Autumn Holiday Ideas
As today is officially the last day of summer, it is time to think about some of the best Fall destinations for your Autumn holidays. The days are getting shorter and the Fall foliage and Autumn colors are going to be here before we know it. I spend a lot of time in Spain and think that any city, especially Barcelona, would be a great holiday. You can also read the last post about other fall destinations here. However, I know there are a lot of other great destinations. I asked other travel writers where they thought was a great place for holidays in October or the best places to visit in November and this is what they said:
Lisbon, Portugal
Written by Sari Even & Maya Rosenthal from Chasing Lenscapes. Follow them on Instagram here.
Lisbon, Portugal’s capital, is one of our favorite cities in the world. It’s the mixture of historic monuments, colorful neighborhoods, endless viewpoints, amazing food, lively nightlife scene, and cultural highlights that make Lisbon so special. There are so many things to do in Lisbon, from exploring the historic and colorful Alfama neighborhood where you’ll find the São Jorge Castle, Fado music bars, and the best viewpoints in the city to the quieter Belem neighborhood with the stunning Jerónimos Monastery, the picturesque Belem Tower and Monument to the Discoveries.
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The city center offers endless shopping opportunities and unique historic monuments of its own and you must spend an evening at the charming Bairro Alto. These are just a few of the highlights! Lisbon might have been Europe’s hidden gem in the past, but in recent years it has become a very popular destination.
You can have a great time in Lisbon at any time of the year, but the fall season is one of the best times to visit Lisbon. First, there are far fewer tourists and accommodation prices far more reasonable. Second, the temperatures during September and October are very pleasant and though November is considered a rainy month, the temperatures are still mild and usually, the rainfall is light, especially at the beginning of the month. Finally, there are so many great events during the fall season in Lisbon. From Our Lady of Nazaré Festival which involves processions, concerts, and folk dancing to unique film and music festivals both in Lisbon and the nearby Sintra. From mid-October, the streets are filled with roasted chestnut carts and the wine season begins.
Trust us, you won’t regret visiting Lisbon with the beautiful Fall scenery. On top of the endless attractions Lisbon has to offer, you will also experience some of the infectious joie de vivre the Portuguese are famous for.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Written by Samantha Karen from Sam Sees World. Follow Samantha on Pinterest here.
The fall months are some of the best times to visit the beautiful city of Amsterdam. During the fall, the leaves on the trees that line the canals turn golden and start to fall, the weather becomes crisp, and all the cafes in the city offer tasty warm drinks. In addition to the magical feeling Amsterdam develops in the fall, some unique events are hosted that are exclusive to the autumn season.
The first being the film festival. In autumn, Amsterdam hosts a film festival that has movie options for every type of person. From mainstream films to independent, you are sure to find something that meets your taste. More so, in the fall Amsterdam hosts Amsterdam Dance Event. This event attracts thousands of the best DJ’s from around the world and visitors seeking to enjoy some of the hundreds of events taking place. Finally, the fall in Amsterdam boasts a unique event called Museum Nacht. This event is a night where all the leading museums in the city are open late into the night and are free for late-night explorations, parties, and more!
Beyond all the unique events, Amsterdam is a stunning fall city and the perfect place to enjoy the beautiful autumn season on your fall vacations.
Rock City in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, USA
Written by Jillian Michelle from Adventure Dragon. Follow Jillian on Pinterest here.
Hidden away at the top of a tiny mountain town in the United States is one of the best places in the world to visit in the fall. You’ll find Rock City in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, and I can’t imagine a better place to celebrate the changing of the seasons. The fall foliage photo opportunities are almost endless and passing through the front gates feels a bit like stepping inside another world.
Whimsical trails carved through towering boulders will lead you on a journey through enchanting gardens, across a suspension bridge, and ultimately to a 90-foot waterfall. There’s a platform extending out from the edge of the mountain where you can take unobstructed photos of the surrounding scenery. The waterfall, in particular, looks especially beautiful painted in the golden colors of fall.
When the weather is clear and nice, you can even see seven US states from an additional viewing platform located at the top of the falls. A nearby tunnel has been fitted with multi-colored glass so that a rainbow effect appears when sunlight streams in through the windows.
There are also special fall festivities that Rock City hosts during this time of the year. You can participate in pumpkin painting, dancing, delicious feasts, and even storytelling sessions that are popular with kids. I make sure to visit every single year, so I highly recommend that you consider Rock City for your next fall getaways!
Penang, Malaysia
Written by Sharon Gourlay from Dive Into Malaysia. Join her on Facebook here.
Penang is the perfect place to visit in fall if you love heat, nature, beauty, and absolutely fantastic food.
Fall is low season in Penang which means low prices and not many tourists. This means it a much more pleasant time to be visiting. While the start of fall is still the wet season, rainfalls are generally over quickly. Visiting towards the end of fall is even better as the wet season is over, the weather less humid and tourist numbers are still low. November is my favorite time of all to be in Penang.
However, visiting at the start of fall has the bonus of the Penang Mid-Autumn Festival. If you have ever wanted to attend a lantern festival, this is your chance! Introduced by the Chinese immigrant community, this festival is originally about celebrating the abundance of food after the harvest. The celebrations themselves center around eating tasty mooncakes and lighting lanterns. You can take a night lantern walk up Penang Hill with many others. It’s a beautiful time to be on the island.
In addition to this, there are Penang’s usual charms including a UNESCO listed old town in Georgetown, beautiful beaches, stunning interior jungle, and some of the best food on the planet. You can never go wrong with a trip to Penang. Read about What To Do In Penang here.
Montreal, Canada
Written by Rob Lloyd from Stop Having a Boring Life. Follow Rob on Twitter here.
Montreal is one of Canada’s most popular cities and for good reason. Besides being one of the oldest, it’s without a doubt the most romantic. Any time is a good time to visit but the best time of year without a doubt is fall. The fall season in the entire province of Quebec is exceptional as all the trees turn and Montreal is no exception.
To make the most out of the fall season in Montreal, be sure to take in the views from Mount Royal. You’ll get a great glimpse of the city and during fall, it’s especially scenic! Another great thing about visiting fall not just for Montreal but all of Canada is the weather! If you time it right, it will be sunny sweater weather which is arguably the ideal climate for exploring a new city. If you’re wondering where to stay in Montreal, you can’t go wrong with Old Montreal, particularly near the port.
On the topic of exploring the city, there is lots to see and do but let’s focus on food. If you’re a foodie you must try poutine. It’s a wildly popular dish among French Canadians and no better place to try than Montreal. Poutine consists of fries, cheese curds, and gravy. It doesn’t sound like much but the combination is to die for. It’s as delicious as it is full of calories and when quality ingredients are used, a decadent culinary treat like nothing else. Montreal is also known for its smoked meat. A place called Schwartz’s Deli on St. Laurent is an institution, no better place to try it than there.
Canberra, Australia
Written by Clara Todd from Petite Capsule. Follow Clara on Pinterest here.
Canberra in Australia is a fantastic destination during fall – there are many annual outdoor events. The Enlighten Festival features illuminating light projections, music performances, and film events. The Canberra Balloon Spectacular, held over nine mornings, has more than 30 hot air balloons from across the world take to the skies from the lawns of Old Parliament House. A night sky production is Skyfire, a fireworks display synchronized to a music soundtrack broadcast by the local radio station FM Hit 104.7. There is also the Black Opal Stakes, Canberra’s premier horse race day.
The Australian War Memorial hosts the ANZAC Day commemorations on 25 April to pay tribute to and remember those who have served, including the infamous Dawn Service.
The Canberra District Wine Harvest Festival showcases 26 local wineries and includes tastings, entertainment, delicious food, the opportunity to meet some of the makers at their cellar doors, and guided tours of vineyards by their owners. In addition to all the fun annual events in fall, you should take in Canberra’s stunning treescapes, which turn vivid shades of yellow, orange, and red.
Enjoying gastronomical delights is a must. You can be a patron at hatted restaurants like Aubergine, Morks, and Eighty-six. If you prefer sampling local eateries, be sure to try Brodburger, Dobinsons, and Cafe Injoy.
No visit to Canberra would be complete without going to some of the top attractions: The National Museum of Australia, the National Gallery of Australia, the National Portrait Gallery, Questacon, and Parliament House. With all this, it’s no wonder Lonely Planet ranked Canberra one of the 10 best cities to visit in 2018. Canberra is a must-travel destination, especially in the fall.
Lakeland Florida – USA
Written by Cris Vanthul from Wander Florida. Follow Cris on Pinterest here.
Florida probably isn’t the first place you think of when considering locations for fall activities. However, by October, temperatures have returned to bearable, and the fall festivals are just around the corner. While the colors may not change on the trees, central Florida offers a lot of great activities to enjoy in the fall.
Lakeland is a town located about an hour west of Orlando. Surrounded by Florida’s farm country, the outskirts of Lakeland are home to several places that delight kids and adults alike. These farms feature corn mazes, hayrides, zombie races, pumpkin patches, campfire storytimes, and much more. It’s a great day trip from Orlando for those visitors seeking something a bit different. Cornfusion Fall Festival & Pumpkin Patch is open on weekends starting in October. Admission includes 20 acres of fun including an 8-acre corn maze, farm animals, duck races, pumpkin carving, and a giant bounce pillow. Harvest Holler Corn Maze is a working family farm that opens to the public to educate others about farm life. Admission includes hayrides, a corn maze, hay bale mountain, and cafe.
With Orlando so close, visitors to Lakeland may also enjoy taking an evening trip to the larger town for the Halloween events. Favorites included Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Disney, and SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular.
Paris, France
Written by Elisa Subirats from World in Paris. Follow Elisa on Pinterest here.
Fall is the best season to visit Paris. After the busy summer, the crowds disperse and the temperatures are warm enough for beautiful fall strolls and outdoor activities around the city.
One of the most popular things to do in Paris during the fall is to see the fall foliage in the parks. Luxembourg Gardens and Tuileries Gardens in central Paris are two great places to see fall foliage but there is also Park Buttes-Chaumont and Bois de Vincennes for those who prefer to leave the beaten path.
Fall also means the start of the food and wine festivals in Paris, with interesting proposals like the Montmartre Wine Harvest Festival (one of the most popular events in Paris) or the New Beaujolais celebration.
The end of the summer holidays is also an interesting period from a cultural point of view, with the arrival of new temporary exhibitions and other cultural events such as the Heritage Days (the last weekend of September) with many museums and sites are open for free, or the White Night, with interesting exhibitions and street performances which last the whole night.
For those who are not lucky with the weather in Paris during the fall, the city proposes top museums, and endless indoor activities to stay far from the rain. Indeed, Paris is always a good idea all-year-round!
Brussels, Belgium
Written by Sophie Lenoir from Bitten By The Bug. Follow Sophie on Instagram here.
As Summer comes to an end, temperatures drop, and fewer outdoor activities become available. Luckily, Brussels has enough indoor activities on offer to keep you busy on a rainy Autumn day. As beer, chocolate, and waffles are an integral part of Brussels’ culture, it is completely justifiable to stay inside and stuff yourself with Belgian specialties for the sake of culinary research.
I’ll give you the most established places as a starting point. Maison Dandoy is an institution when it comes to Brussels waffles and the less known but equally yummy speculoos cookies. Frietland next to Bourse is the most popular place for fries in the city center. Finally, as for the chocolates, you can get some delicious Belgian pralines from Godiva, Neuhaus, Leonidas…
If the weather allows (or if you need a work-out after the calorie overdose), explore the historic city center of Brussels, which is one of the best free things to do in Brussels. Marvel at its beautiful landmarks like Grand Place, Mont des Arts, Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, the Royal Palace, the Palace of Justice… As you wander off, you’ll notice that Brussels boasts countless parks offering Autumn colors and scents. Do you want more? Then take the tram to the Sonian forest on the southeast edge of Brussels. Covering about 5.000 hectares, this huge woodland is a great place to unwind and enjoy the beautiful colors of Autumn.
Nepal
Written by Michelle Della Giovanna from Full Time Explorer. Follow Michelle on Facebook here.
Nepal is the perfect place to visit in the fall for more reasons than one. October in Nepal is considered the best time to go trekking on famous trails like the Everest Base Camp Trek and the Annapurna Circuit. Fall is famous for having little rain, moderate temperatures at altitude, and crystal-clear skies which means picture-perfect views of the Himalaya.
Festival season also takes place in the fall since it usually falls between October and November. In Nepal, there are two major festivals called Dashain and Tihar. Tihar has recently gained popularity for its “Day of the Dogs” where people put garlands around dog’s necks and feed them special treats. Dashain is a fifteen-day festival that is generally celebrated at home with family. The great thing about visiting during Dashain is that everyone is in a wonderful mood, and there’s very little traffic in cities like Kathmandu.
If all of that wasn’t enough, October and November are two of the best months to go on a wildlife safari in Chitwan National Park or Bardia National Park. Both parks are famous for being home to the Greater One-Horned Rhino and the Bengal Tiger. Since there’s little rain this time of year, it’s much easier to spot wild animals by the river in the morning when they come out to drink.
Chattanooga, Tennessee – USA
Written by Jenn and Ed Coleman from Coleman Concierge. Follow them on Twitter here.
Chattanooga is a beautiful city in Eastern Tennessee for a fall foliage weekend. Situated on the southern tip of the Appalachian Mountains, the leaves change every year around Halloween so you can celebrate Halloween and leaf-peeping at the same time.
Chattanooga goes all out for Halloween because of its dark and mysterious past. It was the starting point for the Trail of Tears and the object of many Civil War battles. Believers say the ghosts from these events still haunt the town today, and the ghost tour is ranked as one of America’s best.
If you’re into leaf-peeping and ghost stories, be sure to check out Dread Hollow at Ruby Falls Cave. You drive through a tunnel of brightly colored leaves heading up the mountain, and the lookouts display a blanket of orange down in the valley.
In town, you can stroll through Coolidge Park, ride the historic carousel, cross over Walnut Street Bridge or enjoy the pumpkin ice cream at home town favorite Clumpies. The Chattanooga River affords incredible leaf watching. You can take out a bike from the bike share and explore the 22-mile long riverfront bike trail or enjoy a dinner cruise on the Southern Belle to see the leaves from the water.
No matter how you choose to explore Chattanooga, there’s a little of everything for fall fun.
Vermont, USA
Written by Amy Hartle from New England With Love. Follow Amy on Instagram here.
Vermont is without a doubt the perfect fall destination. When you see a beautiful photo of autumn foliage, it’s more than likely that the photo comes from New England—and doubly so Vermont.
With its cool climate and northern New England location, Vermont has all the ingredients necessary to produce magnificent fall color. It is a mountainous state with rolling farmland, deep, cool lakes, and nature in abundance.
The fall foliage peaks each year around the first or second week of October, usually beginning to show in mid-September.
As a classic fall destination, there are so many things to do in Vermont that are ideal for the season. Everywhere you look are pumpkin patches, apple orchards, and farms selling delicious apple cider donuts. There are corn mazes, hayrides, and fields full of cows, fringed by resplendent orange, yellow, and red leaves.
There are many terrific spots to visit across the state, but some of the standouts are the towns of Burlington, Stowe, and Manchester.
Burlington is the biggest city in Vermont and is a hub of craft beer, art, and culture. It also offers a great number of outdoor activities due to its location on Lake Champlain.
The village of Stowe is very famous. Set right in the mountains, you can’t get much more quaint and classic Vermont than this town. With an idyllic Main Street, lots of hiking options, and the von Trapp Lodge and German brewery nearby, you’ll never want to leave Stowe.
Manchester Vermont is a great town in the southwestern part of the state. This area is known for its history and shopping and also is home to some of the best apple cider donuts I’ve ever had. You can find them at the Equinox Valley Nursery.
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