There's a case to be made that the UK's best travel season is the one most people skip. September through November brings lingering warm days, trees turning gold and rust-red, and pubs reopening their fireplaces after the summer rush. Condé Nast Traveller's editors have rounded up their favourite corners of the country for an autumn break, and the shortlist is a reminder of how varied a short-haul trip at home can be.
The picks stretch from the honey-coloured villages of the Cotswolds — at their photogenic best when the surrounding beech woods change colour — to the rugged Atlantic coastline of Cornwall, where summer crowds have gone and coastal paths are yours again. In between sit blustery upland walks, small towns worth wandering, and cities that feel more themselves once the tourist coaches thin out.
Part of the appeal is practical. Travelling within the UK in autumn means no airport queues, no boarding passes, and often a fraction of the summer price tag on accommodation. The trade-off is the weather, which can flip from blue skies to drizzle within an hour. The advice is simple: pack layers and waterproofs, treat any sunshine as a bonus, and plan days that work in rain as well as out of it — museums, tearooms, and long pub lunches all earn their keep.
The other great autumn argument is the food. There's a strong case that a Sunday roast with all the trimmings, eaten by a fire after a wind-battered walk, is the single best reward the season offers. Add in darker evenings made for cosying up, and the appeal of a staycation at this time of year becomes obvious.
For holidaymakers, this is a story about timing. If you can take a break outside the school holidays, October in particular offers empty trails, available tables, and scenery that summer simply can't match. It suits couples after a quiet cottage weekend, walkers chasing the colours, and anyone who'd rather spend three hours on a train than in a departure lounge.