Best Places to Go in the Fall
Your guide to fall travel for 2026 and 2027
August 04, 2026
8 minute read
Fall gives you more than one reason to pack your bags. In September, you can catch the start of shoulder season with fewer crowds in some places. In October, you can view foliage, enjoy festivals, and savor the harvest season. November offers fresh-pressed olive oil in Italy and milder weather in southern Europe.
If you’re searching for the best places to go in the fall, use this guide as inspiration. It’s full of destinations recommended by the travel experts behind Collette’s guided tours.
Key Takeaways
Choose October if fall foliage is your priority, especially for New England and Coastal Maine.
Choose late September or very early October if Oktoberfest is your reason to travel.
Choose November for Italy’s fresh-pressed olive oil, truffles, fewer crowds, and more local-feeling travel.
Choose November if Antarctica is on your list; it marks the start of the short cruise season.
Are you open to more spontaneous adventure? Check out our travel deals for seasonal offers.
Best Fall Trips for Foliage
Colors of New England
New England is one of the best destinations for travelers who want brilliant fall color. Collette’s Colors of New England tour is designed to maximize exposure to the region’s changing leaves. The tour includes Massachusetts, Vermont, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and the charming city of Portland, Maine.
When you’re not snapping pictures of all those fall colors, you can enjoy New England food, small towns, the coast of Maine, and curated experiences like a guided tour of Mount Washington, Simon Pearce glassblowing, and a cruise on Lake Winnipesaukee.
For peak foliage, early October is your best bet.
See tour dates for Colors of New England.
Roaming Coastal Maine
Collette’s Roaming Coastal Maine tour is a delightful journey through maritime Maine with plenty of opportunities to enjoy foliage if you go between late September and early October. You’ll get a mix of coastal towns to explore and fall colors in places like Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, and Portland Head Light. Plus, foodies can enjoy Maine lobster and oysters.
See tour dates for Roaming Coastal Maine.
Tours Through Scotland, Britain, and Ireland
For a different palette of fall colors, consider tours to Scotland, Britain, and Ireland where you’ll see reds, golds, and browns decorating the landscape as you explore castles and enjoy experiences like sheepdog demonstrations and whisky tastings.
Top-rated tours to consider this fall include Scotland: Land of Lore & Legend and Exploring Britain & Ireland.
Alpine Peaks of Europe
The Alpine region offers all the colors as forest leaves turn shades of yellow, purple, and red, making early fall a visually stunning time to go on our Peaks of Europe: The Alps to The Dolomites tour. Because mountain peaks vary in elevation, you can see differences in foliage starting at the warmer mountain base and progressing into full color as you get higher.
Our Peaks of Europe tour lets you explore France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Italy, including the Dolomites, with major mountain experiences like Chamonix/Mont Blanc, Jungfraujoch “Top of Europe,” and the Dolomites.
See fall departures for Peaks of Europe: The Alps to The Dolomites.
Culture and Color in Japan
Fall in Japan offers cooler conditions and autumn colors that add another layer of beauty to the country's gardens, temples, cities, and cultural sites. Travelers should keep in mind that popular destinations in Japan will still be crowded.
Learn more about our Journey Through the Heart of Japan tour.
Best Fall Trips for Festivals and Seasonal Events
If festivals are your travel inspiration, Munich’s Oktoberfest is a standout, running from mid-September through the first Sunday of October.
On our Discover Switzerland, Austria & Bavaria tour featuring Oktoberfest travelers celebrate in a reserved tent with food, beer, music, traditional costumes, amusement rides, and the larger folk-festival atmosphere.
In addition to time at Oktoberfest, the tour includes Bern, Lucerne, Innsbruck, Salzburg, and Bavaria with curated experiences like fondue, alphorn making, yodeling, and Tyrolean cultural moments.
See tour dates for Discover Switzerland, Austria & Bavaria featuring Oktoberfest.
Best Fall Trips for Food, Wine, and Harvest
Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil in Italy
Italy is one of the best places to go in the fall for foodies. November in Italy brings fresh-pressed olive oil and truffles, plus a bit of relief from the summer heat. Consider one of these four tours to savor the fall flavors of Italy:
Reflections of Italy - On this tour, travelers head into the Umbrian countryside for an olive oil mill experience with a tasting and dinner, then continue the culinary experience near Florence with a hands-on cooking class at a winery. It’s a flavorful way to experience Italy after the busiest travel months.
Italy’s Treasures - This small group Explorations tour — a perfect travel style for travelers who deeper connections — features food and wine experiences including a Tuscan villa stay, a hands-on cooking class in the countryside, an optional truffle hunt with dogs, and a visit to a family-owned balsamic vinegar producer.
Flavors of Italy - Another of our small group Explorations tours, this tour is Italy through its countryside kitchens, farms, vineyards, and hill towns. Experience a home-cooked meal in one of Umbria's country homes. Savor the famous Chianti red wine during a tasting at a winery in Tuscany’s rolling hills. Tour a traditional Parmigiano-Reggiano dairy and enjoy a tasting. Hunt for truffles with a local expert and his truffle-sniffing dogs. Visit an agriturismo where the owners still age their balsamic vinegar production in the attic
Rome, Sorrento & the Amalfi Coast - Late fall can be a beautiful time to experience southern Italy. Travelers can enjoy a calmer coastal pace while still getting a strong taste of the region: a winery lunch near Pompeii, a hands-on cooking class at a family-run farm overlooking the Amalfi Coast, and free time for local favorites like limoncello and gelato. Later in November, Sorrento and Naples also begin to hint at the holiday season.
Learn more about Collette’s guided tours through Italy.
Harvest Time in Portugal and Spain
Fall in Portugal and Northern Spain features vineyard harvests.
Our Flavors of Portugal & Spain small group Explorations tour is built around food, wine, and regional culture, with time spent in Lisbon, Porto, the Douro Valley, Salamanca, La Rioja, Bilbao, and San Sebastián. In Douro travelers immerse themselves in winery experiences, a Douro River cruise, a winery hotel stay, and a cooking class.
See available dates for Flavors of Portugal & Spain.
Best Fall Trips for Warm-Weather Lovers
If you’re not quite ready for sweater weather, fall is a good time to visit destinations that are uncomfortably hot in the summer and more comfortable, but still warm, in the fall. Consider these tours if you want sunshine and comfortable walking weather.
Gems of Greece - On this small group Explorations tour travelers explore Athens, Naxos, Crete, and other places rich in history and culture. September or very early October in Greece can be more comfortable than the hottest July and August period, though September can still be hot.
Spain’s Costa del Sol & Madrid - Southern Spain works well for travelers who want fall warmth without extreme summer heat. This tour features a five-night coastal stay in Fuengirola and just two hotel stays overall, with time in Ronda, Marbella, Málaga, Granada, the Alhambra, and Madrid.
Splendid Portugal - This tour is a great choice for the fall if you want comfortably warm weather combined with coastal scenery, historic towns, and regional culture. You’ll journey through Lisbon, Cascais, the Algarve, Sintra, Óbidos, and Alentejo. Tour highlights include local wineries, colorful tiles, and food experiences.
Exploring Iberia: Southern Spain and Coastal Portugal - This tour takes you across southern Spain and coastal Portugal, where late fall weather can mean more comfortable days for walking, sightseeing, and enjoying regional culture without the intensity of summer heat.
Best Fall Trips for the Adventurous Traveler
Patagonia and Antarctica are two of our most adventurous tours, with limited travel windows that include fall months.
Patagonia: Edge of the World operates September through March, giving travelers access to remote wilderness, glaciers, fjords, Torres del Paine, Perito Moreno Glacier, and expedition-style cruising through Argentina and Chile.
The Antarctica cruise season begins in November and runs through March. In November you get the strongest “white continent” feel, with snow cover, icebergs, and early penguin activity such as mating and nesting.
Fall Travel FAQs
What are the best places to travel in the fall for foliage?
New England is the strongest foliage choice, especially in October. Coastal Maine, Scotland, Britain and Ireland, Japan, and the Alps can also deliver fall color.
What are the best fall trips for food and wine?
Italy is one of the best food destinations, especially in November when fresh-pressed olive oil becomes part of the experience. Portugal and Northern Spain are also excellent for wine, olive oil, regional meals, and Douro Valley for food-and-wine experiences.
Where is the best place for warm weather in the fall?
Look at Greece in September or very early October, southern Spain from late fall into winter, Portugal in fall or early winter, and Sorrento or the Amalfi Coast in November.
