Where to travel in October in the US

There’s no question fall is a magical time of year. Hiking trails and parks are ablaze with fiery red, vivid orange, and deep burgundy leaves. Temperatures are finally crisp enough to pull out your favorite sweaters. And warm, cozy, seasonal activities abound, from picking apples to carving jack-o-lanterns.

But October is a treat for another big reason, too: In many places, it’s part of the off-season, which means you can bask in the serenity of a more low-key vacation—without all the crowds, long lines, or traffic hassles.

Need help deciding where to go? We’ve got you covered. These domestic destinations are perfect for planning an October getaway.

Looking to head overseas? Visit our guide to the best places to visit in October around the world.

Last year, Zion was the country’s third most-visited national park, with a whopping 4.69 million visitors checking out its striking Navajo sandstone rock formations. But the majority of travelers descend upon Zion during the summer months, which means you can ditch (most) of the crowds by waiting until temperatures have cooled off a bit.

Though you can watch the sights of Zion Canyon pass by on the free shuttle bus, you’ll have a more tranquil, nature-filled experience if you ride a bike instead. And with several local outfitters offering e-bike rentals, you don’t have to huff and puff, either. Rent one from Zion Adventure Company and explore on your own, or book one of their guided e-bike tours, during which knowledgeable guides share insight about the region’s history, geology, plants, and animals. The shady canyon floor can be chilly, especially if you plan to pedal in the morning, so be sure to pack gloves to keep your fingers warm on your ride.

It also pays to stay up late while visiting Zion, which became a certified dark sky park in 2021 and offers incredible stargazing opportunities. Join a Stargazing Zion tour, which includes comfy zero-gravity loungers, blankets, binoculars, and high-tech telescopes. To keep the celestial magic going, book one of the upscale glamping tents at Open Sky Zion, many of which are outfitted with glass ceilings for marveling up at the cosmos.

Nothing screams fall quite like picking an apple straight off the tree and taking a big, crunchy bite in an orchard. That’s why an October trip to Burlington, on the banks of Lake Champlain in northwest Vermont, is always a good idea.

In this charming, mid-sized college town, you’ll find row upon row of apple trees laden with fruit at spots like Hackett’s Orchard, Shelburne Orchards, Allenholm Farm, and Sam Mazza’s. Some, like Hackett’s, will let you have free rein to pick your own—and, come October, you can expect to find Yellow Bellflower, Empire, Red Delicious, Cameo, and Idared apple varieties ready for harvest. You can also catch the tail end of the Burlington Farmers Market, which takes place every Saturday through the end of the month—go early to get the best selection of veggies, fruits, flowers, and prepared foods.

After stopping in town, be sure to take a scenic drive or hike to immerse yourself in Burlington’s fall foliage. One of the best places to see blazing maples and golden-yellow birches is from the Burlington Bike Path, a paved, eight-mile hiking and biking path that runs along the waterfront. Burlington takes its trees super seriously—the city maintains more than 11,000 itself, plus thousands of others on private property—so they’re guaranteed to put on a good show.

One of the best times to drink hoppy beers like IPAs is in October, during what’s known as fresh hop season. Most of the year, brewers use dried hops to make beer—but in the fall, around harvest time, they have a brief window in which to use green, just-picked hops, which add brighter, fresher notes to the final product. Yakima Valley grows roughly 75 percent of all hops produced in the U.S. and, as such, it’s an ideal destination for making the most of fresh hop season. There’s even a Fresh Hop Ale Festival, scheduled this year for October 7, to help celebrate this unique time of year.

And you certainly don’t have to be a beer aficionado to enjoy an October getaway in the valley, either. It’s also home to more than 90 wineries, plus dozens of cideries and distilleries, so whatever your drink of choice, this region has got you covered. Make the city of Yakima your home base, then fan out to explore the rest of the valley from there.

Boise should be on your vacation radar in October, when fall colors are on full display. The city’s name even stems from the fact that it’s brimming with trees: “bois” is the French word for “wood.” And since October falls during one of two low seasons in Idaho’s capital city, you can usually score deals on lodging and flights, too.

Located in the southwestern part of the state, not far from the Oregon border, Boise strikes the perfect balance between urban comforts and outdoor adventures. To see the city’s autumn spectacle, head to the Boise River Greenbelt, a 25-mile riverfront path that runs through the heart of town and is dotted with public parks, which are all named after influential women. If you have time, check out Hyatt Hidden Lakes Reserve, spread across 53 acres of protected wetlands.

You don’t want to sleep on Boise’s food scene, either. The James Beard Foundation selected four Boise-area chefs as semi-finalists (and one winner!) for this year’s awards. Try their delicious concoctions at their restaurants: Ansots, located in the city’s “Basque Block”; Amano, a traditional Mexican restaurant in nearby Caldwell; Kin, an upscale spot downtown; and Kibrom’s Ethiopian & Eritrean Food, which serves up East African and Ethiopian fare.

Also be sure to check out Warehouse Food Hall, a 29,000-square-foot facility that opened in 2022 and showcases an array of eateries—including an aptly named artisanal pie shop called “Piedaho.”

Provincetown tends to get busy from June to August. But there are plenty of reasons to visit this town at the very tip of Cape Cod in the off-season—chief among them, a more laid-back vibe and tons of inclusive events.

One of Provincetown’s most beloved annual festivals takes place in October: TransWeek (formerly known as Fantasia Fair), which has been creating community among people who identify as transgender—plus their friends, families, and anyone else who wants to attend—since 1975. The week-long affair is the longest-running transgender conference in the world, and includes an array of formal and informal activities—from academic workshops exploring gender theory to parties and shared meals. The seaside city also hosts Women’s Week in October, an annual LGBTQ+ gathering that includes film screenings, sports, concerts, parties, and other festivities.

Even if you don’t attend the events, you’ll still feel the love in P-town. Whether you go on a whale-watching tour, rent bikes and pedal around town, or peruse the works on display at the Provincetown Art Association and Museum, you’re sure to encounter friendly, open-minded folks at every turn.

Every October, the skies above Albuquerque come alive as hundreds of hot air balloons take to the sky during the week-long Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Though watching and riding the hot air balloons is the main draw, the festival also includes a chainsaw carving competition, drone light shows, fireworks, concerts, and a beloved “special shape rodeo,” during which nontraditional balloons—think: those shaped like animals, plants, and even clowns—soar through the air. This year’s dates are October 7–15.

If you want to float in a balloon yourself during the festival, it’s best to make your reservation ASAP, as rides with Rainbow Ryders tend to sell out as the fiesta gets closer. If you can’t make it for the festival specifically, you can still book rides with companies including Rainbow Ryders and Four Corners, which offer magical sunrise and sunset tours.

And while you’re visiting New Mexico, it’s worth it to take a short, 60-mile road trip north to Santa Fe, where the New Mexico Museum of Art will be celebrating the opening of its new building, called Vladem Contemporary. The venue adds another 10,000 square feet to the museum, which has been open since 1917 and has more than 20,000 artworks in its collection. The inaugural exhibition at the new space is called “Shadow and Light,” which explores the iconic light that has attracted photographers and artists to New Mexico for decades.