Places To Visit In October
The bridge between the summer and the Holiday Season, October can be a little bit of a damp squib, making you yearn for an exotic destination to take you away from it all. But rather than putting your travel dreams on hold as you crank up the central heating, make October your opportunity to embark on one last sunshine trip before winter takes hold.
Traveling in October gives a whole host of short and long-haul opportunities and, if you pick your destination well, you can get more out of your budget as well as beat the tourist crowds. We take a look at what we think are the best places to visit in October so you can get some pre-winter vacation time to keep you going during the colder months ahead.
1. Maine, New England
Best for: marveling at nature in the Fall
Temperatures: 7°C – 17°C
October in Maine is a stunning affair, with all the colors, sights and smells that is the classic New England Fall. Ok, you’ll be joining the tourist trail, but there’s enough space to go around. With lower rainfall and the start of those crisp autumn days, this is a nature lover and photographer’s dream that’s worth the time and effort. Make sure you book well in advance as it is a peak season for the state but with a little planning you will get an October trip to remember. Hire a motorhome or campervan and make up your own itinerary, cruising along the highways and byways to catch a glimpse of that world-famous fall foliage.
Then park up and get your travel backpack on, and make the most of the hiking, cycling and kayaking this gorgeous state has to offer.
2. Taipei, Taiwan
Best for: Culture-vultures, family adventurers and backpackers
Temperatures: 22°C – 27°C
One of the best destinations for backpackers, the island of Taiwan is largely undiscovered on the mass tourist trail, which makes a trip to this East Asian country and its Capital a real find for the October traveler. Often overlooked for the trendier Tokyo or Seoul, we think Taipei is simply stunning and October is the best time to see the city in all its glory. A heady mix of lush landscapes, temples and ancient customs wildly blended with vertiginous skyscrapers, in-your-face shopping malls, clubs and bars, all packed along frenetic neon-lit streets, and you get a long-haul break to remember.
Travel to Taipei in October and you get a breath of fresh air, with the humid, rainy season finally over and replaced by clear skies and tourist-friendly temperatures that let you soak up this wonderful country.
3. Rome, Italy
Best for: seeing those iconic city sights for a cool Roman Holiday
Temperatures: 15°C – 22°C
October is the ideal month to book a city break to the historic Italian capital, Rome. The city becomes unbearably crowded over the peak summer months, with temperatures hitting over 31c, making getting around all those essential sights less vacay relaxing and more of an over-heated chore. But wait a few months to October and it’s a different Roman story. The tourist crowds are starting to trail off, yet you still get that lovely warm Italian sun, with temperatures of around 22°C. And the beauty of Rome in October is that all those iconic sights such as the Vatican, the Coliseum, the Trevi Fountain are much more do-able and enjoyable, without vast crowds ruining the view.
4. Queensland, Australia
Best for: that ultimate long-haul trip to the Land Downunder
Temperatures: 21°C – 25°C
Coming in at the golden spot between winter and its scorching summer, October is the ideal time to enjoy everything that Queensland has to offer. Australia’s second largest state and home to the world-famous Sunshine and Gold Coasts, Queensland certainly does heat. With summer temperatures cranking up to over a hot and humid 35c, traveling in October brings it down to a respectable 21 – 25c so you can enjoy the best of the Oz Spring time.
Spend a few days in the vibrant capital, Brisbane before heading off into Queensland’s vast expanse. Explore Daintree, the oldest living rainforest on Earth, bring your snorkel mask and snorkel or scuba on the Great Barrier Reef. Then there’s the tropical city of Cairns, surfing on the Gold Coast or whale watching in Hervey Bay before completing your October holiday of a lifetime with a few days of luxury in the Whitsunday Islands.
5. Dubai
Best for: sampling the high life without the sky-high temperatures
Temperatures: 24°C – 35°C
As a city, Dubai literally hibernates during the height of the summer when temperatures heat up the desert city to well over 40°C. But come October, and the cooler days (by Dubai standards at least), and this gilt city in the United Arab Emirates springs into life. Packed with beach clubs, stylish hotels, lux shopping malls and miles of golden beaches on the Arabian Gulf, Dubai comes into its own from October, making it one of the top places to relax, party and be seen. But don’t just keep it to the confines of the city, as the lower October temperatures make for a fascinating excursion out into the desert and can be a good way to get away from the peak season crowds.
6. Las Vegas
Best for: living the Vegas party life
Temperatures: 14°C – 28°C
If you’ve always wanted to visit ‘Sin City’ but don’t want to bake in the Nevada heat, then Las Vegas in October is a vacation gamble that will really pay off. The October temperatures do fluctuate but at somewhere between 14°C to 28°C, they are manageable for the Las Vegas tourist, compared to the 40°C furnace of the mid-summer months and rainfall is minimal. And, with the lower temperatures, you will also get cooler hotel prices, which drop from the high peak rates. Other than the Halloween week, visitor numbers will also tail off, giving you more room at the casino or out on the strip. OK, the Vegas party scene will be a little quieter, but this is the city of lights so there will still be plenty of fun to be had when the sun goes down.
7. Bali
Best for: for a romantic beach getaway to beat those winter blues
Temperatures: 27°C – 31°C
Unashamedly a beach destination, there is something really rather special about this small Indonesian island. A gentle life, with miles of white beaches, and a varied landscape of rainforest, mountains, Hindu temples and ravines, the result is a laid-back vacation with an exotic culture and spiritual vibes. Travel to Bali in October and you get the best of all worlds – tropical but manageable temperatures and a dip between the two high seasons of summer and Christmas, so fewer people to compete for your beach-side hammock. You may just catch the start of the monsoon season, but you will still get enough hours of sunshine each day and as a holiday retreat to recharge those batteries or romantic getaway before the winter, Bali comes out tops.
Sources:
- Where To Travel In October – Lonely Planet
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