Fall is almost here for folks in the northern hemisphere, which means the summer crowds are pretty much gone from many of the world’s – and North America’s – top destinations.
Shoulder season is an ideal time to visit Europe, with the usual hordes having departed cities like Rome and Barcelona but with warm weather still lingering. Not to mention warm Mediterranean water. It’s also a great time to visit Northern California, which often sees it warmest temperature of the year in September and (usually) very little fog. And a fabulous time to visit Hawaii for deals and for Australia and New Zealand, where spring is just around the corner.
Here’s a quick look at some places you might want to check out for September and October vacations.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Kalbarri National Park, Western Australia. JIM BYERS PHOTO
I’ve been twice in the past five years, and it’s a part of Oz I’ve come to dearly love. Perth is a tremendous, cool city I really enjoy, with great food and fine museums. It’s also home to the wonderful Fremantle “village” or suburb, where you’ll find fine beaches, fabulous shopping and a relaxed Australia vibe. It was recently featured by Time Out magazine, and rightfully so. There are very good wineries just outside of Perth, but you can also drive a couple hours south and be in the marvelous Margaret River wine country (which also has amazing beaches). Or drive six or seven hours north and be surrounded by stunning outback scenery (and more killer beaches) in Kalbarri National Park. You might want to fly versus driving, but the coastline around Esperance, WA is something you have to see to believe.
VALENCIA, SPAIN
This is a city that sometimes plays third fiddle to Madrid and Barcelona. But it features beautiful architecture, an enormous beach and excellent food. The City of Arts and Sciences is a delicious bit of urban design by the renowned architect Santiago Calatrava. The paella in Valencia is legendary.
EDMONTON
This is very much an underrated Canadian city. The Art Gallery of Alberta is a terrific downtown spot, and the North Saskatchewan River valley comes alive in fall with vivid yellow larch trees. The Ice District is a booming part of downtown, with fine restaurants and hotels, including a JW Marriott. Canada’s ‘Festival City’, is set to welcome a transformative new $400 million event park and residential development. Announced this week, the 5.5-acre project will create a new mixed-use hub (housing, retail and public space) near Rogers Place, home of the Edmonton Oilers, and is expected to significantly boost the city’s tourism and event-hosting profile. The event park is slated to open in 2029.
SAN FRANCISCO AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Davenport Landing, north of Santa Cruz. JIM BYERS PHOTO
September is a fabulous month to visit Northern California, as the fog is normally gone (along with most of the tourists). A ride on San Francisco’s cable cars is an endless delight, and now you can ride the giant SkyStar ferris wheel at Fisherman’s Wharf for tremendous views of the city, the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco Bay and Alcatraz. Take a ferry to the lovely, bayside villages of Sausalito or Tiburon, or drive down Highway One to check out the surf scene in Santa Cruz. Highway One in Big Sur gets all the attention, but there’s stunning scenery to be had on the easy drive between San Francisco and Santa Cruz. If you’re really short on time, just drive south to Half Moon Bay, have lunch, and head back to the city.
THE UNITED KINGDOM
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can be congested in summer, but fall features mostly delightful weather and less competition for museums, top attractions and restaurants. I had an incredible visit to Cornwall in southwest England a couple years ago, driving madly about and checking out remarkable coastal villages such as Mousehole, St. Ives and Fowey. That same trip to the UK also featured several days on Scotland’s Isle of Arran, home to a lovely castle, excellent Scotch, great food, quiet drives and a wonderful, quirky golf course called Shiskine. Northern Ireland has sublime golf and spectacular scenery, as does Wales. Golf fans should definitely check out Nefyn Golf Club in Wales, which has one of the most beautiful waterfront layouts you’ll find anywhere on the planet.
DETROIT
An easy drive from Toronto and the Golden Horseshoe area of southern Ontario, and a very cool city. I’m here now, actually, for the annual convention of the Society of American Travel Writers. The architecture in downtown Detroit is perhaps even more glorious than Manhattan or Chicago, the people are super friendly, the food is terrific, and the art and culture scene sensational. It’s also football season, and I’m headed to watch the Detroit Lions play the Chicago Bears at Ford Field on Sunday. The Detroit Tigers are one of the best teams in baseball this year, and they play at the splendid Comerica Park, which is right downtown.
NOVA SCOTIA
Kayaking on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia. Photo Courtesy Nova Scotia Tourism.
This one of my fave corners of the world; a beautiful, chilled-out corner of Canada that offers one of the world’s best drives (the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island), serene seaside villages like Lunenburg and Mahone Bay, tremendous history (Annapolis Royal, Grand-Pre National Historic Site and the Fortress of Louisburg, not to mention the Halifax Citadel) and much more. The wineries are gaining more and more attention from wine enthusiasts around the world, and Halifax is one of Canada’s best and most welcoming cities. Take a drive along the Eastern Shore, just a short ride from Halifax, for lovely coastal scenery and virtually no crowds.
HAWAI’I
Fall usually features excellent deals for trips to the Hawaiian Islands, not just for air fares but also for hotels and rental cars. I adore Maui, which has almost everything you’d hope for in a Hawaii vacation. I had a fabulous week on the island of Kauai earlier this year, staying at Hanalei Colony Resort, One Hotel Hanalei Bay and the serene Waimea Plantation Cottages. The scenery on Kauai is, in my mind, the most dramatic of any of the islands. O’ahu is wonderful for families and foodies, while the Big Island features luxury resorts, volcanoes, fabulous beaches and thundering waterfalls. If you crave quiet, try Lana’i (the Four Seasons at Manele Bay is spectacular) or Molokai, which doesn’t get many visitors but is a great place to experience the feel of Old Hawai’i. If you go and expect four-star hotels and fancy restaurants you’ll be disappointed. But if you want to immerse yourself in the local culture and go with the flow while enjoying tremendous scenery and a super quiet holiday, this is the place for you.
NEW ZEALAND
Mount Maunganui is a tremendous spot near Rotorua, New Zealand. JIM BYERS PHOTO
There aren’t many countries of this size that can offer everything from fjords to fine cities and fabulous beaches, but New Zealand does the trick. It’s a wonderful, welcoming place with amazing wine and very good food. If you’re a fan of the Lord of the Rings or Hobbit movies, don’t miss a visit to the Hobbiton movie set. Rotorua is home to magnificent Maori cultural attractions, while Christchurch features lovely gardens and a relaxed city feel. Take a side trip from Christchurch to the town of Akaroa, which was once controlled by the French and features great bakeries with fresh, crunchy baguettes. Take the ferry from Auckland to Waiheke Island, where you’ll find quiet beaches and wonderful wineries.
AIR CANADA ADDS MALLORCA
Travel advisors will soon have a new way to get clients to the sunny Mediterranean. And a new aircraft to help clients get to France and Scotland.
Air Canada on 09SEP announced Montréal to Palma de Mallorca as the first new route to be operated by its heralded Airbus A321 extra-long range (XLR) aircraft.
Air Canada will be the first Canadian airline to offer flights to this popular, Spanish destination.
Delivery of the XLR fleet begins in the first quarter of 2026 and service from YUL to Mallorca will start in June.
ROGER FEDERER AND HALLE BERRY HIGHLIGHT FALL IN SWITZERLAND
In a humorous and inspiring short film, shot amid the breathtaking scenery of Lake Lucerne, tennis legend Roger Federer meets Hollywood star Halle Berry while travelling on some of the country’s most iconic public transport routes. Once again, the campaign highlights the tourism potential of the colourful season and its growing significance for the travel industry.
I haven’t been in some time, but I adore Switzerland. And the campaign is great fun.
