Why this is ‘the best time of year to go pretty much anywhere’

By Marnie Hunter, CNN

(CNN) — It may not feel like it yet, but things are about to cool off. That goes for travel prices as well as sky-high temperatures.

“This time of year is really the best time of year to go pretty much anywhere,” says Hayley Berg, lead economist at travel platform Hopper.

Crowds thin out, prices in some destinations come down from peak season rates and airfare drops significantly as fall arrives.

“Airfare drops so considerably from summer to September and October that you can take one of those big, longer, expensive vacations for about 30% less across the board, no matter where you’re headed,” Berg said. She said it’s a great time to hit bucket list destinations.

Pushing a late-summer trip back by as little as a few weeks can definitely pay off, agrees travel adviser Dave Hershberger, president of Prestige Travel in Cincinnati, Ohio.

“There’s a lot of destinations that if you just kind of stretch outside that main popular time, that you’re going to get good value and a better experience,” he said.

Here are some ideas for the months ahead:

US national parks

“A lot less people in national parks in the fall, so that’s always a good option,” said Hershberger, who is an avid national park visitor.

Some of the United States’ stunning national parks have become so popular in recent years that they’ve started requiring reservations for certain peak times, especially during the busy summer months. But the hustle and bustle slow down come fall.

At California’s Yosemite National Park, which required reservations every day during summer’s peak, reservations are now required only on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. And summer reservation requirements for popular areas of Washington’s Mount Rainier National Park, instituted for the first time this year, end on September 2. Airfare to Seattle, where the airport is about a 90-minute drive from Mount Rainier, sees a substantial drop of more than $100 from summer to fall, Berg said.

But not every park fits the quieter-in-fall bill. Places such as Acadia National Park in Maine – where fall foliage is a huge draw – are going to be busy, Hershberger said.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Hershberger also mentioned Santa Fe as a good fall option “because it’s kind of in between seasons for them.”

Hotels in Santa Fe are often booked near capacity on summer weekends, and parking can be a challenge. But crowds start to thin in the fall before things get busy for the holidays.

There are still plenty of events in September and October, and the city’s Georgia O’Keeffe Museum and Museum of International Folk Art are just two of its many attractions for art lovers. Scenic fall drives and outdoor recreation are also within easy reach.

Japan

Japan drew record numbers of visitors over the summer, thanks to the weak yen and pent-up demand for Asian destinations following lengthy pandemic restrictions. While demand for Japan is still high and the yen has rebounded from a 38-year low against the dollar in July, pushing a pricey Asia trip to the fall can mean significant savings.

According to data from Hopper, roundtrip airfare to Japan this fall is averaging $942, a 33% plunge from summer 2024 prices. And prices this fall are down 21% from the same time last year.

“You know, $500, if you’re going as a pair or a family, per ticket in savings is substantial and fewer crowds because most of America and Europe are back to school and back to work,” Berg said.

Hopper is seeing Japan emerge as a family destination, with cities that are easy to navigate via public transportation and low-cost options for entertainment and meals.

Repositioning cruises

Cruise lines are moving their ships from one region to another as the seasons change.

That means some great deals for travelers who are willing to make an “open-jaw sailing.” (Not as fearsome as it sounds, that’s a voyage that departs from one port and arrives in a different one).

“Rather than move empty ships, they sell these sailings to the public, often at a quite low cost. Aside from the savings, travelers are also able to enjoy itineraries that aren’t usually for sale,” said Aaron Saunders, senior editor at Cruise Critic.

For example, a 13-night Transatlantic cruise on Norwegian Epic in October stops in Rome, Cannes, Ibiza, Cartagena (Spain) and Ponta Delgada in Portugal’s Azores before arriving at Port Canaveral in Florida. The cruise starts at $688 per person (or $53/night).

Disney World

Disney parks will be less crowded now that most kids are back in school, Hershberger said.

Walt Disney World Resort theme park tickets for midweek dates in September are about as low as they go – starting at $109 for a single-day, single-park ticket to Animal Kingdom.

And flights to Orlando and other popular spots in Florida are cheaper, too. Fall prices drop by about $80 a ticket to Orlando and Miami, Berg said.

Albania

Hopper’s fall travel preview shows that autumn travelers are likely to save more than 30% on airfare to Europe by avoiding peak summer travel this year. But Europe prices are still pretty high, so it might make sense to choose a destination that’s increasingly drawing visitors with its great value.

Beach lovers have been flocking to Albania for its Adriatic Sea beaches, but the Accursed Mountains and the wild Vjosa River have also earned raves with fewer visitors than the Albanian Riviera.

And if you do want to hit one of the more popular European destinations, fall is still going to be cheaper than summer.

“The price is lower, but there are also more deals,” Berg said. “So right now, for example, you can go from Boston to Madrid for $360 roundtrip. That’s not a deal you’ll find in the summer, and it might not be on the most convenient days of the week, but there are many more deals under $500 roundtrip to Europe right now than you would typically see.”

Fall foliage cruises

Letting someone else navigate makes excellent sense when it comes to visiting destinations that draw crowds in autumn with their spectacular foliage.

“What may come as a surprise, based on it being such a go-to destination in the fall, Canada and New England cruises are also offering some strong deals headed into their prime fall season,” Cruise Critic’s Saunders said.

“We’re seeing fares there as low as $55 per person, per night. These can be really special sailings for people looking to experience the region in the fall – with itineraries including ports like Portland, Bar Harbor, Saint John, Halifax and Quebec.”

These trips are open-jaw as well, so passengers will be making their way home from a different city than their departure port.

Here’s to smooth sailing into fall savings.

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