chile and the region around Salta, Argentina, are year-round destinations, October and November see fewer visitors than other times of year—leaving your vistas of these wide-open landscapes largely free of other travelers. (These are also excellent months to hop a flight to Easter Island, when the place is nearly empty and the weather ideal.)
Read reviews of WOW trips to Chile and Argentina. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
China
Aman Summer Palace, Beijing.
China is huge, of course, and has a wide array of weather patterns, depending on location and elevation. But for a classic China itinerary, October is hard to beat: Skies are blue in Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi’an, and temperatures are so agreeable you won’t need heat or air-conditioning.
Read reviews of WOW trips to China. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
Oman
A dhow cruise on the Arabian Peninsula in Oman. Photo: Shutterstock
From mid-September through October, Oman’s weather is perfect: It’s not too hot in the desert and not too chilly in the mountains.
Read reviews of WOW trips to Oman. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
Mongolia
An eagle hunter in Mongolia. Photo: Chris Rainier/Nomadic Expeditions
October is when you can attend the one-of-a-kind Golden Eagle Festival—a colorful celebration of a centuries-old Kazakh hunting tradition in the Altai Mountains. When the festival was founded in 1999, only 40 families still hunted with eagles; today more than 400 do so, and many locals rely on the income they earn during the event. Our Trusted Travel Expert can even arrange for you to have dinner with the competitors.
Read reviews of WOW trips to Mongolia. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
Vietnam
View of the East Gate (Hien Nhon Gate) to the Citadel and a moat surrounding the Imperial City with the Purple Forbidden City in Hue, Vietnam. Photo: Shutterstock
Since the monsoons hit northern, central, and southern Vietnam at different times, weather across Vietnam varies widely. If your goal is to travel throughout the country, the driest months to visit are October and March. Fall is when you’ll find the best weather conditions in Ho Chi Minh City and the south.
Read reviews of WOW trips to Vietnam. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
The Seychelles
October brings a mix of good weather and value. Photo: Maia Luxury Resort/Lindsey Wallace
October represents a nice balance of great weather (not too hot and little to no rain) and great value (since many of the resorts still have low-season rates). It’s also the best month for snorkeling and diving with whale sharks.
Read reviews of WOW trips to the Seychelles. To get your own WOW trip and VIP treatment, use the black button below.
Other Smart Options This Month
Click on any of the destinations below to find out why October is a good time to go.
North America
Jackson Hole and the Grand Tetons National Park (first half of the month)
Mexico City (second half of the month)
Puerto Vallarta (second half of the month)
Riviera Maya (second half of the month)
Yellowstone National Park (first half of the month)
Central and South America
Costa Rica: fishing, wildlife and turtle hatching
Patagonia (second half of the month)
Europe
Romania (first half of the month)
Asia
Africa and Middle East
Marrakech and the Atlas Mountains
Australia and Pacific
French Polynesia (first half of the month)
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We used Caroline Bach Wood for our family trip to the national parks . She was extremely helpful and knowledgable!! The hotels that she suggested we use were wonderful and she was very accessible and easy to work with. I would certainly recomnend her to friends and she stands as a good representative of your company.
Anything in Portugal for next month? I seldom see anything around there at all !