10 incredible places to visit in October around the world

Updated August 20, 2024

For many in the Northern Hemisphere, travel in autumn is associated with a few beloved cliches: leaf-peeping, apple-picking, hayrides, haunted mansions, and (dare we say it?) pumpkin spice lattes. But beyond the classics, there are countless fun twists on the formula wherever you look: In New Orleans, Halloween festivities often take on a voodoo flavor with a night parade that’s reminiscent of Mardi Gras, and in South Korea, autumn leaves are best viewed on a fairy-tale-like island.

October also means pleasant weather, shoulder season steals, and a slew of festivals, including the State Fair of Texas. Here are 10 autumnal activities worth traveling for.

Average temp: 57ºF high, 42ºF low

Every autumn, as salmon around the world swim upstream to spawn, bears take advantage of the bounty and fatten up before their winter hibernation. It’s one of the most time-honored natural spectacles on the planet, and you can see it for yourself in British Columbia’s Campbell River each October. Located on the eastern side of Vancouver Island, the river and surrounding city serve as a habitat for five species of Pacific salmon, which has helped it earn the nickname of the "salmon capital of the world.” With more salmon come more bears; there are an estimated 7,000 to 12,000 black bears in the region, so it’s not uncommon to catch a glimpse of one fishing or snacking on berries right in town.

A guided tour will increase your chances of black and grizzly bear-spotting. Campbell River Whale Watching and Adventure Tours, for instance, offers an eight-hour sightseeing cruise to Toba Inlet, where you can watch bears hunt for salmon alongside a guide from the Klahoose First Nation. And back in town, you can learn more about salmon by visiting the Quinsam River Hatchery—or go on a fishing outing with experienced operators like Sea Beyond Adventures or Coastal Wilderness Adventures.

Average temp: 83ºF high, 46ºF low

Last autumn, the Sphere opened just east of the Las Vegas Strip. At 36 stories tall, the audacious venue is covered in programmable LEDs that have transformed it into everything from an eyeball to the moon, and it has hosted the likes of U2, Phish, and Dead & Company. In September, the Eagles kick off a residency, and this month, they’ll perform on October 11, 12, 18, and 19. (Like most A-lister concert tours lately, tickets are selling out fast, but there are official resale options available.)

Music lovers should also check out other residencies happening this month—including Santana at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino—or visit the Punk Rock Museum, which opened in 2023 and offers themed guided tours. (In case you’re wondering, you can get married there, too.)

Average temp: 87ºF high, 75ºF low

October in St. Lucia is Creole Heritage Month, an annual celebration of French Creole culture and history that’s been taking place since the ‘80s. For travelers, this means family-friendly festivities throughout the month, ranging from performances to street parties. It all culminates with Jounen Kwéyòl (or Creole Day) on the last Sunday of October.

You’ll find a celebratory spirit all over the island, but if you’re also looking for a relaxing, low-stress vacation, make Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort your home base. The resort, which completed a $12 million renovation last spring, hosts an array of Creole Heritage Month events, including fashion shows, mixology competitions, and historical exhibits. Bonus: the resort’s multi-bedroom villas are ideal for family reunions—if you can, book one of the hillside options so you can soak up the views of the bay below.

Average temp: 81ºF high, 62ºF low

As a hub for voodoo culture and one of the most haunted places in the U.S., it’s no surprise that New Orleans leans into the spooky season long before Halloween. On October 19, the Krewe of BOO! parade glides through the streets of the French Quarter with its macabre fiberglass and papier-mâché props. If you can handle jump scares, consider a visit to the Mortuary Haunted Mansion, which occupies an 1872 mansion that was an actual mortuary for about 80 years. This year, the attraction is—gasp!—election-themed.

No matter when you visit, check out the popular New Orleans Ghost, Voodoo, and Vampire Walking Tour, which stops at historic destinations like the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, and the LaLaurie Mansion. Or, join a local voodoo high priestess on a walking tour with Anansi’s Daughters.

Average temp: 73ºF high, 59ºF low

This off-the-beaten-path seaside town—a 3.5-hour drive from Lisbon on Portugal’s southeastern tip—is a major biodiversity hotspot. It provides one last rest stop for thousands of migratory birds on their way to spend the winter in Africa—and in October, Sagres celebrates with a massive birdwatching festival. As part of the fest, you can take guided tours, go on boat trips, attend workshops, and even do some hands-on science by helping researchers attach ID bands to birds. And, of course, you’ll want to keep your eyes trained on the sky for birds of all shapes and sizes; last year, festival-goers recorded an impressive 148 species, including relative rarities like the rosy starling and the Mediterranean shearwater.

The 2024 festival runs from October 5–8, but if you can’t make those dates, you can still catch a glimpse of the migration throughout the entire month. Plus, this region is also a great destination for other outdoor adventures, including learning how to surf or watching dolphins in the Med.

Average temp: 67ºF high, 46ºF low

A few hours northeast of Seoul, Nami Island looks like something out of a fairy-tale, with long, straight pathways lined with redwoods, ginkgos, and pines. In October, many of the trees’ leaves turn golden yellow, lending a glow to the already breathtaking landscape.

A guided tour with outfitters like Ktourstory or SA Tour makes for an easy Seoul day trip. If you want to get there on your own, just know it’s a multi-part journey that includes a 40-minute train ride to Gapyeong Station, a taxi or a bus ride to the wharf, and then a quick ferry trip departs. Adventurous types can also skip the ferry and arrive on the island by zipline (yes, really). The Skyline Zipwire costs about $36 per person and takes 90 seconds to make the adrenaline-pumping glide to the island.

Nami appeared on the popular K-drama Winter Sonata, so be forewarned: You may encounter big crowds. But you can still find plenty of moments of solitude and tranquility among the trees. Go first thing in the morning or stay late if you want to avoid other tourists.

Average temp: 79ºF high, 58ºF low

Since 1886, the State Fair of Texas has taken over Dallas’ massive Fair Park, bringing parades, fireworks, dog stunt shows, agriculture displays, and millions of visitors to its three-week run. This year, it’ll take place from September 27 to October 20—and the can’t-miss act is a new country-music-themed Cirque du Soleil performance called "Songblazers." Hot tip: Consider a $60 season pass, which includes perks like a free one-way ride on the Texas Skyway, two discounted parking vouchers, $10 off state fair merchandise, and much more.

Outside the fairgrounds, this underrated city has plenty to offer come autumn. The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, for instance, hosts a fall festival that last year included 150,000 seasonal blooms and 90,000 pumpkins and gourds. It makes for a great photo op. Be sure to check into the newly opened Hôtel Swexan, 10 minutes from the fairgrounds, too. The on-site Stillwell’s is serving up inventive steakhouse fare—think foie gras donuts, bone marrow with beef jam. It’s decidedly swankier than what you’ll find at the fair.

Average temp: 67ºF high, 44ºF low

In the Northern Hemisphere, October means autumn leaves, but down under, it’s the height of spring. Australia’s capital celebrates the season with Floriade (September 14 to October 13), the Southern Hemisphere’s largest flower festival, which includes one million blooms planted in Commonwealth Park. At the National Arboretum Canberra, look for seasonal blossoms like the weeping snow gum, which bursts to life with the most delicate clusters of white flowers you can imagine.

With the weather sunny but breezy, it’s a beautiful time to get out on a sunrise hot-air balloon ride, a drive through the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, or a bushwalk in Namadgi National Park. This time of year brings about stunning wildflowers in the more rugged stretches of the Australian Capital Territory, so keep your eyes peeled for black tongue caladenias, nodding blue lilies, and billy buttons at Namagdi. Note that the higher elevation you go, the later in October the wildflowers will be reaching their colorful peak.

Average temp: 75ºF high, 62ºF low

A stroll through Charleston can feel like you’re walking through American architectural history, with buildings that represent nearly every style since the city was founded back in 1670, including Greek Revival, Federal, Georgian, Victorian, and Italianate. Throughout October, the Preservation Society of Charleston runs its Fall Tours, which invites small groups to explore homes and gardens not usually open to the public. If your preferred itinerary sells out, you’re in luck: This year, for the first time ever, the festival will also release a series of free self-guided walking routes through its app.

If you want to learn more about the city’s residential spaces, stop into house museums like the Aiken-Rhett House, which dates back to the 1820s, and the Nathaniel Russell House, which was built in 1808. Opened in 1738, Drayton Hall is America’s oldest unrestored plantation house still open to the public, and it doesn’t shy away from its history, with tours and exhibits dedicated to the enslaved men, women, and children who lived here.

Average temp: 61ºF high, 46ºF low

Provincetown tends to get busy from June to August. But there are plenty of reasons to visit this town at the very tip of Cape Cod in the off-season—chief among them, a more laid-back vibe and tons of inclusive events.

One of Provincetown’s most beloved festivals takes place in October: TransWeek (formerly known as Fantasia Fair), which has been creating community among people who identify as transgender—plus their friends, families, and all other allies—since 1975. The week-long affair in late October is the longest-running transgender conference in the world, and includes an array of formal and informal activities, from academic gender theory workshops to parties. There’s a registration fee that increases as the conference gets closer, but there are also free events available to all.

The seaside city also hosts Women’s Week in October, an annual LGBTQ+ gathering that includes film screenings, concerts, comedy shows, and other festivities. Consider booking one of the properties run by the Women Innkeepers of Provincetown, including Ravenwood, Rose Acre, or Gabriel’s, A Provincetown Hotel.

Even if you don’t attend the events, you’ll still feel the love in P-town. Stop into the Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum for its ongoing exhibit on a century of queer history in the town or see what’s on display at the Provincetown Art Association and Museum.