Coming over for our first proper US trip, about two weeks in September. We’re torn between the national parks out west and something like New England, and don’t want to pick the wrong region for that time of year. For those who’ve travelled the US in September, where would you point a first-timer?
Try Canada first then go to Mexico after Canada
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Hello there. I live in the midwest in the United States. I love hiking out west and if you plan on going to the national parks and want to hike a lot it may be warm in September. We went two years ago at the end September and it was 85 so if you plan on hiking, it is very dry in the national parks and you need to hydrate.
Las Vegas is quite the city to visit . You will find plenty of shows as well as a place called the SPHERE. Make sure if you go you check out the SPHERE. We just did a trip to California and started in San Francisco, which was a nice city as well. We did not do Hollywood or LA because we didn’t have time. If you plan on doing the mighty five national parks in southern Utah, beware that you may need an entrance time. , beware that you may need a online permit to enter some of the park such as arches. Some of the perks also have trails that you need permits for as well. As of January 1, 2026, any non-US citizen has to pay extra to get into the national parks, so that’s also something to be aware of. Antelope Canyon near the Utah Arizona border is also really cool.
So if you’re looking for beautiful mountainous landscapes then the mighty five in Utah and the Grand Canyon are really good choices.
If you are looking for trees and hilly landscape, there might be a little bit of Fall colors out east. We actually have a trip plan for October 2 of this year. So I can’t really tell you much about out east other than the fall foliage is beautiful.
we have three railroad trips out east planned as well as 3 - 1/2day boat trip trips.. we will be whale watching so that is also something that is very popular
The west has spectacular parks definitely worth visiting but it’ll still be hot (not oppressively so though). The east will be cold-cool but no color until early-mid October.
For a first two-week trip in September, you could build a really nice route around Sequoia, Red Rock Canyon State Park, the Sierra Nevada, Yosemite and Lake Tahoe. September is also a really nice sweet spot because students are back in school by then, so the summer vacation crowds should definitely start coming down, especially once you’re past Labor Day.
A couple of things I’d keep in mind: fill up on gas before heading into Sequoia/Kings Canyon, and seriously don’t underestimate the driving times. And I’d leave a little flexibility in the itinerary. September can still be wildfire season in California, so I’d be checking air quality, road closures and park conditions as the trip gets closer rather than having every single day locked in months beforehand.
@cheryl, are you guys more into proper hiking, or would you rather do scenic drives, shorter trails and viewpoints? Because if hiking and big landscapes are high on the list, I’d definitely lean west for those two weeks.