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Able to Travel in September? Do it!
If you’ve found yourself dreaming of traveling—even just a tank of gas away—September is the perfect time.
For many, September feels a bit like a fresh start. Kids are back in school and new routines are beginning. Lucky ducks with seasonal vacation homes have returned. And those of you with flexible schedules can have all the best travel spots to yourselves.
You’ll find fewer crowds at places that have been relatively busy all summer—think national parks, beach towns and popular vacation areas. For much of the country, it’ll be paired with spectacular weather. If you’re able to travel in September, do it. It’s one of the best months to explore.
If you want to enjoy one of the least busy travel months, here’s a few trips to consider.
Best Destinations to Visit in September
National Parks
I’ll never say no to one of the United States’ many beautiful national parks! The popular ones can get packed – I’m talking bumper to bumper traffic – in the summer. Once September comes, though, they begin to clear out and are perfect places for a little fresh air and solitude. You’ll slip in after kids go back to school, but before the fall colors tourists hit. In many parks, weather tends to still be warm, but not oppressively so, and everything from rental cars to accommodations tend to put less pressure on the pocketbook.
A few parks to consider:
Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains, Glacier, Zion, Acadia
Beach Vacations
Nothing sounds worse to me than a beach packed with visitors on a hot summer’s day. However, with the arrival of autumn, the crowds are gone, prices are low, and cooler temps mean you probably won’t end up looking like a lobster at the day’s end (though wear your SPF year-round, people!). In fall, I love a long stroll on the shore, or planting a chair in the sand and losing myself in a great book. Paired with lower hotel and vacation rental rates and generally less busy restaurants and businesses, I say there’s a great argument for saving your beach vacation until fall.
Check out these beachy spots for a September trip:
St. Augustine, Florida Keys, Jersey Shore, Coastal Maine, Miami
The Mountains
For the first time in a very long time, Colorado bested Florida as the most popular vacation spot in America. If you’re looking to explore the mountains, fall is perfect timing—during spring’s shoulder season, you’ll still find snow at higher elevations. Not true in September! This time of year more temperate weather and less hikers. You may even get a glimpse of fall colors at higher elevations.
Destination ideas:
Chattanooga, Colorado Springs, New Hampshire, Jackson, Big Sky
Vacationland
Every state has those areas where people love to summer. You know, the place where people have cottages or cabins or whatever they’re called in your region. With the kiddos back in the books, there are so many available retreats in the woods or on a lake. You could even look for a cool old resort and channel your inner Jennifer Grey a la Dirt Dancing. Nobody puts Samantha in a corner!
Destination Ideas:
Door County, WI, Northern Michigan, Coastal Maine, the Finger Lakes, Rhode Island, Jersey Shore, Big Bear Lake
Are you able to take advantage of shoulder season? Where are you going?
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Great article!
Love all these suggestions, but don’t forget to mention that travelers should check travel restrictions AND FOLLOW THEM! You mention Maine a couple of times, but it is not open to visitors from many states without COVID testing or quarantine. And I don’t have 2 weeks to quarantine THEN enjoy my vacation.
Samantha I’m heading to Geneva NY tomorrow; would love to see Corning; my daughter works at a College in Geneva and we love the Finger Lakes.
P.S. I used to work at Manchester Central…Big rival of your Alma Mater, Pinkerton.
One quirky September event is the annual “Sound of Music Sing-Along” in the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. It happens one night per year, and the better tickets seem to sell out early.
I completely agree!! I understand when you have children you can really only travel in the summer and on their breaks, but once they are older and out the real fun begins!! Anytime of year is open to travel, but September and October, before the holidays let loose, is perfect. If you choose the non-tourist path of a touristy area you will see so much more. We are heading to the San Juan Islands up in Washington to beat the heat of Florida.
I’m taking a virgin “e-Bike” tent-camping trip the last week of September. Biking to and from a mid cape campground, (Shady Knoll, Brewster) making that home base for the week of exploring the cape on the cool-ass eBike. The campground is nearly right on top of Nickerson State park with its massive networks of rail trails. And yet, I still don’t quite know where to start. Harwich, Orleans, Chatham . . . even Hyannis perhaps.
I’d attempt P-town but I’d need to top off the bike’s battery somewhere and an e-bike charging network doesn’t yet exist. This bike’s only got an advertised range of 55 miles on a charge and round trip to P-Town would be near an 80 mile adventure. With the onboard charger, all it needs is a few hours on a regular 110 outlet. But even that’s a trick to access. All for about 20 cents of “juice”.
Eventually I think the EV Car charging networks will adopt eBike charging capabilities. It’s just a matter of time. This market has exploded and it continues to do so. Convinced me, an old codger who gave up a 40 year history of 100+ miles a week biking two years ago because of a bad knee, to delve in and buy one. I couldn’t be happier. It is as advertised, if not better. It’s still peddling, but with help. Though no extra stress on hills. The technology is incredible!
All that said, Sam, as a wicked long time fan, also a Cow Hampshire resident and native, I thought I’d turn to you for some pertinent Cape in the Fall type suggestions. Are you monitoring this page by any chance?
If so, howdy!
Gerry