Summer travel may be in the rearview, but the end of the season doesn’t mean it’s time to stow your best carry-on bag entirely. September is still a great month to add more stamps to your passport, or get out of town on a low-key weekend trip, because it’s the bridge month between summer and fall.
Travelers who want to keep soaking up the sun can find places that are still relatively warm, while others seeking sweater weather can also find spots to kick off cozy season and indulge in fall vibes. Add in generally cooler temperatures and fewer crowds, which make certain in-demand spots more comfortable and manageable. All you have to do is decide where to go.
PS polled two travel experts for their insights into the best places to travel in September – both stateside and internationally. Here’s what they recommended.
Experts Featured in This Article
Mary Cropper is a travel expert at luxury travel agency Black Tomato.
Macey Phillips is the founder of boutique travel agency The Personal Perspective.
The Best Places to Travel in the US in September
- Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket, MA. Travel expert Macey Phillips says September is the perfect time to visit quintessential East Coast beach towns that are jam-packed in the summer months. Expect the same attractions and vibes, but fewer beachgoers. “All the kids go back to school and summer is dwindling, but the days are still really warm and the nights are a bit cooler,” she says. Providence and Newport, RI, also fit here, too.
- Utah national parks. Utah is home to five of the country’s beautiful national parks – Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Capitol Reef, and Canyonlands – all of which can be crowded and hot in the summer. Take advantage of cooler temperatures and thinner crowds in mid to late September. “It’ll be more manageable to be outside, and less [people] make it easier to navigate the trails and there will be shorter lines getting in and out of the parks,” travel expert Mary Cropper says. These parks are close enough that you can see several in one trip and drive between them; group together Bryce and Zion, or stay in Moab to explore both Canyonlands and Arches.
- Charleston, SC. Travelers seek out Charleston year-round, but its stifling heat and humidity makes for an often sticky trip. Phillips says September is one of the best months to visit because the cooler weather makes it more tolerable. Experience the city’s renowned dining scene and architecture in between beach trips, and go to one of the major festivals the city hosts this month, like the Food & Wine Classic and the Lowcountry Jazz Festival.
- New England. If you’re ready to hang up your swimsuit, good news: the autumn equinox on September 22 officially ushers in fall in the Northern Hemisphere. While peak foliage times vary by destination, Cropper says, “September kicks off leaf peeping season,” and that many East Coast states will be showing off orange, red, and yellow foliage come late September.
The Best Places to Travel Internationally in September
- Borneo. September is the ideal time to see Borneo’s stunning landscapes and biodiversity, Cropper says. The end of the rainy season means animals are coming further out of the forest to find food, which increases visitors’ chances of seeing wildlife like orangutans, Bornean elephants, rhinoceros hornbills, pit vipers, and proboscis monkeys in their natural habitats. Book rainforest wildlife spotting tours, and stay in a lodge on the banks of the Kinabatangan River to see the flora and fauna on a river safari.
- Amalfi Coast, Italy. The sun-soaked beaches and stunning views on Italy’s southern coast draw massive crowds June through August. Phillips says September is the ideal time to visit places like Sorrento and Positano; you’ll get everything the summer crowd is after, just with fewer people and milder weather. “You’ll still get that Italian beach vacation, but the crowds are about half of what they are in the summer,” Phillips explains.
- Indonesia. Cropper says September is the last month of the island nation’s dry season, which is best for visiting. It’ll still be hot, but less rain makes getting to places like Bali more manageable. “You can get quite an active and adventurous tour of Indonesia in September,” Cropper says. “It’s a good opportunity to come check out some dragons on Komodo island, and do some R&R on Bali, and then see some of the more rural and mountainous regions if you’re into wildlife.”
The Cheapest Places to Travel in September
Budget travelers have some good options for September, Cropper and Philllips say. Aim to book trips in your desired destination’s off months, or shoulder seasons.
- Sedona, AZ. Sedona is an in-demand destination for nature and wellness enthusiasts, and Cropper says price drops and much more tolerable weather make it more accessible in September. Stay in town to take in Arizona’s famed red rocks by hiking the Castle Rock, Devil’s Bridge, or West Fork trails, or visit a local spa. Sedona is also a great home base for trips to the Grand Canyon, Tucson, or Scottsdale.
- Puerto Rico. If you’re after great beaches and culture on a budget, consider Puerto Rico. September is typically one of the cheapest months to travel to Puerto Rico because it coincides with the peak of hurricane season. “It’s still tropical, and you can get some pretty good deals before holiday travel starts,” Phillips says.
Helen Carefoot is a freelance lifestyle, culture, and entertainment journalist based in Washington, D.C. Previously, she was Well+Good’s Lifestyle Writer and worked at The Washington Post on the lifestyle desk in the features section.
