The Best Places to Visit in October to Extend Your Summer or Lean Into Fall

From Indianapolis to Australia, here’s where to go in October.GettyThough many folks love autumn for its fall colors and fewer crowds, chasing the last vestiges of summer heat remains a draw and feels a worthy consideration for determining the best places to visit in October. It’s been a hot summer this year in many parts of the world, so one would be well advised to have a vacation do-over and try to catch some gentle rays in the southern hemisphere as it emerges from the chilly grip of winter. Indeed, most of these travel recs will take you south of the equator (or at least close to it); Brazil, Australia, and Tanzania are beckoning with beaches, festivals, and cool new cultural openings. Hong Kong, with mild weather year-round, is always on and unveiling some significant hotel and restaurant openings and redos. Whereas Indianapolis, a beloved close-to-home destination of those who enjoy the outdoors, is for those who do want to take in the trees that turn fiery red this fall. All of these destinations are featured on our annual list of the Best Places to Go, and we break down the specifics of why this year—and this October—is the time to check out these bucket-list spots.This gallery has been updated since its original publish date.danmArusha, TanzaniaGo this October for: an ode to the late great Dr. Jane GoodallIn late October, it’s expected that Dr. Jane's Dream: The Goodall Centre for Hope will open at last, honoring the life and legacy of the iconic English primatologist, anthropologist, and conservationist. Located next to the Arusha Cultural Heritage Center (itself an exciting hub of African art, craft, and creativity, featuring a gallery, a market, and even a jewelry atelier), the Goodall Centre will commemorate and further Dr. Jane’s groundbreaking research on chimpanzee behavior through interactive exhibits, educational programs, and spaces for community engagement. In the world of sports, the forthcoming 30,000-seat Samia Suluhu Stadium—named after the country’s current president, the first woman to hold the position in Tanzania—has at least “surpassed 80% completion,” as of this May, and is on track to host the final of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which is entering its 70th anniversary.How to plan it: Plan your flights to Kilimanjaro International Airport (yes, at the foot of that Mount Kilimanjaro), which is an hour away from the Arusha city center by car, outside of the rainy season that lasts from March to May. Heads up that August can also be busy with all the travelers flying into the country to witness the Great Migration.Where to stay in Arusha, Tanzania:For an oasis-like refuge near downtown: Tulia Retreat Hotel and SpaFor a lodge-style stay not far from the city’s action: Banana Farm Eco HostelTom ParkerHong KongGo this October for: fun festivals, new restaurants, and a reborn iconic hotel (with another to come)Hong Kong is always a good idea, particularly in October when festivals and expos take over the city. Among them are the second-ever Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo, on from October 9 to 13 with shows for the public; the delectable Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival, on from October 29 to November 1 (of course, the city is home to some of Asia’s best bars like Italian-inflected Bar Leone and zero-waste Penicillin); and the Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival—it’s on in late September this year though, so come over early and stay into October for more of Hong Kong’s festive energy. There’s lots of new to-dos in town, like Sichuan Verandah, a restaurant with great views that opened in April at the Hyatt Centric Victoria Harbour Hong Kong; The Wanch, a live music venue in Wan Chai that got a reno in May; and Joyn, a new fine-dining Cantonese restaurant that opened in May at The Landmark commercial complex. Nearby the Mandarin Oriental The Landmark, Hong Kong reopened its doors this June, with renovated rooms and suites and lobby areas, as well as new dining venues like a Champagne bar and “an artisan coffee atelier.” All that said, Hong Kong will continue to be one of the best places to go in the coming months: the WestK Performing Arts Centre will open in 2027 at the tip of the Kowloon Peninsula, and the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong is expected finish its sweeping renovation, to the tune of more than $100 million, by the end of the year. (Excited to check out the hotel? Visit the adjoining Terrace Boulud, the new rooftop French brasserie by star chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud.)How to plan it: Hong Kong is one of the most connected aviation hubs in Asia; plug in your dates and origin into Google Flights and you’ll find a convenient flight, likely on Cathay Pacific, which now flies their Aria business class suites between the Fragrant Harbor and London, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Tokyo, Sydney, Melbourne, Milan, and elsewhere. This summer, Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) completed its expanded Terminal 2, and is now ready to welcome more travelers than ever to the Asian megacity.Where to stay in Hong Kong:For posh rooms in a reborn icon: Mandarin Oriental The Landmark, Hong KongFor a legend that’s soon turning 100: The Peninsula Hong KongGettyIndianapolisGo this October for: new hiking and biking trails, plus a new contemporary art museumAs ever, outdoorsy types will have a grand time in good ol’ Indy, long known for its greenspaces, as the city rolls out 38 miles of brand-new trails and bike lanes. Add that to the existing 77-mile trail network and you have over 100 miles of lanes on which to walk, hike, and cycle—all of it navigable while using the new Trailways website. Love a night ride? There’s a new, quarter-mile glow-in-the-dark trail specifically for that purpose. Prefer seeing the city by water? You can paddleboard, kayak, and canoe on the White River, which runs through the city and is looking great after 50 years of cleanup. Frank's Paddlesports Livery offers guided tours and rental equipment. October is prime time for great weather, just as the air turns crisp.The more indoor-oriented among us should check out the newly opened Contemporary Art Museum of Indianapolis, cutely nicknamed CAMi, a community-facing arts site comprising galleries, artist studios, a reading and writing room, a kitchen for culinary classes, café, lounge areas, performance venues, and spaces for small local businesses across a 40,000-square foot space. Big Car Collaborative, the nonprofit arts organization that spearheaded the $7.3-million renovation, plans to commission artists for new exhibits continually rather than build its own collection, so no visit to CAMi will be the same as the last.How to plan it: Indianapolis International Airport (IND) is reachable via every major US airport, so that’s easy. Fun fact: It’s a long-time winner of Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, currently holding the fourth spot on the list of the best airports in the United States, as voted by our readers in 2025. Keep an eye on the hotel scene, as the lifestyle hospitality brand Kimpton is expected to open a new property in Indy in the fall.Where to stay in Indianapolis:For luxe rooms with a view of Monument Circle: InterContinental Indianapolis by IHGFor digs in the former Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Indianapolis: Bottleworks HotelTrevor MeinParramatta, Sydney, AustraliaGo this October for: Sydney’s biggest street festival and an exciting new airportLocated just 15 miles from Sydney’s central business district, Parramatta is technically its own city and part of Greater Western Sydney. It’s also home to Parramatta Lanes, the Aussie city’s largest street festival, where you can get your fill of uber-cool music, multicultural food, and thought-provoking art. Scheduled to happen this year from October 21 to 24, Lanes will feature a mix of local and international musical acts like Immy Owusu, who blends his Afro-Australian heritage with psych-rock and soul; and Māori and Chinese experimental duo 花溪 Flowerstream. Parramatta is also home to the new Western Sydney International Airport (WSI), where the first commercial flights will take off on October 25. The long-term plan is for this to become Sydney’s main airport (sorry to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport), so Parramatta, long overshadowed by the more famous center of gravity that is Sydney Harbour, is certainly on the rise. Part of that buzz is the highly-anticipated Powerhouse Parramatta, meant to open in late 2026. With 194,000 square feet of exhibition space, it’s Australia’s largest museum, and possesses collections that cover design, technology, science, and the arts, and include everything from fashion and jewelry to steam locomotives.How to plan it: To get to Parramatta, still do get there via Kingsford (SYD); to start, Western Sydney (WSI)’s first flights will remain regional—to the Gold Coast, to be precise, so you can tack on a couple of days in Brisbane or travel onward to the Great Barrier Reef. From the airport, it takes just 30 minutes to reach Parramatta via car or convenient and eco-friendly commuter rail (take the T1 North Shore & Western Line).Where to stay in Parramatta in Sydney, Australia:For close proximity to the shopping and dining hub of Church Street: Parkroyal ParramattaFor a pool and a steakhouse by acclaimed chef Danny Karam: Novotel Sydney CabramattaGettyFernando de Noronha, BrazilGo this October for: an extended Brazilian summer (technically, it’s spring)Hoping to extend the summer vibes? Head to this archipelago off of Brazil’s northern coast, in the Southern Atlantic Ocean. Warm dry weather and calm clear waters await in this scenic group of islands where volcanic, black-rock peaks dominate the landscape and sea turtles, reef sharks, and spinner dolphins can be easily spotted in the aquamarine waters, much of them part of a protected National Marine Park. This far-flung paradise is now more accessible than ever, thanks to new direct flights on LATAM Airlines between São Paulo, Brazil’s biggest international hub, and Fernando de Noronha Airport (FEN), which now has an expanded passenger terminal, officially inaugurated this May. Effectively increasing in size by 300%, it’s more than ready to welcome a greater number of travelers from abroad. Once you’re there, you’ll enjoy the best diving spots Brazil has to offer, as well as some seriously cool cuisine from new arrivals on the island: Chicama does Peruvian food with a Brazilian twist; Mavi is a “casa Mediterrânea” (what it says on the tin); and Vilamarê is an open-air food hall featuring everything from burgers to steaks—this is still Brazil after all.How to plan it: From São Paulo/Guarulhos–Governor André Franco Montoro International Airport (GRU), the flights on LATAM and Gol (Brazil’s low-cost airline) to Fernando de Noronha Airport (FEN) take about four hours. Take it easy, don’t rush: You might tack on a day or two in São Paulo on either side of the trip to allow for a buffer in case anything goes awry. And in Fernando de Noronha, if you want to go diving, arrange a day with Atlantis Divers, a company that’s been leading dives in the archipelago for 32 years.Where to stay in Fernando de Noronha, Brazil:For a boutique inn, known as a pousada, near the beach: Pousada MoanaFor a White Lotus–style stay with an oceanfront restaurant: Pousada MaravilhaMatt Ortile is an associate editor at Condé Nast Traveler. He covers, among many topics: wine and spirits, LGBTQ+ travel, and—as a co-lead editor of the Bright Ideas in Travel franchise—sustainable and ethical tourism. As a writer, Ortile has reported from destinations like France, Saudi Arabia; Palau; Panama; and the ... Read MoreCaitlin Morton has been writing about travel for a decade, with bylines in Vogue, Travel + Leisure, AFAR, TripSavvy, Real Simple, and more. She enjoys baked goods, Ireland, orange nail polish, and horror movies. One time she held the door open for Ian McKellen, which is as close to fame ... Read More