Chasing summer: where’s hot in autumn?
Still craving sun? We size up six autumn escapes by weather, journey time and value, with the best places to stay, when to travel and whether they’re worth saving for October half term or better enjoyed à deux.
October is a tricky month to call when you’re wondering where’s hot in autumn. The Med can still be glorious, but sunshine becomes less certain just as school-holiday prices kick in. Go a little farther, meanwhile, and summer is still very much in business.
So where should you take the kids at half term, and which destinations are actually better before the schools break up?
WHERE’S HOT IN AUTUMN? TENERIFE
The dependable all-rounder. Southern Tenerife combines beaches and family resorts with Siam Park and the volcanic landscapes of Teide, so there’s plenty beyond the pool.
AT A GLANCE
October high: around 24°C
Sea: around 23°C
Flight: around 4½ hours
Best for: Easy family sun
STAY HERE: Costa Adeje is the polished family favourite, while Los Gigantes can offer more resort for the money. Landmar Costa Los Gigantes is particularly family-focused, with children’s facilities and a dedicated Teens Club for 12 to 17-year-olds.
WITH THE KIDS: Save it for half term. Tenerife is one of the safer short-haul bets if you’re paying school-holiday prices specifically for warmth. Resort hotel wins with younger children; an apartment or villa can work well with teens.
JUST THE TWO OF YOU: Go in late September or the first half of October instead. You’ll get much the same beach-and-pool appeal without competing for school-holiday flights. For couples, consider somewhere smaller and more grown-up around La Caleta rather than a large family resort.
BOOK IT: Jet2holidays packages Landmar Costa Los Gigantes with UK flights and luggage.
WHERE’S HOT IN AUTUMN? CYPRUS
Cyprus clings onto summer later than much of the Mediterranean. Paphos gives families beaches and proper resorts alongside archaeological sites, harbour restaurants and boat trips, while autumn temperatures are far more comfortable for exploring than August.
AT A GLANCE
October high: around 25°C
Sea: around 24°C
Flight: 4½–5 hours
Best for: Beach + sightseeing
STAY HERE: Paphos is our all-round base. Families wanting everything on site should look at the larger coastal resorts; self-catering apartments around Paphos are a good alternative if you want more freedom.
WITH THE KIDS: Half term can work, particularly because the sea remains warm, but late October is less reliable than the beginning of the month. Choose a hotel where pools, restaurants and children’s facilities are confirmed for your dates.
JUST THE TWO OF YOU: Early October wins. It should still feel distinctly summery, evenings are warmer and you can explore Paphos without the school-holiday crowd. This is also where a smaller hotel or villa starts making more sense.
BOOK IT: easyJet holidays offers family packages to Paphos, including resort and self-catering options.
WHERE’S HOT IN AUTUMN? MARRAKECH
Marrakech is the wildcard. There’s no sea, but temperatures around 30°C, souks, rooftop restaurants, gardens and trips towards the Atlas Mountains make it a much bigger change of scene than another Mediterranean resort.
AT A GLANCE
October high: around 30°C
Flight: around 4 hours
Best for: Culture, food + older kids
STAY HERE: With children, stay outside the medina at a resort such as Aqua Mirage Club, where the pool and waterpark give everyone somewhere to decompress. Without them, do precisely the opposite and book a riad right in the old city.
WITH THE KIDS: Excellent for half term, especially with tweens and teens. October loses the brutal midsummer heat while remaining properly hot.
JUST THE TWO OF YOU: Even better. Go in the first three weeks of October, take a riad and make this a food-and-city break rather than a family resort holiday. October is already popular in Marrakech, so child-free travellers gain nothing by choosing the school-holiday week.
BOOK IT: easyJet holidays packages Marrakech from several UK airports.
WHERE’S HOT IN AUTUMN? ANTALYA COAST
If your priority is maximum holiday for minimum organisation, the Antalya coast is difficult to beat. Lara Beach and Belek are lined with enormous resorts specialising in pools, slides, kids’ clubs, entertainment and all-inclusive dining.
AT A GLANCE
October high: around 26°C
Sea: around 25°C
Flight: around 4½ hours
Best for: All-inclusive families
STAY HERE: Lara Beach is the easy family choice, with plenty of large beachfront resorts and a short transfer from Antalya airport. Choose one with indoor or heated swimming options for late October.
WITH THE KIDS: Yes for half term, but choose the hotel carefully. The sea remains warm, although late-October weather is less dependable than early in the month. This is definitely a hotel rather than villa destination if you want children’s entertainment and all-inclusive value.
JUST THE TWO OF YOU: Go earlier. The first half of October offers a better chance of full summer conditions without peak-season crowds. Couples who don’t need waterslides may also find some very good-value five-star hotels.
BOOK IT: Jet2holidays has a substantial Lara Beach programme with flights, accommodation and luggage included.
WHERE’S HOT IN AUTUMN? CABO VERDE
If your principal requirement is actual heat, Cabo Verde starts making serious sense. Sal has huge beaches plus a little life beyond the hotel; Boa Vista is even more about switching off.
AT A GLANCE
October high: around 29°C
Sea: around 26°C
Flight: around 6 hours
Best for: Proper beach weather
STAY HERE: Hotel Riu Palace Santa Maria on Sal is a straightforward family option, with beachfront all-inclusive accommodation, pools, water attractions and children’s activities.
WITH THE KIDS: Strong half-term choice. You’re travelling farther than the Med or Canaries, but in return you’re buying considerably better odds of genuinely hot weather and warm water.
JUST THE TWO OF YOU: Also excellent, particularly if the objective is to do very little somewhere hot. But if you aren’t tied to school dates, go in early or mid-October and avoid paying the family premium.
HOTEL OR VILLA? Hotel. The islands lend themselves particularly well to package and all-inclusive holidays.
BOOK IT: First Choice packages Hotel Riu Palace Santa Maria with UK flights, or it can be booked directly through RIU.
WHERE’S HOT IN AUTUMN? DUBAI
This is the no-jumper option. October is seriously hot, the sea is bath-like and rain is extremely unlikely. Waterparks, beaches, desert adventures and a vast choice of indoor attractions also make it remarkably straightforward with children.
AT A GLANCE
October high: around 36°C
Sea: around 31°C
Flight: around 7 hours
Best for: Near-guaranteed heat
STAY HERE: Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai hits a useful family sweet spot, with its own waterpark and children’s facilities without reaching the prices of Dubai’s most extravagant trophy resorts.
WITH THE KIDS: Yes, if the budget allows it. If you’re paying inflated half-term prices, Dubai at least removes most of the weather gamble.
JUST THE TWO OF YOU: Wait until November if you can. Temperatures become more comfortable for eating outside, sightseeing and spending a whole afternoon on the beach. If October is the only option, go before half term and choose a grown-up city or beach hotel rather than a family resort.
HOTEL OR APARTMENT? Both work. Resorts are easiest with small children; an aparthotel can considerably reduce the cost for families with older kids.
BOOK IT: Emirates Holidays currently packages Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai with Emirates flights.
PICK YOUR ESCAPE
Best family bet at half term: Tenerife
Best for families with teens: Marrakech
Best all-inclusive family value: Antalya
Best for genuinely hot beach weather: Cabo Verde
Best weather guarantee: Dubai
Best destination to sneak off to earlier as a couple: Cyprus
THE OCTOBER RULE
Early October: Cyprus, Antalya and Marrakech really come into their own. Couples and parents with preschoolers should take advantage before school-holiday prices arrive.
October half term: Tenerife, Cabo Verde and Dubai justify the premium most convincingly because the odds of proper swimming weather remain high.
And if you’re travelling without children? Unless half term is unavoidable, don’t pay for it. The same hotel, beach and sunshine can cost dramatically less just a week or two earlier.
Temperatures and sea temperatures are long-term October averages and should be treated as a guide to where’s hot in autumn, not a forecast.
Read this article in the FQ Autumn issue
