November is your last chance to get away before the festive holiday season. That means it’s also your last chance to take advantage of lower prices and lighter crowds. Happily, the best places to visit in November offer both (mostly.)
This is the time of year when much of Asia is at its very best. Temperatures are ideal, humidity is low and skies are clear. In many places, even the mosquitoes take a break. Around the world, huge celebrations kick off, from Thanksgiving to Diwali to the lesser-known Zivania festival in Cyprus. Wildlife spotting in November is glorious too.
Whether you want to party hard or adventure harder, here’s my pick of the best countries to visit in November.
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- New York
- Everglades National Park, Florida
- Cyprus
- Verbier, Switzerland
- Salta, Argentina
- South Island, New Zealand
- Jaipur, India
- Old Bagan, Burma
Best places to visit in November in USA
1. Scottsdale, Arizona
Learn more: Scottsdale travel guide
November in Scottsdale is mild and magical. Cool (but not cold) temperatures are elevated by the sunshine that blesses this jewel in the saguaro-studded Arizona Desert. Skies are mostly clear day and night.
This combination is ideal for outdoor adventures. 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.
Spend a few nights in the Dark Sky Resort ADERO to drink in the greatest star show you’ll ever see. Get a taste of the Old West at cowboy college where you can learn how to throw a lasso and visit saloon bars.
If stargazing isn’t enough, you can take to the skies too. November sees hot air balloons rise at sunset over Las Barrancas, back on the calendar after the summer off-season.
2. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Learn more: Milwaukee travel guide
Wrap up warm and do as the locals do in Milwaukee in November: embrace the brisk fall air. If it does get too cold, there are few better places to be than America’s capital of beer.
Take tours around the brewery birthplaces of Pabst and Miller or barhop the city’s many craft breweries and taprooms. You’ll also find plenty of fine dining to soak up the alcohol.
Top of the culinary tree has to be Sanford, one of America’s finest restaurants. For something a little less grand but no less delicious, try Usinger’s bratwurst. 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 thanks to its packed events calendar. The family-friendly Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival kicks off on November 16th and Enchant brings Christmas to town from November 24th.
3. New York
Learn more: New York travel guide
New York is never quiet, but two events make it one of the best places to visit in November. The First Sunday of the month sees 30,000-plus runners take to the streets for the New York City Marathon. Bringing the best out of the Big Apple, thousands more will line the route to cheer them on. Expect flag-waving, hotdogs and lots of noise.
Even more spectacular (and noisy) is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The 2023 parade will see the usual roster of enormous inflated pop culture characters wobble to 34th Street. Alongside them marching bands, performance groups and hordes of crowds will help kickstart the holiday season.
Kickstart it they do, because Thanksgiving is also the springboard for Christmas with a capitalist C. And few places do it better than New York where there’s an almost endless list of things to do. 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
If you’re wondering where to travel in November that’s a little different, look no further than the Everglades. An easy day trip from Miami but also a great place to base yourself, it’s the best time of the year to stay in a swamp.
With cooler weather and lower humidity, the wildlife is in abundance but the mosquitoes are 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 places to visit in November in Europe
5. Cyprus
Learn more: Nicosia travel guide
Of Europe’s many wonderful islands, in November it’s hard to look past Cyprus. Mild weather and spectacular coastal scenery are year-round staples, as is the appeal of its alluring capital, Nicosia. But November is the month of festivals – in particular festivals celebrating brandy and wine.
Zivania is the locally made pomace brandy uniquely produced on the island. So proud are the Cypriates of their fiery creation, the Double Zivania Festival takes place in two of its loveliest villages. Over consecutive November weekends, Alona and Pelendri showcase traditional Zivania with tastings, music, tastings, dance, and more tastings. Go thirsty!
When you’ve had your fill of Zivania, head to the Pithari Festival in Koilani, one of Limassol’s most beautiful villages. Opening the old Pithari wine casks is a long-held tradition that marks the wine harvest. Expect a small, simple festival but a very warm welcome – traditional clothing, lots of dancing, and even more wine.
6. Verbier, Switzerland
Just two hours’ drive from Geneva through the landscapes of Switzerland sits Verbier. 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 more than 500 covering cross-country, downhill and enduro courses. And conditions depending, skiing may not be off the cards. 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.
Best places to visit in November across the rest of the world
7. Salta, Argentina
Learn more: Salta travel guide
The Salta Province in northwest Argentina is a dream place to explore in November. Days are long, temperatures are warm, and both 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 through multicolored rock formations it peaks at the vertigo-inducing La Polvorilla Viaduct. The views are, as you might expect, incredible.
8. South Island, New Zealand
Learn more: Christchurch travel guide
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. Scuba and surfing, skiing and sky-diving, 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 (this is the beauty I took) 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 the world. Test your mettle in the wildlife-rich surf at Mangamaunu, or stay above the water with a sustainable whale-watching tour with Maori owned Whale Watch.
9. Jaipur, India
Learn more: Jaipur travel guide
You’d be hard-pushed to find anywhere more colorful come November than Jaipur. The Pink City is never exactly monochrome, but this is the mesmerizing month when Diwali is celebrated across India. Making this city one of the best places to visit in November.
The Hindu Festival of Lights symbolizes the “victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance.” Taking place this year on November 12th, the riot of fireworks, candles, flickering lamps illuminates the city for several days. The sense of euphoria and celebration that engulfs residents and visitors alike lasts much longer.
Everyone gets involved. Locals exchange gifts at elaborate events. Kaleidoscopic decorations transform near every fort, palace and monument into something akin to royalty. The Statue Circle, Albert Hall Museum, Jal Mahal all look extraordinary. The famed Hawa Mahal looks out of this world. City bazars at Johri, Nehru and Bapu overflow with traditional Rajasthani food and eager customers.
Go. Embrace the chaos, color and conviviality – there’s nowhere quite like it.
10. Old Bagan, Burma (Myanmar)
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 long train or bus journey) to Old Bagan. The ancient capital of modern Burma, some 10,000 temples were built here 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 get to 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 fought over. Or for something truly exceptional, take to the skies in a hot air balloon.
Discover more of the best places to visit in 2023
Winter is looming and the promise of snow season should have skiers, snowboarders, and adventurers rubbing their hands in glee. If you liked the sound of Verbier, these best places to go in December offer epic snow too.
If it’s sunshine you’re after, you’ll like these rundowns of where it’s hot in October, November, and December. If you’re looking for something in between why not take an epic fall road trip?
Whatever your preference, it always helps to bag cheap flights, trains, and car rental. A comfortable and warm place to stay (preferably with mountain views) is also a must.
