The 11 best places to travel in October 2025

October marks the start of shoulder season in Sri Lanka, making it prime time to visit this gorgeous, sand-fringed island packed with culture for a snip. Though monsoon conditions can still affect the north, it’s still balmy and a good time to visit nature reserves like Yala National Park, surf the big waves of the east coast, and explore the incredible temples of the interior. Sri Lanka is a year-round destination, but heading there in the autumn while it’s a little less busy makes it feel even more of an oasis. Whether you’re hiking, exploring tea plantations, riding scenic railways or relaxing on palm-fringed beaches, there’s plenty to enjoy.

Why go now? The Hindu festival Diwali takes place in October every year and is celebrated in Sri Lanka with firecrackers, lights, singing, dancing and lavish meals. Visit a Hindu temple to light an oil lamp and seek a blessing from the Goddess Laksmi, or just enjoy the energy and colour the festival brings. 

Time Out tip: Designers are flocking to the southern part of Sri Lanka, centred around Galle, to set up boutiques and new designer labels. Leave some room in your luggage if you like ceramics, natural gemstones and organic cotton clothes.

Average temp in Oct: 29C/84F

It’s an obvious summer vacay hotspot, thanks to long stretches of beach and scorching temperatures, but head to Türkiye in the autumn and I can tell you that you’ll appreciate it for a little more than its warmth. The Hagia Sophia really shines when surrounded by crispy orange leaves, and Istanbul’s alleys are a little easier to explore when it’s slightly fresher than 30C. But October is versatile, and with temperatures still teetering around the mid-twenties, it’s plenty warm enough for a swim and a sunbathe. 

Why visit now? Both Istanbul and Antalya host their annual International Film Festivals this month, making October a great time to visit for some art and culture.

Average temp in Oct: 25C/77F

📍Discover the best places to visit in Türkiye

There is more to New Mexico than desert and a certain Netflix show. Our tip? Make time to visit Santa Fe, in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountains, for a mix of Spanish colonial architecture and earth-coloured historic adobe neighbourhoods, plus a comprehensive Georgia O'Keeffe Museum dedicated to her artistic legacy and American modernism.

Why visit now? Every October, Albuquerque hosts its eye-popping International Balloon Fiesta, where you can spot hundreds of technicoloured hot air balloons making their spectacular ascent. It has become the world’s largest balloon festival and the most photographed event on Earth. 

Average temp in October: 22C/72F

📍Discover the best things to do in New Mexico

Valencia might’ve been named World Design Capital back in 2022, but it’s still a darn dazzling place. The aesthetically brilliant southeastern Spanish port city is home to fantastic art museums, contemporary galleries and dazzling architecture. Explore the stark white buildings at the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, including the uncannily stormtrooper-helmet-esque Palau de les Arts opera house and wander the modernist El Cabanyal barrio, with its tiled facades. You’re likely still in with a chance of some sunshine here, too.

Average temp in October: 18C/64F

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It’s pretty much always a good time to visit NYC – at Christmas, you get the snow and ubiquitous festive decorations. In spring, you get the Central Park cherry blossom. In summer, you get the long evenings in the feel-good heat, and then fall brings a burnt amber hue to everything. This year, save it for Halloween when the annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade kicks off in Manhattan, shedding NYC’s pooches in a ghoulish new light as pups and their owners come dressed in ever-more outlandish costumes.

Average temp in October: 14C/57F

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Adventure travel, including diving, has grown in popularity over recent years, and the Philippines’ 7,000 islands get top marks for underwater adventures. Head to Palawan’s Coron Bay for mind-blowing wreck diving, while Anilao is one of the world’s best spots for biodiversity, meaning you might just see something that’s not even been named yet. More experienced divers can also try blackwater diving here, where you’re tethered to a boat line in the pitch-black ocean at night, with a torch, for an altogether more space-like experience. Food more your jam? As Filipino cuisine takes root in global cities like New York and London, maybe it’s time to go eat the good stuff at the source, from vibrant ube (purple yam) ice cream to Lechon (roast suckling pig).

Time Out tip: Visit once the rainy season’s out of the way, in the second half of October, to make the most of its beautiful beaches. 

Average temp in October: 27C/82F

📍Discover the best things to do in the Philippines

With more than 70 percent of its land covered by forest, this Buddhist kingdom is the world’s only carbon-negative country, absorbing far more of the stuff than it produces. Travel is tightly controlled to make sure tourism remains low-impact, so it isn’t cheap – though the $100-a-day fee is worthwhile. A guide is required for some activities (which is worth it because there’s a mythical story behind pretty much everything you encounter here). Go to get lost in pristine nature, breathe in lungfuls of clean Himalayan air and feel extra smug knowing you’re eating right too.

Average temp in October: 22C/72F

Summers in Bosnia and Herzegovina are mighty hot, and the winters get pretty darn cold. You can do the maths from there, and October might be the best time to visit this remarkable country. The number of tourists drops dramatically, meaning more space to wander the enchanting old towns of Sarajevo, Mostar and the rest. Travnik’s charming collection of mosques sparkles a little brighter, while Banja Luka cements its spot as the country’s best night out. More and more people are waking up to the magic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, so make a point of visiting this October to see for yourself. 

Average temp in October: 11C/52F

This under-the-radar city, with its large public squares, leafy gardens and restored pastel-painted art nouveau architecture, makes an attractive city break that’s a far cry from the tower blocks other Romanian cities are known for. Timisoara was Romania's ‘first free city’, home of the country’s 1989 revolution to overthrow the communist dictatorship (brush up on the history at the Museum of the 1989 Revolution). Its independent spark lives on in live music venues, from intimate jazz bars to the grand opera house.

Average temp in October: 19C/66F

San Francisco has never been one to conform, even to weather norms: for warm, sunny SF days, you’re better off visiting in spring and fall rather than summer. Time your visit for October, so once you’re done with the classics – Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and the adorably blubbery sea lions at Pier 39 –you can soak up the vibes at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. In true independent San Francisco spirit, the festival is entirely non-commercial (no ads or sponsorship banners), free to visit and BYOB. Held in the Golden Gate Park, it’s become a beloved SF institution since it was first held in 2001 and has attracted acts including Emmylou Harris and Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant.

Average temp in October: 14C/57F

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Namibia has been growing in popularity as a destination since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle spent their honeymoon there, and the boom in bookings has sparked a flurry of new lodge openings. Some of the best are making the most of the country’s stargazing opportunities in and around Africa’s only International Dark Sky Reserve (such as the sleek & Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge, with a resident astronomer, and Kwessi Dunes, with open-roofed stargazing rooms in each of its chalets). It’s possible to camp in the reserve too, but book in advance as the limited spaces tend to fill up fast.

Average temp in October: 21C/71F