Ahh, fall. The season of comfort and change. In the Northern Hemisphere, green trees transform into pops of orange and yellow, while blooming flowers take over the southern counterpart. Autumn is also a great way to catch a destination in between crowd-filled periods—so take in the well-deserved fresh air and embrace the joy in this colorful season.
Here are some of the best places to visit during the fall.
1. Albuquerque, New Mexico
At the beginning of October, travel to New Mexico’s capital and you’ll see a colorful array of hot air balloons dotting the sky. It’s all part of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the largest balloon event in the world. The fiesta started in 1972 with the launch of 13 hot air balloons—nowadays, that number totals more than 500. The most whimsical of the events, the Special Shape Rodeo, sends balloons that resemble animals, cartoon characters, and other wacky designs above Balloon Fiesta Park.
Temperatures also get considerably milder during the fall. Throughout the season, temperatures drop from the 80s to 50s, making road trips to some of the more arid parts of the state much more accessible, including the 275 square miles of desert found in White Sands National Park, which is about a 3.5-hour drive south of Albuquerque.
Where to stay: Hotel Chaco
- Book now: Hotel Chaco
The 118-room Hotel Chaco, located in Albuquerque’s historic Old Town, brings in Southwest-inspired design in its rugs, stone walls, and exposed wooden beams. Afar associate director of podcasts Aislyn Greene recommends heading up to its Level 5 rooftop restaurant at sunset for a panoramic view of the city.
The Everlasting Kings Park Festival draws half a million visitors every year.
Photo by Anirut Thailand/Shutterstock
2. Perth, Australia
September kicks off Australia’s spring, and Western Australia is one of the best places to witness this transitory season. While most of this state is made up of the dry Outback, head southwest to Perth and things get a lot greener. Every September (this year from September 13 to 29), Kings Park and Botanic Garden hosts the Everlasting Kings Park Festival to celebrate the thousands of wildflowers that bloom this month. The festival celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, drawing thousands to see native floral displays, attend workshops, and partake in family activities.
While you’re in this corner of Australia, explore places like the Margaret River wine region for some celebrated cabernet sauvignon or take the hour-long ferry ride from Perth to Rottnest Island. There you can catch a glimpse of the oh-so-adorable quokkas.
Where to stay: The Adnate Perth-Art Series
- Book now: The Adnate Perth-Art Series
The 250-room property is only a 20-minute walk away from Kings Park and Botanic Garden. The hotel features artwork just as colorful as the wildflowers in Kings Park, with large-scale murals and more than 600 giclée prints incorporated throughout.
Pro tip: Before you stroll through Kings Park to admire the flowers, Afar editor at large Laura Dannen Redman recommends stopping at coffee shop Cooee for a proper flat white.
The earlier fall months are an ideal time to visit San Francisco.
Photo by ESB Professional/Shutterstock
3. San Francisco, California
“Sshhh: There is a month when the weather in San Francisco doesn’t careen through four seasons’ worth in a single day,” Afar contributor Mark Ellwood writes in an article about some of the world’s best off-season destinations. While July and August can be “particularly bad offenders” when it comes to fickle conditions, come September and 70-degree Fahrenheit temps make exploring all the more pleasant. It’s a great time to see the new green spaces of this standout city, which include the 14-acre Presidio Tunnel Tops, a 2022-opened park built over the Presidio Parkway highway tunnels.
Besides all of the new hotels and restaurants that make San Francisco worth checking out soon, many cultural events are also held in the fall (like the Portola Music Festival). Plus you can even get some Broadway: Wicked is coming back to the Orpheum Theatre from August 28 to October 13, 2024, followed by Hamilton, which will run from November 27 to January 5, 2025.
Where to stay: 1 Hotel San Francisco
- Book now: 1 Hotel San Francisco
Among the plenty of gorgeous—and luxurious—hotels hitting the scene in San Francisco, the 2022-opened 1 Hotel San Francisco is one of the best. Not only is it located in the central Embarcadero neighborhood, but it’s also only a five-minute walk from the Ferry Building. The hotel’s neutral color palette and wood furniture make for a comfy stay in the midst of a bustling city.
4. Stowe, Vermont
It’s no secret that the northeast region of the USA is full of incredible places to see leaves changing colors. Stowe is one of the most well-known in the area (the town calls itself “Fall’s Color Capital”). Its scenic fall views are related to its location near the Green Mountains, where Smugglers’ Notch State Park offers sweeping peaks and valleys of yellow, red, and orange.
A road trip through this region will seem plucked out of a Hallmark movie, but there’s a new reason to step out of the car. Northern Vermont’s 93-mile Lamoille Valley Rail Trail reopened in July 2024 after a flood took out much of the trail in 2023. This corridor for walkers, hikers, cyclists, and horseback riders journeys from St. Johnsbury to Swanton across 18 towns. Check out the small towns and enjoy the locally crafted bites and brews along the way.
Where to stay: Secluded Tree House Airbnb
Take fall coziness to the max with the many Airbnbs in the gorgeous areas of rural Vermont. A 25-minute drive north of Stowe offers a cozy respite in this secluded Airbnb in the village of Johnson. The multistory cabin sleeps six people and offers a hot tub for enjoying the vibrant colors in the surrounding trees.
Tromsø is one of Norway’s most popular places to potentially catch the northern lights.
Photot by V. Belov/Shutterstock
5. Norway
Norway has gotten a lot of attention lately (have you seen the hilarious ad it produced about Oslo?) and earned a spot as one of Afar’s Best Places to Go in 2024. Bodø, on the country’s northern coast, was named a 2024 European Capital of Culture. And Kristiansand, a city on Norway’s southern side, opened a museum (formerly a grain silo) in May that’s home to the world’s largest collection of Nordic modernism.
But what makes autumn—specifically, the later end—a noteworthy time to see Norway is thanks to science. NOAA estimates that the aurora borealis will start trending toward its solar maximum at this time. You’ll want to head north for this phenomenon to get into the aurora zone for the best viewing chances—a few places include Tromsø and the remote Svalbard archipelago (about 600 miles north of mainland Norway). Maybe it’s time to try that EV road trip you were thinking about—it is one of the most electric car–friendly countries in the world, after all.
Where to stay: Wood Hotel Bodø
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Wood Hotel Bodø opened its doors in May 2024, enticing outdoor enthusiasts to the (mainly wooden) resort. Explore the many hikes leading out of the hotel, or go for thrilling experiences like electric mountain biking and trying a via ferrata route.
New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia features world-class whitewater rafting and rock climbing.
Photo by Sean Pavone
6. New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia
Blooming flowers and falling leaves aren’t the only reasons to get outside this autumn. Yes, there’s some spectacular fall foliage at West Virginia’s New River Gorge National Park, but look to the waters—it’s Gauley Season. For six weeks after Labor Day, the dam-controlled Gauley River is open for some intense whitewater rafting. Adrenaline junkies should head to the class V+ rapids of the Upper Gauley, while the Lower Gauley has more manageable rapids, in the class III–V range.
If you are looking for some fall foliage action, the New River Gorge Scenic Drive is a three-hour journey you can take for viewing the poplars, aspens, and cottonwood trees as they turn orange and yellow (usually by around mid-October).
Where to stay: Adventures on the Gorge
- Book now: Adventures on the Gorge
If you’d rather go for something a bit more luxe than New River Gorge’s first-come, first-serve primitive campsites, Adventures on the Gorge offers plenty of lodging options that include glamping sites and cabins (some have hot tubs). The outfitter also offers raft trips, making that whitewater excursion all the more seamless.
