Why fall is the very best time to journey

Fall is, perhaps disputably, one of the best times to travel. And many travel advisers would argue that it’s the absolute best!

There are several reasons for this: many of our favorite places are less hot, autumn colors and amazing festivals begin from Japan to Italy and many destinations are less crowded as shoulder season begins and kids head back to school.

I asked travel advisers what their favorite things about fall travel were. Here are their answers.

Shoulder Season Offers Less Crowds and More Opportunity

As shoulder season kicks off in fall, many destinations across the world see reductions in international visitation, as kids head back to school and travelers take a breather from their whirlwind summers.

For that reason alone, many travel advisers love and recommend traveling during the fall. Lesley Egbert, Owner of Live Longitude Travel, experienced this shoulder season magic firsthand: “For example, I went to Capri and the Amalfi coast in late October. There were no lines to enter the Blue Grotto, weather was amazing, we had fabulous boat days and weren’t dealing with choppy water from having a million boats going around the coast and all fighting for the best locations. Also, it was much easier to get into popular restaurants. You can also take advantage of small group tours; in some cases we were able to sign up for a small group day tour, and we ended up having a private tour, but only had to pay the small group price. Weather can be a bit of a mixed bag, but it has some fantastic tradeoffs!”

Travel advisers to book luxury travel experiences for their clients also note that sometimes the true luxury is being able to travel without the large crowds.

“We focus on luxury, adventure and generational travel, and fall works really well for all three,” said Jennifer Kellum, Owner of Neverland & Main Travel. “I think luxury in travel looks a little different these days. It’s not always about the fanciest hotel or flying first class. Sometimes the real luxury is being somewhere when everyone else isn’t-when you’re not fighting crowds, standing in lines or melting in 100-degree heat. Fall gives you the chance to slow down, really experience a destination and enjoy the trip instead of constantly managing everything around you.”

Shoulder Season Savings

While advisers say that popular regions like Europe aren’t dropping prices in fall as luxury travelers especially seek out the region during this time of year, there are opportunities elsewhere for some great shoulder season savings.

“Fall is one of my favorite times to travel, but choosing the right destination matters,” said Angela Hughes, CEO of Trips & Ships Luxury Travel. “Japan is beautiful dressed in red and gold, and East Africa offers incredible safari experiences, including the Great Migration in Kenya and Tanzania. Turkey is another promising choice, with comfortable weather for exploring Istanbul, Cappadocia and the coast. Europe, on the other hand, has become the new fall high season, and the pricing reflects it. If you want something more interesting and often a better value, I would look toward Asia, Turkey and Africa.”

Other advisers note that autumn is a great time of year for river cruising, theme park destinations, cruises to Greece and the Greek Isles, and more.

“When considering theme park destinations, September is one of the least-traveled months, making it a fantastic time to experience the parks with significantly lower wait times and more favorable prices,” explained Donna DeGiacomo, travel adviser at Upon A Star Travel & Concierge. “When cruising, many cruise lines reduce prices to fill their ships, so fantastic deals are available in the cruise world, too. My favorite fall travel destination, though, is a leaf peaking trip when Fall is on full display. Finding the right week can be tough, but those trips are among the most memorable I have helped plan for my clients.”

The Heat Leaves Our Favorite Places

Another major win for traveling in the fall is that the serious summer heat finally begins to fade.

“Weather is a big positive for fall travel,” said Sarah Kruger, Associate Producer at Travel With Character. “We’ve all seen the headlines this summer from Europe’s record heat wave that led to closures of major attractions and waterways. Many popular destinations that were miserably hot this summer will start to cool off in September and October.”

Kendra Wagner, CTA at Kendra Wagner Travel, experienced the joys of cooler weather firsthand, and prefers traveling during the month of fall that most people don’t consider: November.

“My favorite time of year to travel is actually early November. My husband and I started traveling this time of year as it’s our wedding anniversary in early November, but we also came to realize that there are many benefits. One: You beat the crowds that you see in September-October for peak fall colors and foliage or the crowds you see for Thanksgiving holiday travel. It tends to be slower as many people have already traveled…or won’t be traveling until the holidays, and I love that it feels quieter and more relaxed….Two: Another reason I love traveling this time of year is that pricing is typically much lower than what you’d see in September-October or over Thanksgiving if you’re wanting to experience the cooler fall temps, or even just experience a warmer destination; because it’s shoulder season, the rates are lower, making it another ideal reason to travel during this time.”

Autumn Brilliance Around the World

Finally, some advisers noted that brilliant autumn colors and special annual festivals and events, like grape harvesting in Portugal or Diwali in India, make for a very unique time of year to travel.

“Fall is also the perfect season for travelers who value authentic cultural experiences,” explained Sarah Kruger, Associate Producer at Travel With Character. “Everyone wants to visit Japan in the spring for cherry blossoms, but koyo season is equally stunning, featuring gorgeous fall colors from gingko and maple trees, minus the crowds.

“Some of the most famous cultural festivals around the world, Oktoberfest in Munich, Dia de los Muertos in Mexico, and Diwali in India, can only be experienced in the fall. And for foodies, fall is harvest season, so a trip to Italy for the olive oil harvest or truffle hunting, or a river cruise through Bordeaux or the Douro Valley for grape harvest makes for an immersive gourmet travel experience.”

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This story was originally published September 23, 2026 at 5:03 AM.