To many, fall is the perfect time to travel. The weather is still great, the crowds of summer have subsided, and best of all, rates for both airfare and accommodations have decreased. It’s the ideal season whether you’re a parent of small children who are not yet in school, empty nesters, or a group of friends ready for a getaway.

Here are a few of our favorite places to visit in the fall, with tips on where to stay and how to make the most of your visit.

ORLANDO & DISNEY WORLD

Fewer crowds, shorter lines, (slightly) cooler weather. This is a great time to visit Orlando and the theme parks. KOALA has great deals on stays at Disney Vacation Club Resorts such as Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas, where you can watch the wildlife grazing right outside your window. Other options outside park gates include Club Wyndham Bonnet Creek, which has great water parks and pools and plenty of options for one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites, all recently renovated; and Sheraton Vistana, which has well-priced, spacious accommodations that put you right at the entrance to Disney so you can be in the Magic Kingdom parking lot in five minutes flat! 

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas, Photo Credit: Melissia and Jeremy Taziar

A few insider tips from this longtime Disney traveler: If you call to get a dining reservation within 24 or 48 hours, you’re very likely to find something last-minute. Just check the cancellation window for the dining experience and call right after that window closes. Also, if you get a reservation inside the parks before they open to the public, you can be first in line to any ride! Another tip: Turn right. Most people naturally turn left as soon as they walk into the park. If you head to the right when the park opens instead, you’re likely to find shorter lines!

View Disney World Stays

SHENANDOAH VALLEY

There is something so serene and magical about the sunset views overlooking the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains. In Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park, you can hike one of the most picturesque sections of the Appalachian Trail, which crosses Skyline Drive and features highlights like Compton’s Peak, Lewis Spring Falls, and as many panoramic views, fields of wildflowers, waterfalls, and foliage-covered cliffs as you can imagine. You might even spot a black bear! Between hikes, retreat to a local winery for a tasting or enjoy some local culture at the American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse. 

Massanutten Resort

The largest and best-known place to stay is Massanutten, which is actually nine different resorts all set within one large property, with lots of unit types from one to four bedrooms, plus a huge indoor water park and pool complex.

Massanutten Resort

ARIZONA

There is nothing more spectacular than the red rocks of Sedona, where rock formations spread out as far as the eye can see. Some have become so iconic they’ve earned a special name, like the Cathedral and the Vortex. Fall is a great time to travel to Sedona and the rest of Arizona — the weather is still gloriously warm during the day and you can get by with a light jacket in the evenings. To complete your trip, visit one of the many spas to relax and recharge, or head to one of the state’s beautiful golf courses, where the fairways might come with a backdrop of towering mountains or cactus-studded desert.

Westin Kierland Villas

Unplug at the Westin Kierland Villas, a Scottsdale paradise where the spacious rooms have private balconies and the luxury amenities include three 18-hole golf courses, heated pools, and tons of activities close by. In Sedona, the Club Wyndham is perfect for a family vacation, with spacious one- and two-bedroom condos, a large heated pool, and a location within driving distance of Grand Canyon National Park. Even closer to the park is Club Wyndham Flagstaff, which features an outdoor pool, activities center, and onsite golf course.

View Arizona Stays

NEW YORK

New York is back, and you don’t want to miss out. Restaurants, shopping, entertainment…yes, BROADWAY! — have all returned, and they’re even more exciting than before. Fall is a terrific time to visit: The temperatures are a bit cooler but everything else seems to be heating up, with exciting new museum exhibits, Broadway openings, and restaurant debuts. This fall in particular will be less crowded since international tourism has yet to rebound. That means fewer visitors peeping leaves in Central Park or clamoring for tickets to comedy clubs. Most museums now require timed reservations to ease crowding, which makes it more enjoyable to view the vintage aircraft at the Intrepid Sea & Space Museum, the fossils at the American Museum of Natural History, or the masterpieces at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York has plenty of more offbeat attractions, too, like the deliciously Instagrammable Museum of Ice Cream or the interactive Sloomoo Institute, which calls itself “a sensory haven centered around slime”(!). Even better, NYC is safer than ever — a strict government mandate requires proof of vaccination for indoor dining and entertainment, including museums.

West 57th Street by Hilton Club, Photo Credit: Nastasia Yakoub

The West 57th Street by Hilton Club is a great choice for a stay in NYC. Right in the heart of Midtown, it puts you within two blocks of Central Park and a short walk to Times Square, the Theater District, MoMA, and nearly all the best attractions. The studios and one-bedrooms are beautifully furnished and priced much, much lower than most hotels in the neighborhood.

West 57th Street by Hilton Club

So what are you waiting for? Get packing and enjoy the best season for travel!