Is September becoming the new August for Canadian and American travelers?
The traditional summer travel season may be shifting. Air Canada is forecasting record revenue for September and October, as travellers increasingly move trips outside the July and August peak to avoid heat and crowds.
HomeExchange data suggests Canadians may be following that shift. September exchanges among Canadian members are up 44.2% year over year, while August activity remains relatively stable. And those September getaways are getting longer, with the average exchange now lasting just over five nights, an 8.2% increase year-over-year.
The numbers point to an interesting shift in how many travelers are extending the season into September, when the peak-season rush has eased.
September is a fine month to travel. Not only are the summer crowds gone, but the mid-summer heat waves should be over in Europe and North America. Prices also tend to drop in the late summer and early fall, and it’s easier to get good hotel and restaurant reservations, and to get into top attractions.
Here are five suggestions for great September travel.
ATLANTIC CANADA
Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia, Canada. JIM BYERS PHOTO.
The ninth month of the year is a fabulous time to visit Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The weather is usually quite good, if a little cooler than August, and the mid-summer crowds are gone. Grab a fresh lobster roll by the seaside in PEI, take a drive along the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, go for a walk on the ocean floor at Hopewell Rocks in the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick, and take a walk through the colourful Battery neighbourhood of St. John’s, Newfoundland.
SOUTH CARIBBEAN
Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino. Photo Courtesy Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino
The southern part of the Caribbean is outside the traditional hurricane belt, so that means you’re highly unlikely to have think about a major storm. I adore Barbados, which has amazing beaches and resorts (The Crane and the 02 Beach Club and Spa are two great options), as well as a rugged east coast that’s fun to explore. The ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao) are even further outside the traditional hurricane belt and offer up tremendous beaches and great food. Check out the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino.
AUSTRALIA
Strolling near the Manly ferry dock. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Spring will be starting in Australia in September, which makes it a fine time to avoid the crowds that usually flock Down Under from October to April. The average daily high temperature in September in Sydney is around 20-21 Celsius, or close to 70 Fahrenheit. Up north in Brisbane, you’re looking at daily highs closer to 24-25 Celsius, which is the mid to upper 70’s in Fahrenheit. Take the Manly Beach ferry from downtown Sydney to admire great views of Sydney Harbour and the world-famous Opera House, then enjoy a fine day on the sand at one of the city’s top beaches. Brisbane is a fine city of its own and is close to some of Australia’s top beaches, including Cylinder Beach. Further north in Queensland, the town of Hervey Bay is a fine base for travelers who enjoy kayaking and other water sports.
WALES
Nefyn and District Golf Course in beautiful Wales. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Wales is a terrific corner of the United Kingdom, and just a couple hours by train from London Heathrow Airport. Cardiff is a lively, enjoyable city with a cool castle to explore, while the vast coastline offers up some of the world’s best hiking. I had a fabulous golf trip to Wales some years ago, checking out the incredible Nefyn and District course, as well as Royal St. David’s and Celtic Manor, which has hosted the Ryder Cup.
TAHITI
A small stream and rugged mountains on the west side of Raiatea. JIM BYERS PHOTO
This is one of my fave places on earth, with dreamy landscapes, crystal clear lagoons, fabulous food and welcoming locals. The main island of Tahiti is fine, especially the seldom-visited Tahiti Iti area south of Papeete. And Bora Bora is every bit as beautiful as people imagine it to be. But I also love getting away to lesser-known islands, including Moorea (mind you, it’s still quite popular) and Raiatea, where I had a terrific visit in 2020, as well as Taha’a, which I visited for the legendary Hawaiki Nui Va’a canoe race in 2010. I’m planning a visit to Huahine for next year.
THE JOYS OF SHOULDER SEASON
Barney Bishop of Finn Partners, one of the top media relations companies in the travel biz, has a nice essay on the Finn website that looks at travel in the so-called shoulder seasons.
“With fewer visitors competing for space, simple economics kick in: Empty hotel rooms and unsold plane seats mean prices drop across the board. As such, it has long been touted as the best time to get away simply by being a massive win for your wallet,” he said.
Bishop said it’s time to change the narrative.
“Shoulder season isn’t just about saving a few bucks; it is the ultimate slow travel secret that has been staring us in the face all along. While there is a valid financial reason to travel during shoulder season, its true luxury is what it gives back to your spirit. Traveling during this time of year gives us room to slow down and truly be present.
“You gain the freedom to take a language immersion class or stroll down an ancient alleyway and allow your senses to take over, noticing the aroma of a family-owned bakery or a simmering pot of fresh soup, instead of the heavy perfume of crowds. You gain the space to linger over an espresso, to people watch and ear-hustle local conversations without a waiter eyeing your table for the next party. You are able to breathe.”
“In the heat of peak season, survival takes priority over presence, necessitating constant management of logistics, including scrambling for dinner reservations, dodging tour groups with selfie sticks, and racing against a packed itinerary. Shoulder season strips away that friction. When hyper-tourism clears out, the destination returns to its authentic rhythm, and you finally get to step into it.”
LITTLE-KNOWN HOLIDAY SPOTS IN EUROPE
San Marino is a landlocked country surrounded by Italy. Manesa Dendukuri/Unsplash Photo
MSN Travel has a nice piece about lesser-known (and probably unknown to many people) places to explore in Europe. The list includes San Marino, Andorra, Kythira, Greece, Visby, Sweden and beautiful-looking places in Austria, Italy, France, England and more. Going in summer would probably mean few crowds. Visiting in September would be even better.
FORBES TRAVEL GUIDE EDGE LIST
A baby elephant with two adults in South Africa. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Forbes Travel Guide’s second annual Edge List encourages discovery beyond the well-trodden path. Centered on the theme of “curated journeys,” this year’s collection celebrates luxury hotels, cruises and trains that create bespoke, multi-leg itineraries that immerse travelers in the culture, nature and spirit of extraordinary places.
Their wide-ranging list includes a railway adventure in Peru, island hopping in Indonesia, and a Big Five safari in South Africa that includes sharks.
