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all is harvest season, and in a lot of places — and for a lot of travelers — that matters more than the leaves. Grapes come off the vine, restaurants shine with ingredients pulled from local fields, and temperatures become cool enough for outdoor celebrations that can last long into the evenings.
The five places on this page each do it differently. Virginia and Napa are the places to go to catch the wine industry at its busiest time, where tastings and other events usually run through October. Portland, Maine, turns its food scene toward lobster season (which, truthfully, lasts into December in good years). Oaxaca and Mexico City mark Día de los Muertos in early November, and across Switzerland, the Alpabzug brings cattle down from summer pastures during colorful street festivals, always paired with cheese, markets, and some of the best hiking of the year.
When it comes to harvest festivals, there are usually specific dates and windows when official events occur. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth a visit outside of those days. In wine regions, you’ll see vintners at work in some capacity on most days in September, and excitement for Día de los Muertos events starts weeks ahead of the actual event. Here’s our favorite inspiration to get you started.
Virginia Wine Country
At the start of the US’s winemaking industry, there was pretty much only northern California (and, okay, there was Missouri). But today, many other winemaking destinations are giving California’s pinots and cabs a run for their money. East Coasters are lucky enough to have Virginia’s many wineries within reach for a weekend trip. Charlottesville is the best-known of the state’s many AVAs, but you’ll find wineries across the state, including in some surprising places, like the sandy Eastern Shore and the beaches around Virginia Beach.
- Where to Find the Most Amazing East Coast Wineries
- If You Want to See the Wild West of Wine, Go to Virginia
Portland, ME
Portland packs a national-level food scene into a city of about 67,000, which may be why Bon Appétit named it the “Restaurant City of the Year” for 2018. It has more than 400 restaurants, with standouts along Fore and Middle streets that have won all manner of James Beard awards. Fall is the smart time to go: lobster season runs strong into December, the summer crowds that make stores and streets feel elbow-to-elbow have thinned out, and it’s possible to occasionally walk into top restaurants without too much of a wait. Plan your weekend around oysters, lobster rolls, and the town’s many breweries, and you’ve got a perfect recipe for a perfect Portland weekend.
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Oaxaca and Mexico City, MX
Día de los Muertos , or Day of the Dead, happens on November 1 and 2, built around All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days. It’s the best reason to plan a trip to Mexico in November, rather than October, but both cities do it differently. Mexico City stages the largest celebration in the world, with a massive downtown parade and public spectacle that takes over some neighborhoods for a full week. Oaxaca’s celebrations are usually more about the reasons for the celebration rather than the celebration, though it still goes all out with marigold-covered altars, candlelit events at cemeteries like Xoxocotlán, and street processions called calendas, with bands and oversized papier-mâché puppets.
- Día de Los Muertos in Mexico: A Visual Guide
- Grab Your Crew and Book These Oaxaca and CDMX Airbnbs for Día de Los Muertos
- Places that Changed Us: Oaxaca
- What It’s Really Like to Celebrate Day of the Dead in Rural Oaxaca
Napa & Carneros, CA
Fall is harvest season in Napa, though locals just call it “crush.” The harvest season runs from August through October, with grapes for sparkling and white wines pulled first; reds come later. Cabernet sauvignon accounts for much of the region’s wine, representing about 40 percent of the vines. But with anywhere from 400 to 500 public wineries open at any given time, fans of all types of wine will have endless options. Try to visit midweek to avoid crowds and see the crush in progress, though weekends may offer more opportunities for events like winemaker dinners and barrel tastings. This is the busy season, so book your hotels, tours, and wine tastings online as early as possible.
- Ride Through California’s Most Celebrated Wine Region on This Vintage Luxury Train
- You Can Play Beekeeper and Winemaker This Harvest Season at This Napa Resort
- 9 Exquisite California Wineries Where You Can Spend the Night
- For the Best Weekend Trip to Napa, Seek Out the Wineries Making World-Class Merlot
Switzerland
Switzerland marks the turn to fall with the Alpabzug (called the Désalpe in French-speaking regions). It’s a time when farmers bring their cattle down from high summer pastures to the barns and low-lying fields in the valleys for winter. The process becomes a giant festival and a chance to celebrate autumn. In Gstaad, it’s called the Züglete, and guests can catch a procession of cows decked out in flower crowns, along with food stalls, markets, and live traditional music. Other events take place later in September, so you can catch a few if you time your trip correctly. It’s also a time for some of the best hiking in the country, as most cable cars and gondolas run through mid-to-late October. And the icing on the cake? It’s also cheese season, with restaurants and chalets serving their best raclette and fondue.