September may just be the best month to travel. Tourist crowds thin out, flight and hotel prices drop, and the sun still shines in many places. Here’s where it’s hot in September.
Warm places to visit in September.
September offers some of the best vacation opportunities to enjoy the last rays of sun. The Southern Hemisphere is springing into life, too, with warm temperatures and low humidity before the monsoon season. Read on for my top picks on where to go for September sun.
Where is hot in September?
- Honolulu, Hawai‘i
- Los Angeles, California
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Antalya, Turkey
- Seville, Spain
- Mallorca, Spain
- Athens, Greece
- Cebu, Philippines
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Fukuoka, Japan
Where is it hot in September in the US?
In the US, end-of-summer parties and Labor Day make the most of the warm September weather.
1. Honolulu, Hawai‘i
- Average September temperature: 82°F
O‘ahu’s major metropolis is a brilliant balance of big city facilities and beautiful beaches. With average high temperatures of 88°F and so little rain, it’s not worth mentioning, September is a great month to visit.
The summer crowds are thinning and the extensive hiking trails beyond the city limits are more manageable. Its most famed district, Waikiki, still throbs with people.
You’ll find locals and visitors lining its eponymous beach, browsing the high-end fashion stores of Kalakaua Avenue and dining and drinking at waterside restaurants. But away from this tourist hotspot, Honolulu offers a quieter, more authentic Polynesian experience.
Hawai‘ian history is laid bare at ‘Iolani Palace. Home to the Hawai‘ian monarchy and witness to its downfall, the palace has been transformed into a decadent museum and grounds. The Bishop Museum is a showcase of Hawai‘ian culture and probably the finest Polynesian anthropological museum in the world.
2. Los Angeles, California
- Average September temperature: 72°F
Skip LA’s inner-city heat and head for the beaches of Malibu, Santa Monica, and Venice. While the Pacific never gets warm, the glistening bodies of LA’s suntanning elite should be enough to convince you the beach is still the right decision.
Labor Day weekend is the last outing for many vacationers, which leaves the rest of the month blissfully quiet. Or as quiet as LA’s beaches get. Bike the boardwalk north from Venice dodging in-line skaters, bodybuilders, and the mania of beach life on the way.
In Santa Monica, stop off at Crudo e Nudo to throw back some oysters on the half shell. Then onwards to Malibu for sundowners at Malibu Farm Restaurant. A perfect LA day.
Abbot Kinney in Venice will bring back its annual street festival on the last Sunday of September. Expect live music, beer gardens, hundreds of vendors, and food stalls cooking under the September sun.
3. Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Average September temperature: 82°F
If the East Coast is more convenient than LA, Fort Lauderdale is even warmer. Average temperatures sit around 82°F but average highs swelter at 90°. You can expect regular rain, but there are plenty of bars, restaurants, shops and galleries to shelter in.
When the sun shines, the star of the show is Fort Lauderdale’s 23 miles of beachfront. Las Olas is at the heart of the action. Its long, easy-access beach and nearby boulevard filled with shops, bars, and restaurants draw locals and tourists alike.
I prefer Dania Beach to the city’s south. The deck of the Quarterdeck seafood restaurant at the pier is a great place to see out the day with giant margaritas and platters of shellfish.
Just north, Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park is rich with birds, wildlife and sea turtles. It’s a refreshing sanctuary from the mania of development along the coast.
Warm places to visit in Europe this September.
Southern Europe is at its best in September, especially the glorious islands and resorts across the Aegean and Mediterranean.
4. Antalya, Turkey
- Average September temperature: 77°F
The gateway to the Turkish Riviera is a well-trodden jewel and the largest city on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. September sees luminous blue skies and seas, zero rain, and average high temperatures a sweat-inducing 88°F.
Antalya is that great thing – a successful blend of ancient and modern. At its heart, the gorgeous old town of Kaleiçi is a tangle of atmospheric lanes lined with Ottoman houses. Follow them east to the top of Hesapçi Sokak to marvel at the awesome Hadrian’s Gate, built for the Roman emperor’s visit in 130 AD.
Then head down towards the ancient Roman Harbor to Hidirlik Tower to drink in its sweeping coastal views. Further east along the coast, don’t miss the natural wonder of the Lower Duden Waterfalls tumbling from cliffs into the sea.
If it stirs the need to dive in, tiny Mermerli Beach in the old town is convenient and achingly pretty, but you’ll need to pay to enter. For a bit more space, my pick is Konyaaltı Beach to the west with its stunning mountain backdrop.
5. Seville, Spain
- Average September temperature: 77°F
Andalusia, the region of southern Spain that Seville calls home, is a furnace during high summer. September is the first month when things start to cool. Temperatures average in the high 70s (although high averages still climb to 90°F) and the city is reinvigorated by it.
Shops, bars, and restaurants that close for the traditional August break reopen. Tables spill onto streets, and the air resonates with the clink of cañas (small glasses of beer) and finos (refined Spanish sherry), and the chatter of locals.
Find shade from the sun in the narrow city streets and spectacular architecture. The Moorish, Gothic and Renaissance Alcázar Real will blow your socks off. Visit the tomb of Christopher Columbus at the enormous Catedral de Sevilla and climb the Giralda Tower for epic views over the city.
6. Mallorca, Spain
- Average September temperature: 73°F
The star of Spain’s Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, is a September dream. The average high temperature climbs to a beach-friendly 81°F, and the selection of beaches is impressive, too.
There’s famed Es Trenc with its caster sugar sand and seas that glow an impossible blue. On the east coast, Cala Varques has escaped the surrounding development to retain its unspoiled vibe, nudism and all. Hidden away in the northeast, I love Cala Torta beach for its wild, rugged feel.
Prize yourself away from the beaches to cool in the high peaks of the UNESCO Serra de Tramuntana. For accommodation, stay in the Golden Valley of Sóller for a taste of Mallorcan coastal living.
Take a trip on the historic steam train from the station decorated with Picassos and Mirós. The train ride through the mountains to Mallorca’s breathtaking capital, Palma, is one of my favorite rail journeys anywhere.
7. Athens, Greece
- Average September temperature: 75°F
Fall is the most agreeable time to visit Greece’s ancient and iconic capital. As the temperatures drop to a pleasant average of 75°, the buzz of summer tourism calms. If this is your first visit, don’t overlook Athens’ status as the birthplace of Western civilization. It would be criminal to miss the neoclassical highlights.
- The Parthenon atop the Acropolis dominates the city, rising majestically at its center.
- Ancient Agora, where Socrates philosophized and the seeds of democracy were first sewn.
- The extraordinarily well-preserved Doric Temple of Hephaestus with its epic frieze depicting the Labors of Hercules.
Then there’s Athens’ modern side. The city has developed a thriving art scene, helped in no small part by the 2020 opening of the excellent National Museum of Contemporary Art.
There’s also a buzzing food and drink scene. Gorge first on dinner that’s almost as good as the views at Orizontes Lycabettus. Then explore the extensive Greek wine list at hipster hangout Tannin My Love.
Where is hot in September in Asia.
Asia sees September rains refresh the air and reduce the tourist numbers. Here are my top picks.
8. Cebu, Philippines
- Average September temperature: 82°F
Among the best tropical places to travel in September, the island of Cebu rates close to the top. Still scorching with temperatures wavering in the mid to high 80s (average highs are 88°F), it’s a sunny, sweltering delight.
Foremost among its attractions is the incredible diving, which draws underwater adventurers from across the globe. Malapascua in the north and Moalboal in the southwest are the highlights. For something out there, try your hand at spelunking in the caves below Talisay or Bantayan.
You’ll find ridiculous white-sand beaches to laze on whichever direction you go, often fringed by ramshackle eateries serving cheap local street food.
At the island’s heart, buzzing but misunderstood Cebu City. The oldest city in the Philippines has long been lush but grubby, historic but neglected. In recent years it’s grown in stature as a tourist hub and has taken to the role with aplomb.
New restaurants, shopping districts, and hotels are beginning to showcase its varied culture, Latin influences, and spectacular setting.
9. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Average September temperature: 81°F
Malaysia’s capital is growing in stature and allure. Long considered more of a stopover city on route to the established backpacker metropolises of Southeast Asia, that status is fast changing.
September is low season in this part of the world but average high temperatures of 88°F keep things hot and humid. Rainfall averages seven inches over the month, but it’s mostly short, sharp showers.
Dodge them exploring the Petronas Towers and, set to open this September, the observation deck of Merdeka 118, the world’s second tallest building. When the skies clear, stroll colorful, chaotic streets under the shade of banyan trees.
10. Fukuoka, Japan
- Average September temperature: 75°F
On the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, friendly Fukuoka’s long cultivated under-the-radar vibe is undergoing a transformation. September temperatures range from the mid 70s to the low 80s and rain is minimal.
It is ideal for one of Japan’s most compact and walkable cities. Shop souvenirs in the quirky stores of Hakata Kawabata-dōri street, picnic in Ohori Park, or take a ferry to verdant Nokonoshima Island Park.
Fukuoka’s mobile food scene has turned it into a genuine foodie destination, not least for the unbeatable Hakata Ramen. Head to the independent yatai street food stalls around Nagahama, Nakasu and Tenjin, and don’t be afraid to say hello.
The yatai are all about interaction and socializing, and are a way of life for locals. Put away your mobile and don’t linger after you’ve finished, as places are limited!
Where is hot and cheap in September?
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