6 Super Affordable Fall Trips You Can Actually Take

This blog post was updated on February 13, 2020.

There are so many benefits to traveling in the off-season: fewer tourists, generally lower accommodation prices, cheaper airfares and much more! As summer comes to a close, prices are already starting to take a nosedive both stateside and abroad. Coupled with favorable exchange rates, the time to travel is now! Take a look at the destinations we think you should check out this fall for their cheap price tags, amazing cultural excursions and unique calling cards.

Mexico City, Mexico

With 1 USD equaling nearly 20 Mexican Pesos, the time to check out Mexico’s cosmopolitan capital city is … right now! Sure, you could hit up the white sandy beaches with a cerveza in hand — or you could hit up Mexico City for an unexpected taste of Mexican chicness. With a rich history of a curated arts scene, the city has also begun to develop a sophisticated culinary landscape, creating new fusions that give the town an undeniably international flavor. So skip the beaches and head to landlocked Mexico City for a taste of the high life — at a favorable discount!

Seattle, Washington

If gloomy mornings with low-hanging fog and slow ambles through half-crowded streets sounds like your cup of tea, then Seattle is the place for you this fall season. As competition increases at the Seattle-Tacoma Airport and the touristy summer season ends, airfares plummet and the city gets ready to welcome chilled-out visitors who don’t mind sightseeing from under an umbrella. Grab a coffee from local roasters — or from the omnipresent Starbucks for a decidedly better cup of Joe than its East Coast counterparts — and check out the city’s odes to art history, seafood and musical prowess scattered throughout the town.

Bermuda Islands

Mid-September through November still brings good weather to the Bermuda Islands — an incredibly small 20-by-2-mile stretch of land. But don’t let its size fool you. Jam-packed into its sunny terrain are plenty of art museums that would keep even the finest of connoisseurs occupied, a varied terrain to entertain any adventurous trekker, charming French architecture to appease the insatiable history buff and, of course, picturesque beaches that make for an incredibly relaxing vacation. Bonus: you can use your American dollars in most stores, as the Bermudan dollar is tied to the USD on a 1:1 basis.

The State of Maine

Though its lower New England neighbors usually steal all the glory, Maine is a beautiful place to drive along the coast and watch the changing leaves come autumn. From mountaintops to the seaside, you can blaze a trail through Maine’s vibrant foliage — stopping in charming bed and breakfasts along the way, if you want to emulate that ideal fall getaway. The leaves aren’t all you can enjoy: In the months from September through November, Maine hosts a ton of festivals that celebrate the fall harvest, artisanal goods and local arts scene that you wouldn’t want to miss. The chillier season also brings airfares and general accommodations down as well. Sounds like we know where we’re going!

London, England

Thanks to the Brexit earlier this year, folks looking to brush up on their British accents are now seeing a better exchange rate and lower airfares into London. This rush of a city is everything a traveler could ask for: amazing public transportation, an extraordinary mix of the old and the new and, as of recently, an exchange rate that isn’t double the dollar. Escape from the grey drizzle by checking out the city’s wealth of free museums and galleries, grabbing a spot of afternoon tea or chilling out in a local pub. If the rain doesn’t scare you, have a stroll along the south bank of the mighty Thames — catching sights like Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and the Tower of London along the way.

Los Angeles, California

Sure, you could come to Los Angeles for the theme parks and Hollywood glitz and glamour — you’ve got to at least once in your life. But to chalk the city up to just this would do it a disservice. Along with lower prices, the town will also catch chillier temperatures this autumn, giving wandering travelers a welcoming climate to take the city by storm. Check out its revamped downtown area, the vintage-feeling Santa Monica Pier and promenade or take a drive along the Pacific Coast Highway to dreamy, slower-paced towns like Malibu, Pasadena or San Clemente for a completely different SoCal feel.