In November, much of the US is embracing fall weather while Asia is at its very best. Temperatures are ideal, humidity is low, and skies are clear. In many places, even the mosquitoes are taking a break! Wildlife spotting in November is glorious, too. Whether you want to party hard or adventure harder, here’s my pick of the best places to visit in November.
Best places to visit in November in the US.
The best vacation spots in November across the US are packed with festivals and events.
1. Scottsdale, Arizona
- Learn more: The best astronomical events
- Why visit in November? To embrace the great American outdoors.
November in Scottsdale is mild and magical. Cool (but not cold) temperatures are elevated by near-constant sunshine that blesses this jewel in the saguaro-studded Arizona Desert. Skies are mostly clear day and night.
This combination makes for ideal outdoor adventuring. Walk the scenic Arizona Canal Path that links the neighborhoods of Scottsdale to nearby Glendale and Phoenix. Bike or horseback ride the untamed trails of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.
Get a taste of the Old West at Cowboy College, where you can learn your way around a lasso. If stargazing isn’t enough, you can take to the skies in a hot air balloon at sunrise or sunset over Las Barrancas.
2. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Why visit in November? For a spectacular start to the holiday festival season.
Wrap up warm and do as the locals do in November: embrace the brisk fall air. If it gets too cold for you, there are few better places to be than America’s beer capital.
Take tours around the brewery birthplaces of Pabst and Miller or barhop the city’s many craft breweries and taprooms. Home to the most creative craft beers, you’ll also find plenty of fine dining to soak up the alcohol.
Top of the culinary tree has to be Sanford, one of the finest restaurants in the US. For something a little less grand but no less delicious, try Usinger’s bratwurst. It’s as good as you’ll find outside Germany. If you like your sausages ready to eat, Vanguard is the place to go.
Milwaukee is also known as the city of festivals. The family-friendly Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival kicks off in mid-November and runs through to January.
3. New York City, New York
- Why visit in November? See two of the Big Apple’s best annual events.
New York is never quiet, but despite the cold, two events in particular make it one of the best holiday destinations in November.
On the first Sunday of the month, 30,000+ runners take to the streets for the New York City Marathon. Bringing the best out of the Big Apple, thousands more line the route to cheer them on. Expect flag-waving, hot dogs and lots of noise.
Even more spectacular is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This year’s parade will see the usual roster of enormous inflated pop culture characters wobble their way to 34th Street. Alongside them, marching bands, performance groups, and hordes of crowds will help kickstart the holiday season.
Thanksgiving is the springboard for Christmas with a capitalist C. Few places do it better than New York with huge Christmas markets including Union Square and my favorite, Bryant Park with its lovely ice rink. Bring your own skates and it’s free.
4. Everglades National Park, Florida
- Why visit in November? Most of the mosquitoes are on vacation.
If you’re after something a little different, Florida offers the extraordinary Everglades. Miami or Orlando are great places to base yourself. Plus, it’s the best time of the year to stay in a swamp!
With cooler weather and lower humidity, the wildlife is abundant but mosquitoes are thankfully absent. As water levels drop, animals congregate at watering holes and Florida Manatees arrive in search of warm water.
Hiking trails are open and the kayaking is awesome. Paddle the second largest mangrove forest in the world at Ten Thousand Islands Wildlife Refuge. You’ll likely share the trip with turtles, manatees and even the odd dolphin. Best of all is a ride on the classic Everglades airboat to see huge congregations of Florida alligators.
Best priced flight routes from your home airport in December.
Best places to visit in November in Europe.
5. Athens, Greece
- Why visit in November? Enjoy a low-season vacation.
Low season in Athens is a delight. The scorching heat and seething crowds of summer are but a memory, making it a wonderful time to really dig deep into its history and humanity-shaping culture.
The Acropolis, Temple of Zeus and Ancient Agora all glow in the clear fall air. If temperatures drop, head indoors at the Museum of Cycladic Art and National Archaeological Museum. On fine days, day trip to majestic Meteora to hike its World Heritage rock formations.
6. Verbier, Switzerland
- Why visit in November? The cream of Alpine luxury and early ski season.
Just a two-hour drive from Geneva, Verbier sits in the ridiculous landscapes of Switzerland. If you’re looking for the cream of the European ski jetset, this tiny village in the Swiss Alps is it. Amid towering mountain peaks, Verbier is a heart-pounding, wallet-draining combination of adventure and luxury.
November may seem a bit early to visit a ski resort, but gone are the days when skiing was the only adventure pursuit. Walkers have 300 miles of trails to tackle. Mountain bikers have over 500 miles covering cross-country, downhill and enduro courses. And conditions depending, skiing may not be off the cards either.
Several ski lifts open at weekends from mid-month on, offering early access to that high-altitude snow. For après adventure, the choice is even more extravagant. If you’re going to do it, do it in style. Dinner and drinks at Le Rouge and then dance the night away at Farm Club, a Verbier institution where the stories are as outlandish as the prices.
7. Rome, Italy
- Why visit in November? See the Eternal City at its wildest and quietest (relatively speaking.)
Rome is, in effect, a vast and sprawling museum. With all its mind-blowing art and palpable history, its sheer scale can be overwhelming. In the summer, crowds add to that sensation, which is why I prefer it in late fall.
It may be colder, but visitor numbers are at their lowest, as are hotel prices. The colder, windier weather gives the city a more austere feel – the Roman ruins never look more imposing. And there is, of course, plenty to see and do inside. The Vatican alone could take up an entire day, depending on your stamina.
Rome’s magic lies in its ability to surprise at every turn. Beyond the Roman Forum, the Pantheon and the Colosseum, the neighborhoods really wow. Make for the Basilicas di Santa Maria and di Santa Cecilia in the atmospheric back streets of Trastevere.
Dine on quinto quarto cuisine in Testaccio, and then quench your thirst in one of the buzzing local enotecas of bohemian Monti.
Best places to visit in November around the world.
From South America to Asia and the far side of the world, long haul offers endless November fun. Here are my picks.
8. Salta, Argentina
- Learn more: Salta travel guide
- Why visit in November? Ride the train to the clouds without the crowds.
The Salta Province in northwest Argentina is a dream place to explore in November. Days are long, temperatures are warm, and the city of Salta and its extraordinary surroundings shine. Even the prices are at an annual low.
Salta is a treasure trove of colonial architecture. Take a walking tour through cobbled streets to powder pink Catedral Basílica de Salta and bright terracotta Basílica de San Francisco. The MAAM Museum of High Altitude Archaeology provides a fascinating insight into the heritage of the High Andes.
If there’s such a thing as a ‘can’t miss’, Salta’s train to the clouds is it. From the city center, it climbs 4,220 meters into the Andes and is undoubtedly one of the world’s most spectacular rail journeys. Winding upwards through multi-colored rock formations, it peaks at the vertigo-inducing La Polvorilla Viaduct. The views are, as you might expect, incredible.
9. South Island, New Zealand
- Learn more: Christchurch travel guide
- Why visit in November? It’s the best time of year to take a road trip.
Fall in the US means spring in New Zealand, and there are few better countries to visit in November. An outdoor enthusiast’s wonderland, think of any pursuit (no matter how ludicrous), and you’ll find somewhere to do it in Aotearoa – ‘the land of the long white cloud’. Scuba diving and surfing, sky-diving and skiing, bungee jumping and white-water rafting – you get the idea.
The longer you can stay the better, because this is road trip country. From Christchurch, rent a classic van and take the coastal road south to Dunedin. Test your brakes on Baldwin Street, officially the world’s steepest.
Cut inland northwest and get your adrenaline on in Queenstown before having your breath taken away with a cruise through Milford Sound. On the loop north, stop off at otherworldly Kaikoura, a small seaside village perched on what feels like the edge of civilization. Test your mettle in the wildlife-rich surf at Mangamaunu. Or stay above the water on a sustainable whale-watching tour with Maori-owned Whale Watch.
10. Tokyo, Japan
- Learn more: Japan travel itinerary
- Why visit in November? To see fall colors transform the city.
In November, Tokyo transitions from high to shoulder season. As the month progresses, temperatures drop, crowds thin and prices go down.
November is leaf-peeping season and the changing colors make Tokyo’s parks and monuments more dramatic than ever. Maple leaves glow ‘momiji’ red and the sacred Gingko turns a golden yellow. It’s a sumptuous display of nature’s power to transform.
11. Old Bagan, Burma (Myanmar)
- Why visit in November? See one of the world’s most mesmerizing sunsets.
As the cool November winds blow across Southeast Asia, temperatures ease from scorching to hot and the humidity lightens. With it, the continent’s most extraordinary structures and sights are cast in stunning clarity – nowhere more so than Bagan.
Fly into Yangon and take a short domestic flight (or a long train or bus journey) to Old Bagan. In the ancient capital of modern Burma, some 10,000 temples were built between the 9th and 13th centuries. Many survive today as a vast UNESCO World Heritage Site. Of all the human-influenced landscapes I’ve seen around the world, none is as mesmerizing.
Rent an electric scooter, pick up an old-school paper map and start exploring. There are thousands of temples, pagodas, monuments and more to explore. Many you can enter and climb – premium spots for those obligatory sunrise and sunset photos are hard to come by. For something truly exceptional, take to the skies in a hot air balloon.
12. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Learn more: Kuala Lumpur travel guide
- Why visit in November? To eat its signature fusion of Asian cuisines.
Like Fukuoka in Japan, Malaysia’s bustling capital is finally garnering global attention for its fantastic street eating. Try the food court at Lot 10 Hutong and the sensory assaults of Petaling Street and Jalan Alor. The potent mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisine served streetside is a recipe for success at them all. When the sun sets, make for the sophisticated speakeasies and sleek eateries of Changkat Bukit Bintang.
Kuala Lumpur is hot and wet in November. Temperatures average 81°F and there’s around 11 inches of rain. Yet low average hotel prices keep it popular. It’s also a city built to handle the rain. When the street markets are washed out, hit the mall at Pavilion KL, handily located in Bukit Bintang.
Then of course, there’s the Petronas Towers. Once the tallest buildings in the world, they tower over the skyline. They’re fun to climb of course, but I found them a little underwhelming. The view of the towers from the WET Deck at W Kuala Lumpur is far more spectacular.
