Best places to visit in North America in October

North America

United States · 30°C (86°F) · 7 rainy days

Honolulu

Waikīkī surf, Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor and year-round warm sea. Warm sea, fewer visitors and good value; the first winter swells may arrive on the North Shore.

United States · 26°C (79°F) · 2 rainy days

Los Angeles

Beaches, Hollywood history, free museums and serious taco culture. Warm, dry days and clear air, but Santa Ana winds can bring hot, gusty spells and wildfire risk.

Canada · 13°C (55°F) · 12 rainy days

Montreal

French-speaking bistros, cobbled Old Montreal and a festival nearly every summer week. Peak autumn colour on Mount Royal and in the Laurentians, with crisp, often sunny days.

Canada · 14°C (57°F) · 11 rainy days

Toronto

Lakefront towers, global food neighbourhoods and Niagara Falls within reach. Crisp, often sunny days and autumn colour in the ravines and High Park; ideal for walking and day trips to Niagara or Algonquin.

United States · 17°C (63°F) · 10 rainy days

Chicago

Skyscraper architecture, lakefront beaches, deep-dish pizza and blues clubs. Crisp, clear days and autumn colour in the parks; marathon weekend fills hotels.

United States · 27°C (81°F) · 7 rainy days

New Orleans

Live jazz every night, Creole cooking, Mardi Gras and the French Quarter. The heat breaks and it is one of the driest, most pleasant months; Halloween is celebrated in costume across the city.

United States · 18°C (64°F) · 10 rainy days

New York City

Skyline views, world-class museums, Broadway and food from every culture. Crisp, sunny days and autumn colour in Central Park, usually peaking late in the month or in early November.

United States · 29°C (84°F) · 7 rainy days

Orlando

Theme parks, spring-fed rivers and rocket launches an hour away. Heat eases and storms fade; Halloween events make October popular, especially at weekends.

United States · 22°C (72°F) · 3 rainy days

San Francisco

Cable cars, steep hills and the Golden Gate Bridge in summer fog. Warm, sunny days and clear views of the bridge make October one of the best months to visit.

United States · 21°C (70°F) · 8 rainy days

Washington, D.C.

Free Smithsonian museums, monuments on the Mall and historic rowhouse neighbourhoods. Often the best month: clear, mild days and autumn colour along Rock Creek and the C&O Canal.

United States · 17°C (63°F) · 10 rainy days

Boston

Revolutionary history, brownstone streets, harbour seafood and Fenway Park. Crisp, sunny days and autumn foliage in the city's parks and across New England; book well ahead.

United States · 27°C (81°F) · 2 rainy days

Las Vegas

Themed resorts, big shows and the desert parks beyond the Strip. Warm, clear days and pleasant evenings make October one of the best months, so hotels are in demand.

United States · 30°C (86°F) · 6 rainy days

Maui

Haleakalā sunrise, the Road to Hāna and winter humpback whales. Still warm and mostly dry, with quieter resorts and lower prices before the winter season.

United States · 28°C (82°F) · 8 rainy days

Houston

NASA's Mission Control, a world-class Museum District and the most varied food in Texas. Heat breaks and humidity falls; a good month for parks and patios.

United States · 19°C (66°F) · 9 rainy days

Philadelphia

Independence Hall, Rocky Steps, cheesesteaks and walkable colonial streets. Crisp, clear days and autumn colour along Kelly Drive and in Fairmount Park.

Canada · 11°C (52°F) · 14 rainy days

Quebec City

A walled French-speaking old town on a cliff above the St. Lawrence. Peak autumn colour usually early in the month on Île d'Orléans and in Charlevoix; cool, crisp days.

United States · 28°C (82°F) · 7 rainy days

San Antonio

The Alamo, Spanish missions, the River Walk and Tex-Mex at its source. Heat breaks and evenings on the river become pleasant; one of the best months to visit.

United States · 23°C (73°F) · 2 rainy days

San Diego

Year-round mild beaches, Balboa Park's museums and Baja-style tacos. Warm days and pleasant evenings; Santa Ana winds can bring short hot, dry spells.

United States · 23°C (73°F) · 7 rainy days

Atlanta

Civil rights history, the BeltLine, Southern cooking and leafy in-town neighbourhoods. Often the best month: dry, sunny and mild, with festivals every weekend.

United States · 25°C (77°F) · 6 rainy days

Charleston

Pastel row houses, Lowcountry cooking and harbour forts on a walkable peninsula. Humidity breaks and the sea is still warm; one of the best months, popular for weddings and festivals.

United States · 26°C (79°F) · 7 rainy days

Dallas

JFK history, a free downtown arts district, brisket and the State Fair. One of the best months: warm, sunny and full of events.

United States · 26°C (79°F) · 6 rainy days

Savannah

Live-oak squares, Spanish moss and a walkable riverfront in Georgia's oldest city. Lower humidity and pleasant warmth; ghost tours are especially popular around Halloween.

United States · 28°C (82°F) · 7 rainy days

Austin

Live music, brisket, spring-fed swimming and the Texas Hill Country. Warm and pleasant, but the two weekends of Austin City Limits and the Formula 1 race push hotel prices very high.

United States · 23°C (73°F) · 8 rainy days

Nashville

Honky-tonks, the Ryman and Grand Ole Opry, and fiery hot chicken. Often the best month: crisp, sunny days and autumn colour; very busy at weekends.

United States · 25°C (77°F) · 3 rainy days

Sedona

Red-rock buttes, canyon trails, creekside swims and dark desert skies. Peak autumn season: sunny, comfortable days and late-month colour in Oak Creek Canyon.

Beach, city or budget: October picks by trip type

What's on in October

Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.

• Honolulu: Hawaiʻi International Film Festival (usually October into November)
• Los Angeles: Halloween Carnaval in West Hollywood (31 October)
• Montreal: Thanksgiving — Canadian holiday (second Monday of October)
• Toronto: Thanksgiving — Canadian holiday (second Monday of October)
• Chicago: Chicago Marathon (usually early-to-mid October)
• New Orleans: Krewe of Boo Halloween parade (usually mid-to-late October)
• New York City: Open House New York weekend (usually mid-October)
• Orlando: Halloween Horror Nights at Universal (select nights)
• San Francisco: Fleet Week air shows and ship parades on the bay (usually early October)
• Washington, D.C.: Marine Corps Marathon (usually late October)
• Boston: Head of the Charles Regatta (usually the second-to-last weekend of October)
• Las Vegas: Vegas Golden Knights NHL season begins at T-Mobile Arena (usually October)

Daylight in October

Day length on these trips ranges from about 10.8 hours in Quebec City to 11.6 hours in Honolulu (sunrise to sunset on 15 October). Longer days mean more sightseeing time; shorter ones favour museums, food and evenings.

October weather compared

Questions travellers ask