Travel Dispatch: Fall Travel Comes Into Its Own

September 13, 2025

Trees with red and yellow leaes stand in front of a wood-frame building.

A courtyard at the Takayama Jinya, in Japan’s mountainous Gifu Prefecture.

Dear Travel Fan,

We devoted this week to the idea of Fall Travel in all its glory (if you’re a print subscriber, you’ll be able to see our work in a special section this weekend). For travelers, autumn was often an afterthought, designated the “shoulder season.” But, with many places hot and crowded during the summer, it’s now become prime time for those not tethered to the school calendar, as the writer Elaine Glusac argues in her introductory essay.

In this special package:

We take fall foliage walks in six North American cities and visit the Japanese Alps for what the Japanese call momijigari (roughly, “leaf hunting”).
Sample the wines of Mount Etna in Sicily and explore harvest festivals across Europe, including a herring celebration in Finland and a pistachio bash in Greece.
Take a sauna trek along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way and a journey into Egypt’s stunning Black and White Deserts.
And, finally, spend 36 Hours in Sedona, where autumn brings temperate days for adventuring and cool nights for stargazing and firepit lounging.

There was also a lot of happening in travel news this week and we kept you updated. The Trump administration changed a rule for travelers needing visas to visit the United States, which could increase their wait times. “Block Everything” protests disrupted travel in France. And a cruise ship passenger jumped overboard, evidently to avoid paying gambling debts.

Finally, over the past few years, the Biden administration put new airline passenger protections in place. Now, the Trump administration is moving to strip at least some of them away. Our airlines reporter, Christine Chung, puts what’s happening in context.

I’m away next week on my own fall trip. I’ll see you on my return.

Wishing you safe and fulfilling travels,
Amy Virshup

FALL TRAVEL

Beneath orange and red fall leaves, people stroll and bike along a paved path that curves along a body of water.

Nelson Mouëllic/Destination Vancouver

6 Autumn Strolls in 6 Vibrant Cities

No need to travel to the countryside for leaf peeping. Here’s a collection of North American urban walks that will immerse you in the colors of fall.

By Claire Fahy

In close up, light is seen shining through yellow and red maple leaves.

Noriko Hayashi for The New York Times

3 Days of ‘Momijigari’: Experiencing Japan’s Fiery Autumnal Foliage

“Momijigari” means hunting autumn leaves and people consult forecasts and follow predictions to find the most beautiful displays. This itinerary adds history and a sense of spirituality to the colors.

By Lisa Lucas and Noriko Hayashi

An illustration shows an idyllic scene: A woman sits at an outdoor table beneath a red umbrella on a green lawn. The widely spaced gray and white trunks of what look like birch trees rise, casting shadows on the grass. From the trees, yellow and gold leaves drift down. A waiter in a black vest and white shirt, with a white napkin folded over his forearm, is approaching the woman with a tray. In the background is a seaside Mediterranean town with white buildings and orange roofs. Beyond the town blue mountains rise beneath a cloud-strewed sky.

Ryo Takemasa

‘The Off-Season Is Now Its Own Season’: Fall Travel Comes Into Its Own

No longer the secret of savvy travelers, autumn is becoming the season of choice for people looking to escape summer heat and overtourism. Hotels and tour companies are taking note.

By Elaine Glusac

Andy Haslam for The New York Times

7 of Europe’s Most Delectable Fall Harvest Festivals

A pistachio exhibition. A herring market. The happy blend of wine and hiking. This list proves that foodies, too, can celebrate Autumnal travel.

As seen at night, fiery lava glows red and orange as it spills down a shadowy volcano. On the lower slopes, a person with a headlamp that casts an upward blue stream of light watches the show.

Salvatore Allegra/Associated Press

On the Slopes of Mount Etna, Where Lava and Wine Flow

The fiery Sicilian volcano is a magnet not only for hikers, but for wine and food lovers. Vineyards thrive on the rich soil, alongside restaurants, bars and farm-stays.

By Laura Rysman

OPEN UP YOUR WORLD

Into the Sands of Time: Exploring Egypt’s White and Black Deserts

Led by a guide and driver, a photojournalist embarked on a three-day, two-night excursion that took her deep into one of the country’s lesser-known wonders.

By Claire Thomas

A barrel-shaped wooden building with a glass door and a string of party lights in front of it stands on a patch of sand in front of water.

A Sweaty, Salty Trip Along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way

Skip the pub crawl and instead embrace Ireland’s newest, oldest ritual: a sauna and a sea swim along its rugged west coast.

By Ali Watkins and Michael Vince Kim

A red rock desert landscape with massive rock formations.

Nate Abbott for The New York Times

36 Hours

36 Hours in Sedona, Ariz.

Luxury experiences are on the rise, but the best things in this red rock landscape — hikes, stargazing and even energy vortexes — are free.

By Abbie Kozolchyk

THE CHANGING WORLD OF TRAVEL

A person seated in a chair looks at a plane in the air through a large window at an airport.

Kenny Holston/The New York Times

The Trump Administration Wants to Roll Back Airline Passenger Rights

The Transportation Department’s apparent openness to undoing government policies protecting the rights of airline passengers could have wide ramifications.

By Christine Chung

A large white cruise ship in a harbor on an early evening, with mountains and a harbor town in the background.

Alvin Baez/Reuters

Cruise Ship Passenger With $16,000 Gambling Debt Jumps Overboard

The man, who was rescued, told authorities he was trying to avoid declaring money in his possession, but Royal Caribbean said he also had casino and gaming losses.

By Claire Fahy