The Best Places to Visit in October: Autumn Colours, Festivals and Sunny Escapes
Estimated reading time: 14 mins
October might be my favourite month to plan a trip around, and I say that as someone who used to be a summer-holiday-only kind of traveller. There’s something about the shift, cooler air, golden light, everyone else still fixated on their August memories, that makes it feel like the world’s quietly rolled out a “we’re open, come on in” mat.
The tricky bit is that October is doing about four different jobs at once. In New England it’s peak leaf-peeping season. In Munich it’s the tail end of one of the world’s biggest parties. In Cape Town it’s the very start of spring, and in Marrakech and the Algarve, it’s basically still summer if you know where to point yourself. I’ve picked ten places that between them cover fiery foliage, proper festivals, and a few sneaky sunny escapes for people who aren’t ready to say goodbye to shorts yet.
A quick note before we get going: prices below are correct as of 2026, and I’ve quoted GBP, EUR and USD throughout so it works whichever currency you’re budgeting in. Exchange rates wobble, so treat these as a ballpark rather than gospel.
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Best Places to Visit in October: Quick Facts
Best foliage window: Late September to mid-October in New England, mid to late October in Japan and South Korea.
Best sunny escapes: The Algarve, Marrakech and Bali all still deliver warm days and swimmable seas well into October.
Biggest festival: Oktoberfest in Munich runs 19 September to 4 October 2026, so you can still catch the last long weekend.
Best value: Shoulder season means Croatia, Cape Town and South Korea all sit well below their summer or peak-season prices.
Best clear skies: October is statistically the clearest month for Himalayan trekking, with Everest visible from Kala Patthar on the vast majority of mornings.
Tinker's Tip: Don't just pick one theme. Some of the best October trips I've done have mixed a foliage destination with a sunny one either side of a long layover. New England into the Algarve, for instance, works brilliantly if you fancy leaves one week and a beach the next.
October Destinations at a Glance
Before we get into each place properly, here’s the lay of the land. I find it useful to scan a table like this first and let a couple of rows jump out before committing to any deep reading.
← Swipe to scroll on mobile
| Destination | Vibe | Avg October temp | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England, USA | Classic autumn | 7-16°C / 45-60°F | Foliage road trips |
| Kyoto, Japan | Cultural + colour | 14-22°C / 57-72°F | Temples and early maples |
| Munich, Germany | Festival energy | 8-16°C / 46-61°F | Oktoberfest's final stretch |
| The Algarve, Portugal | Sunny escape | 15-23°C / 59-73°F | Quiet beaches, warm sea |
| Dalmatian Coast, Croatia | Shoulder-season calm | 15-22°C / 59-72°F | Old towns without the crowds |
| Cape Town, South Africa | Spring sunshine | 11-21°C / 52-70°F | Hiking, whales, wildflowers |
| South Korea | Golden month | 9-19°C / 48-66°F | Foliage plus festivals |
| Marrakech, Morocco | Warm and cultural | 14-28°C / 57-82°F | Medinas without the summer heat |
| Kathmandu & the Himalayas, Nepal | Trekking peak | 8-18°C at altitude / 46-64°F | Clear-sky mountain views |
| Bali, Indonesia | Tail-end of dry season | 23-31°C / 73-88°F | Surf, quieter beaches, lower prices |
1. New England, USA: The Foliage Trip Everyone Should Do Once
I’ll be honest, I went into my first New England autumn expecting it to be nice. What I wasn’t prepared for was driving the Kancamagus Highway through New Hampshire and having to pull over because the colour was, genuinely, distracting. Reds and oranges layered over each other up entire mountainsides. Photos don’t do it justice, and I say that as someone who’s tried a hundred times.
Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine are the classic trio, and you don’t need a huge amount of time to hit all three if you base yourself somewhere central like North Conway or Woodstock. Boston makes a great bookend too, Boston Common turns properly golden by mid-October and the Freedom Trail feels twice as atmospheric with leaves crunching underfoot.
- Drive the Kancamagus Highway (NH) for the single best foliage road in the region
- Visit Salem for Haunted Happenings if Halloween atmosphere is your thing
- Base yourself in Stowe or the Berkshires for a quieter, walkable version of the trip
- Book accommodation well ahead, October weekends sell out fast
Costs here aren’t cheap, especially on peak foliage weekends. Expect to pay around £150-£250 (€175-€295 / $190-$320) a night for a decent inn or B&B in the busiest towns, dropping by a third or more if you shift your trip to a weekday.
For more on getting around the US as a first-timer, I’ve written a full breakdown of USA travel tips for first-timers that covers everything from ESTA to how far apart things actually are.
Must do: Hire a car for this one. New England's foliage is spread across small towns and back roads that trains and buses simply don't reach, and having your own wheels means you can pull over whenever the view demands it. If you'd rather sort this before you land, car hire through DiscoverCars is usually cheaper booked in advance than picking one up at the airport desk.
2. Kyoto, Japan: Temples, Maples and Fewer Crowds Than You'd Expect
Kyoto in autumn has a reputation that precedes it, and for once, it earns it. Peak foliage properly arrives in November, but late October is when the maples start turning at the temples in the hills, Eikando and Tofuku-ji especially, without the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds that descend a few weeks later.
What surprised me most was the food. Autumn in Japan means new-season rice, matsutake mushrooms, and grilled Pacific saury turning up on every kaiseki menu. If you’re the kind of traveller who plans a trip partly around what you’ll be eating (no judgement, I am too), this is a strong month for it.
- Eikando Temple and Tofuku-ji for early maple colour
- Arashiyama’s bamboo grove, cooler and quieter than summer
- Nara, a short day trip away, for temple grounds turning gold
- An evening onsen, genuinely better once the air has a proper chill in it
Budget-wise, mid-range hotels in central Kyoto run around £90-£140 (€105-€165 / $115-$180) a night in October, noticeably cheaper than the cherry blossom rush in spring. A day exploring the temple district is easily done on foot or by bus, no car needed here.
Fact: Full peak colour in central Kyoto usually lands in mid to late November, not October. If red maples are your entire reason for going, October gets you a preview and lower prices, but push into November if that's genuinely the priority.
3. Munich, Germany: Catching the End of Oktoberfest
Here’s a fact that trips people up every year: Oktoberfest doesn’t actually happen in October, not mostly. It runs from 19 September to 4 October (USUALLY), so if you want the world’s biggest beer festival, you’re really booking a very-late-September trip that just spills into the first few days of October.
Those last days have their own charm, honestly. The crowds thin slightly after the opening weekends, and there’s something satisfying about being there for the closing ceremony, when the tents dim their lights and everyone links arms for one last singalong before another 350-odd days roll around.
- Arrive early if you want a seat in one of the big tents, especially on the final weekend
- Book table reservations months in advance, walk-ins get harder every year
- Stick around after the festival for genuinely lovely Bavarian autumn scenery in the surrounding countryside
Expect £150-£280 (€175-€330 / $190-$360) a night for hotels during the final festival weekend, dropping sharply once the tents close on 4 October.
Watch out: Hotel prices in Munich during the festival window can triple compared to a normal week, and rooms near Theresienwiese book out a year ahead. If you're planning a spontaneous trip, look further out and take public transport in instead.
Related Article: Planning your first trip to Germany? Germany Travel: Insider Tips for the Savvy Traveller covers everything from getting around to where to eat and what not to miss.
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4. The Algarve, Portugal: October's Best-Kept Beach Secret
People assume beach season is over by October and I genuinely don’t understand why, at least not when it comes to the Algarve. Daytime highs still sit around 22-23°C early in the month, the sea holds at a swimmable 19-20°C, and the summer crowds have well and truly gone home. I’ve had entire stretches of beach near Lagos to myself in mid-October, something you’d never manage in August.
It’s also just an easier place to enjoy properly. Restaurant reservations you’d have needed weeks ago in summer are suddenly available same-day, and towns like Albufeira and Vilamoura feel like themselves again rather than overrun.
- Ponta da Piedade near Lagos for dramatic cliffs and sea caves
- Benagil Cave, best visited by boat trip in the calmer autumn seas
- Golf courses at their most pleasant, without the summer heat
- Sagres for surfing, if you don’t mind a wetsuit
A week’s apartment stay in the Algarve in October typically runs £450-£700 (€530-€820 / $580-$900), roughly two thirds of what the same place would cost in August.
Quick win: Fly in during the first half of October if you can. Temperatures drift down by a few degrees as the month goes on, so the first two weeks give you the best odds of proper beach weather without the peak-season price tag.
October's Big Festivals and Events
If timing your trip around a specific event matters to you, here's the calendar worth building around. Dates shift slightly year to year, so double-check closer to booking.
← Swipe to scroll on mobile
| Event | Location | Dates (varies) |
|---|---|---|
| Oktoberfest | Munich, Germany | 19 September - 4 October |
| Salem Haunted Happenings | Salem, Massachusetts | Throughout October |
| Dashain & Tihar | Nepal | Late September - early November (varies) |
| Various fall foliage festivals | New England, USA | Weekends throughout October |
| Seoraksan foliage season | South Korea | Mid to late October |
5. The Dalmatian Coast, Croatia: Old Towns Without the Queues
Split and Dubrovnik in August are gorgeous but genuinely hard work, all queues and heat and cruise ship crowds moving through the old towns in waves. October flips that completely. The Adriatic stays warm enough for a dip, the light softens beautifully for photos, and you can actually walk the city walls in Dubrovnik without shuffling behind fifty other people.
Inland is where October really shines though. Krka National Park’s waterfalls are still flowing well and the summer bathing ban doesn’t matter as much when you’re there for the boardwalk views rather than a swim.
- Walk the Dubrovnik city walls at golden hour, far calmer than midday in summer
- Krka National Park for the classic waterfall boardwalk loop
- Split’s Diocletian’s Palace, atmospheric and much less crowded
- Hvar and Korčula, both quieter and cheaper once the yacht season winds down
Budget around £70-£110 (€82-€130 / $90-$140) a night for a well-located apartment in Split or Dubrovnik in October. If Krka is on your list, it pairs nicely with a wider Balkans trip, and I’ve written up what the Balkans actually covers if you’re thinking about extending further inland.
Money saver: Ferry and hotel prices along the Dalmatian coast drop noticeably once September ends. I've seen the same Split apartment go for half its August rate in mid-October, and island ferries run less frequently but still often enough for a relaxed itinerary.
Related Article: Planning your first trip to Croatia? Our Croatia Travel Hub covers everything from getting around to where to eat and what not to miss.
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Browse the shop6. Cape Town, South Africa: Spring Sunshine Down South
While the northern hemisphere is pulling on jumpers, Cape Town is doing the exact opposite. October sits right in the heart of spring here, with daytime temperatures around 20-21°C, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens bursting into bloom, and the wind that plagues summer visitors finally calming down a bit.
It’s also whale season. Head out to Hermanus and there’s a genuinely good chance of spotting Southern Right Whales migrating along the coast, alongside the usual dolphins, seals and Boulders Beach penguins.
- Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, at its spring best
- Table Mountain, clearer skies mean better cable car odds than in winter
- Hermanus for whale watching, prime season through October
- Cape Winelands day trips to Stellenbosch and Franschhoek
A comfortable mid-range hotel in Cape Town runs about £65-£100 (€76-€118 / $84-$130) a night in October, well below the December-January peak.
Timing tip: Book Table Mountain's cable car for the morning if you can. October winds tend to pick up in the afternoon and can occasionally shut the cable car down, so an early slot gives you the best shot at clear views.
7. South Korea: The "Golden Month" Locals Rave About
South Koreans genuinely call October the golden month, and once you’ve seen Seoraksan National Park mid-foliage, you’ll understand why. Reds, ambers and gold stack up the mountainsides in a way that rivals anything Japan or New England produce, and it comes with the bonus of feeling like a slightly less obvious choice.
Seoul itself is lovely this time of year too, Namsan’s hiking trails turn colourful and the palaces photograph beautifully with a maple backdrop. Down south, Busan’s Gamcheon Culture Village and seafood markets pair nicely with a few coastal days if you want city and nature in one trip.
- Seoraksan National Park for the most dramatic foliage in the country
- Namsan and Seoul’s palace grounds for a gentler city-based colour fix
- Jeju Island’s silver grass meadows, a completely different kind of autumn scene
- Busan’s Gamcheon Culture Village and Jagalchi seafood market
Hotels in Seoul in October average £70-£110 (€82-€130 / $90-$140) a night, with prices creeping up slightly on weekends during peak foliage. A local eSIM makes navigating hiking trails and transit apps much easier here too.
Weather note: October in Seoul stays mild and dry with minimal rainfall, but evenings cool sharply once the sun goes down. Layers are your friend, especially if you're heading up into Seoraksan where the mountain air bites earlier than the city forecast suggests.
8. Marrakech & the Atlas Mountains, Morocco
Marrakech in summer is an oven, properly so, and I say that as someone who genuinely likes heat. October is when the city becomes liveable again for long days of wandering, with temperatures settling into the mid-20s and evenings cool enough for a jumper over dinner.
What I love about this month specifically is the range on offer within a short drive. You can spend a morning lost in the medina, an afternoon in the calm of the Jardin Majorelle, and then head up into the Atlas Mountains the next day for genuinely crisp mountain air and Berber villages that feel a world away from the souks.
- Jemaa el-Fnaa square, best experienced at dusk when the food stalls fire up
- Jardin Majorelle for a quiet, shaded escape from the medina’s energy
- A day trip into the High Atlas for cooler air and dramatic scenery
- An overnight desert trip if you have a few extra days spare
A well-located riad in the medina typically costs £45-£80 (€53-€94 / $58-$100) a night in October. A guided day tour via Viator is a genuinely good shout for the Atlas Mountains route, since navigating the mountain roads yourself adds stress you probably don’t need on holiday. I’ve also written a full guide on Morocco safety for travellers if that’s on your mind before booking.
Tinker's Tip: Pack layers, seriously. Marrakech can hit 27-28°C by day and drop into the mid-teens once the sun sets, and it's a bigger swing than most people expect from a "warm" October destination.
9. Kathmandu & the Himalayas, Nepal: Trekking Season at Its Peak
If you’ve ever wanted to see the Himalayas properly, without cloud stealing the view, October is the month. The monsoon clears out by late September and leaves the sky scrubbed impossibly blue. On the Everest Base Camp trek, hikers get a clear view of Everest from Kala Patthar on the vast majority of October mornings, a statistic that genuinely holds up when you’re standing there yourself watching the sunrise hit the peak.
The trade-off is crowds, and it’s a real one. October is Nepal’s busiest trekking month by some distance, so teahouses along the popular routes fill up fast and you’ll want everything booked well in advance rather than winging it.
- Everest Base Camp trek for the definitive Himalayan clear-sky experience
- Annapurna Circuit for more variety, forest, villages, and dramatic mountain passes
- Mardi Himal if you’ve only got a week and want a real mountain payoff without the Lukla flight
- Dashain and Tihar festivals often overlap with October, adding a genuine cultural layer to the trip
Budget treks with a guide and porter typically run £700-£1,200 (€820-€1,400 / $900-$1,550) for a two-week Everest Base Camp itinerary, excluding international flights. Given the altitude and remoteness involved, this is genuinely one trip where I’d never travel without solid travel insurance that covers high-altitude trekking and emergency evacuation specifically, standard policies often don’t.
Good to know: A licensed guide is now mandatory for national park treks including Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit and Manaslu. Anyone offering a guideless version of these routes for October 2026 isn't giving you accurate information, so book through a proper operator.
What to Pack, By Destination Type
Because October covers basically every climate at once, here's a quick reference before you start filling a suitcase.
← Swipe to scroll on mobile
| Destination type | Pack this | Skip this |
|---|---|---|
| Foliage trips (New England, Japan, Korea) | Layers, waterproof jacket, comfortable walking shoes | Shorts and sandals as your main outfit |
| Sunny escapes (Algarve, Marrakech, Bali) | Light clothing plus one warm layer for evenings | Heavy coats, you won't need them |
| Festival trips (Munich) | Comfortable shoes, a jacket for cool evenings | Anything too precious, beer gets spilled |
| High-altitude trekking (Nepal) | Proper thermals, down jacket, sturdy boots | Cotton base layers, they don't dry well on the trail |
Final Thoughts on Travelling in October
What I keep coming back to with October is the choice it hands you. You can chase the drama of falling leaves, throw yourself into a festival crowd, or quietly extend summer somewhere warm, and none of those options require fighting peak-season prices or crowds to get there. That flexibility is genuinely rare in the travel calendar.
If you’re planning further ahead, have a browse through our full inspiration hub for more month-by-month ideas, including where we’d send you in September if you fancy going even earlier in the shoulder season. Whichever of these ten you land on, October rarely disappoints.
Adventure on,
The Travel Tinker Crew 🌍✨
FAQs
What is the best country to visit in October?
It genuinely depends on what you want. New England and South Korea lead for foliage, the Algarve and Marrakech lead for sunshine, and Nepal leads if clear Himalayan views are the goal.
Is October a good time to visit Europe?
Yes, October is one of the strongest shoulder-season months across Europe. Crowds thin, prices drop, and southern spots like the Algarve still deliver warm, sunny days.
Where can I still swim in the sea in October?
The Algarve, Bali and southern Morocco’s coast all hold onto swimmable sea temperatures through October, though it’s noticeably cooler than peak summer.
Is it worth visiting Nepal in October despite the crowds?
Yes. October’s clear skies make it the best month for mountain visibility by a clear margin, and the crowds are manageable with early bookings and an early start each trekking day.
Do I need travel insurance for a shoulder-season trip?
Yes, regardless of the season. Weather-related disruption, particularly around festivals or high-altitude trekking, is exactly the kind of thing standard cover is designed to protect against.
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Nick Harvey
Hi, I am Nick! Thank you for reading! The Travel Tinker is a resource designed to help you navigate the beauty of travel! Tinkering your plans as you browse!
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