September is an ideal month to travel if you have some flexibility in your schedule.
Summer vacations have wrapped up, and kids are back in school, making airports and destinations less crowded. The theater and arts season launches with fresh shows and exhibitions. Plus, the weather is still warm and sunny, but most of the heat and humidity of high summer has dissipated. Everything has that newly sharpened No. 2 pencil and clean notebook feeling that makes you want to book a trip and discover a new destination.
Related: Shoulder season goes mainstream
Head north, and you’ll find autumn foliage dotting the trees. In wine regions, the harvest is starting. Or, if you venture to the Southern Hemisphere, you can experience spring weather, too.
Here are 10 great options for a September getaway.
New York City
No place says “fall is here” quite like New York. The month starts off in full-court style with the U.S. Open; it’s played in Flushing Meadows, Queens, and runs until Sept. 7. Even if you’re not a tennis fan, the tournament is a true see-and-be-seen New York City event, with celebrities and stylish scene setters sharing courtside seating with longtime fans. There’s food by top chefs and lots of fun perks and promotions from sponsors American Express and Chase for current cardholders.
If you prefer golf to tennis, New York can also tee that up with the 2025 Ryder Cup, which takes place from Sept. 26 to 28 at the Bethpage Black Course in nearby Farmingdale, Long Island.
And of course, the theater season is off to a grand start as Broadway shows debut on the Great White Way. Shows include a revival of Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot,” starring Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, co-stars of the “Bill and Ted” films.
TPG tip: The big news in the Big Apple is that The Waldorf Astoria has finally opened after a nearly eight-year hiatus during which time the grande dame got a full head-to-toe makeover. The fully renovated hotel now has 375 spacious rooms and suites, down from 1,400 in its previous incarnation; it also has glamorous new public areas and multiple dining options that are sure to be destinations in themselves. Although reservations started opening over the summer, months ahead of time, September is when everything is supposed to be fully online (with the exception of the spa, which should be ready by the end of 2025).
Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts
Rooms start at $1,545 or 840,000 Hilton Honors points per night in September.
Eastern France’s wine regions
When the seasons change from summer to fall in the heart of France, it can only mean one thing: It’s time to toast to all things wine as the grape harvest gets underway.
In the last few years, France has developed a new wine and food trail that provides a great itinerary for exploring the vineyards of Eastern France. Called Vallee de la Gastronomie, the entire route flows from Dijon in the north to Marseilles in the south, but travelers can easily pick a smaller section to explore.
In the early fall, we’re especially focused on the section from Burgundy to Lyon, where wine lovers have a wealth of tasting options, including in nearby Sancerre, Chablis and Beaujolais. Sip at Chateau de Meursault and Chateau de Pommard, both stunning estates with extensive wine tasting options. Or, for a one-and-done vinophile experience, book a Beaujolais Insiders tour, which will take you into the vineyards of the Burgundy region in a classic LandRover. Stop for lunch in the heart of Burgundy at Michelin-starred Auberge de Cep, which focuses on local dishes matched with the area’s wines or even cooked with them. (Their signature dish is farm chicken simmered in Fleurie wine.) Build an appetite by renting an e-bike to see the natural beauty of the area up close.
TPG tip: Como Le Montrachet comprises an entire lemon-yellow French village from the 19th century and sits in the heart of Burgundy wine country in Puligny-Montrachet. It has chic etoile-print wallpapered rooms, lushly landscaped grounds and excellent service. The restaurant here is worth a special trip alone to sip local wines while you enjoy an eight-course French farm-to-table tasting menu. From the hotel, Beaune is just 20 minutes away, and you can easily explore the Cote de Beaune and Cote de Nuits on guided wine tours.
Rooms start at $575 per night and can be booked through American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts and the Mr & Mrs Smith luxury hotel collection.
For a central city stay, the stunningly restored Intercontinental Lyon — Hotel Dieu by IHG occupies a palatial 18th-century building right on the Rhone River within walking distance of the old town. The property has 144 rooms and suites, so if the smaller boutique properties around the region are full, there’s a good chance you can still book an elegant, modern room here. The on-property restaurant, Epona, has multicourse regional tasting menus; keep an eye out for the Comte warm cheese tart, a specialty.
Rooms start at $372 or 62,000 IHG One Reward points per night in September.
Related: Air France unveils its new La Premiere suites in Paris
Memphis
In Memphis, celebrate the centennial of blues legend B.B. King, who would have turned 100 on Sept. 16. Musical festivities in the blues legend’s honor are being planned throughout the month of September.
The live music celebrations will be centered on iconic Beale Street, where B.B. King’s Blues Club and the Blues Foundation’s Blues Hall of Fame are.
There are three main events to plan your September music calendar around: On Sept. 14, there’s a free concert on Beale Street with performances by Corey Lou and Davillage Band, as well as STAX Music Academy. On Sept. 16, Robert Cray, Carla Thomas, Hi Rhythm and more will perform at B.B. King’s Blues Club. And on Sept. 18, the STAX Alumni Band will jam with the B.B. King’s All Stars at B.B. King’s Blues Club.
TPG tip: Former TPG hotel writer and son of Memphis, Cameron Sperance, was impressed by the Caption by Hyatt Beale Street Memphis, the first outpost of the contemporary brand, when it opened a few years ago. “The rates were affordable, the food was delicious and the hotel was charming and had character,” he said. With its central Beale Street location, it is perfectly situated for all things B.B. King.
Rates in September start at $117 or 12,000 World of Hyatt points per night, making it an affordable option.
Prince Edward Island
When September rolls around, it seems like fall foliage should be making its debut. But, it’s usually a little too warm in the lower 48 states for trees to start changing. The answer for eager leaf peepers? Head north to Canada.
Although many of Canada’s provinces and territories offer early autumnal leaves, we are especially fond of PEI (as Prince Edward Island is commonly known). In late September, the summer crowds thin, the island takes on a more relaxed pace, and the leaves begin to change to warm shades of red, orange and gold. The foliage is especially scenic juxtaposed with the area’s coastal blues and grays and red-sand beaches.
Seafood also abounds in PEI, and the PEI International Shellfish Festival takes place in September. Held in Charlottetown from Sept. 18 to 21, you’ll find copious amounts of oysters, mussels and lobster served up alongside live music.
TPG tip: Delta Hotels Prince Edward, a Marriott property, has a prime waterside location in Charlottetown. This means you can walk to the festival or just hit a waterside restaurant for plates full of local seafood, before heading off to explore all the leafy glory of PEI. Extra bonus: The property is dog-friendly, so you can bring your pup on a fall adventure, too.
Rates in September start at $205 or 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.
Related: Best Canada and New England cruise tips to help you enjoy your coastal vacation
Munich
It may be called Oktoberfest (October Festival), but Munich’s beer-soaked folk fest kicks off in September. This year’s stein raising festivities take over the tents of Theresienwiese, where the event has been held since 1810. Festivities start Sept. 20 and continue for two weeks. If you’ve never been before, it’s good to start off by knowing there are nearly three dozen beer tents, each with its own unique vibe. They all offer classic German dishes (hello, knockwurst and giant pretzels). Plus, there’s another separate area that offers carnival rides.
Since there’s always a high volume of visitors (more than 7 million at last count), it is often hard to snag a seat, but you can make reservations for many of the most popular options. Heinz Wurst and HuhnerBraterei and Wirtshaus im Schichtl are both on OpenTable.
If you need a break from beer, head to the Kunstareal, Munich’s famed art district. FLUX, the colorful art installation, recently opened there, and it’s an admission-free, indoor-outdoor lounge space at the Pinakothek art museum complex. It’s also a good spot to get a bit of quiet time.
TPG tip: The Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor has a two-floor spa and pool complex, which TPG principal spokesperson Clint Henderson said is among the best in Germany. The property also offers several great restaurant options. (Note that it is a bit out of downtown, so you’ll need to take the nearby train to access Oktoberfest.)
Rates start at $733 or 23,000 World of Hyatt points per night during Oktoberfest.
The Rosewood Munich is a luxury hotel that has revitalized the Palais Neuhaus-Preysing (which originally dates to the early 1700s) and the late-19th-century Bavarian State Bank headquarters. “The hotel’s excellent location, elegant decor and engaging dining and drinking venues mean that it pulls a mix of visitors and locals alike that give it a certain cosmopolitan flavor,” TPG’s editorial director Eric Rosen said when he visited. “If your budget stretches to it, make this your home base for your next Bavarian getaway.”
Rooms start at $1,013 per night in September and are bookable through American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts.
Namibia
September is an excellent time to visit Namibia, according to the travel experts at Audley Travel, who helped me plan my trip to the southern African nation famed for its epic red sand dunes and rugged Skeleton Coast. They noted that the weather is “warm but not scorching or humid, dry and with clear skies ideal for stargazing among the desert dunes.”
Namibia is home to exceptional lodges, such as Natural Selection’s fabulously romantic Shipwreck Lodge on the windswept Skeleton Coast. There’s also Wilderness Desert Rhino Camp in the northwestern Damaraland region, which is known for its highly safeguarded (in large part thanks to Wilderness and Save the Rhino Trust Namibia) population of critically endangered black rhinos.
TPG tip: In Windhoek, the Namibian capital where most travelers arrive, the Hilton Garden Inn Windhoek is now open and bookable starting at $113 or 20,000 Hilton Honors points per night in September. Additionally, Zannier Sonop, the sumptuous tented camp set among boulders in the southern Namib Desert, has been added to World of Hyatt via its Mr & Mrs Smith partnership; so, it’s now possible to book starting at $1,037 or 79,250 World of Hyatt points per night in September.
The Athens Riviera
The Athens Riviera hugs the coast of Greece, stretching 40 miles from Piraeus, just outside of Athens, to Cape Sounion at the southernmost tip of the Attica Peninsula. It’s one of TPG’s picks for the best places to go in 2025 for its boom in luxury beach resorts and easy access to Athens, just 10 miles away. Best of all, September is still warm enough to enjoy the beach and swim in the azure sea.
Plus, you’ll also skip the crowds and high prices of island darlings like Santorini and Mykonos. But don’t worry, the destinations along the Athens Riviera (like Glyfada, Vouliagmeni and Varkiza) all have beach clubs, shopping and excellent dining options. All this without the need to book a ferry, helicopter or flight to enjoy the sand between your toes and a big platter of fresh-from-the-ocean seafood.
Consider renting a car to make it easier to get in and out of Athens and to visit sites like the Temple of Poseidon, an ancient Greek temple in Sounion.
At the time of publication, there were wildfires and related evacuations in the Athens region. Although the Athens Riviera was not affected, always check before booking travel.
TPG tip: Some of the most notable hotels in the Athens Riviera include the Four Seasons Astir Palace and the retro-glam One&Only Aesthesis, both of which are bookable via American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts. There’s also the upscale glamping concept from boutique brand Domes called 91 Athens Riviera, the new Ace Hotel & Swim Club in Glyfada with ’70s coastal vibes, and the recently reopened Cape Sounio from Grecotel Hotels & Resorts, which overlooks the Temple of Poseidon.
Malaysia’s western coast
Although it can still be very hot in Southeast Asia in September, Malaysia’s western coast — where you’ll find the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and the foodie-favorite destination, Penang — typically sees less rainfall in September compared to other months. Plus, the weather is more temperate, making it a good time to visit.
The country celebrates Malaysia Day, Sept. 16, which is the annual holiday celebrating the nation’s establishment. In Kuala Lumpur, the holiday includes fireworks at the iconic Petronas Towers as well as a grand parade with traditional dancers and colorful floats.
The country is also celebrating the addition of its popular national breakfast to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. So be sure to start your day at least once with a full array of nasi lemak, roti canai and teh tarik while you’re there.
TPG tip: Kuala Lumpur is a hot destination for new hotel development. The Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, which is accepting reservations for Aug. 7 and beyond, is a Hyatt award category 5 hotel. It offers epic views from the top floors of Merdeka 118 — the tallest skyscraper in Asia Pacific. Rates start at $320 or 20,000 World of Hyatt points per night in September.
Though it won’t open until late 2025, the Kimpton Naluria Kuala Lumpur is also a property to keep an eye on. It will offer 466 rooms in the lively Tun Razak Exchange.
Argentina
Head to South America to trade in autumn for spring in the Southern Hemisphere. Around Buenos Aires, September brings warming temperatures in the low 70s and blooming purple jacaranda trees. Plus, the city’s famed rose garden bursts with 18,000 colorful, flowering plants. Enjoy the weather at the Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve, the largest natural space in the city and one of the largest urban green spaces in Latin America; it’s perfect for spring walks, wildlife spotting and fresh air in the city.
For more natural adventures, head south along the coast, and you’ll be able to see Southern Right whales migrating along the Valdes Peninsula. (Bonus: There are a large number of Magellan penguins here, too.)
TPG tip: The elegant InterContinental Buenos Aires is the city’s grande dame hotel. It is in a prime location near the city’s top attractions and the popular neighborhoods of San Telmo and Florida Avenue. The luxury property also has an indoor pool, spa, and several dining options, including a classic Argentinian cafe.
Rates start from $161 or 29,000 IHG One Rewards points per night in September.
Related: LATAM returns to one of the US’s busiest South American routes
Tahiti
Not ready to give up on a tropical beach vacation in September? Keep heading south to reach the ideal, sand-in-your-toes island destination of Tahiti, surrounded by French Polynesia’s vitrine blue waters. Although it’s considered shoulder season, the weather — 80 degrees during the day, mid-60s at night — is ideal in September. Plus, there’s no rain at this time of year, so every day is a beach day. You’ll have fewer crowds and lower prices by visiting in this quieter month.
Off the beach, the island offers myriad ways to immerse yourself in the local culture. Visit Papeete Market for food and crafts, or plan a Jeep tour via Ia Ora Na Tahiti Expeditions; it takes adventure seekers to the East Coast of Tahiti and through Papenoo, the largest valley of Tahiti.
TPG tip: There’s a lot to like about the Hilton Hotel Tahiti, including the largest pool on the island, scenic views of neighboring Moorea and the deep-tissue massages at the Moearii Wellness Center. TPG is also a fan of the dining options here, which include copious sushi platters and even excellent pizza. An extra bonus: It’s just a 10-minute drive from Faa’a International Airport (PPT), so you can start your vacation almost as soon as you step off the plane.
Rates start from $444 or 80,000 Hilton Honors points per night in September.
