October is a month for relaxing, recalibrating, and reveling in the season’s natural splendor. In the Northern Hemisphere, it heralds the heart of fall. In the Southern Hemisphere, come October, people are busy basking in spring’s delights.

Signaling shoulder season in many places, October is also a good time to plan a trip — whether something short and sweet to see the last of the changing autumn leaves or a sunny getaway to stock up on vitamins sea and D before winter comes rumbling in.

Scroll down for ideas for where to make the most of the world’s wonders in October.

As always, check for travel restrictions and closures before planning your trip.

Grand Junction, Colorado

Near the border with Utah in western Colorado, Grand Junction goes into peak fall glory in October when nearby Grand Mesa National Forest (the Grand Mesa is the world’s largest flat-topped mountain!) explodes with golden aspens and colorful scrub oak trees. The 10-mile loop at Crag Crest Trail is a favorite fall hike here.

Rather bike around instead? The 22-mile Colorado Riverfront Trail System is accessible from several points around Grand Junction. And October’s mild temperatures, in the high 60s and lower 70s, are perfect for enjoying the great Colorado outdoors before winter officially rolls in.

Vancouver Island, British Columbia

October is a special time to journey to Vancouver Island, a densely forested and mountainous island off the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia, that you can reach by air or sea.

The salmon start running here in mid-October, and you can see hundreds of them rushing upstream from waterside trails and observation platforms at Goldstream Provincial Park, less than 13 miles west of Victoria’s pretty harbor.

October is also harvest time at Vancouver Island’s many vineyards and a beautiful time to road trip past wineries along the Saanich Peninsula and Cowichan Valley.

Summer’s crowds are long gone from Tofino’s sandy beaches in October, when coastal hikes in the area or a soak at Hot Springs Cove in Maquinna Marine Provincial Park deliver lots of laid-back enjoyment.

Greenville, South Carolina

Mid-October to mid-November is peak leaf-peeping season in gorgeous little Greenville, South Carolina, where you can pedal along more than 20 miles of novice biking trails to soak in the spectacular autumn scenery.

Foodies feast on Greenville’s stellar dining scene, with new restaurants like Camp from French Laundry–alum Drew Erickson on the scene and four James Beard chef and restaurant nominations to check out around town.

Maldives

The Maldives bids adieu to the wet season in October, when the hot and dry period settles upon the Indian Ocean archipelago. And if you’re looking for a last tropical escape before hunkering down for the long months of winter, these coral islands offer just the solution.

For travelers who like heading underwater to mingle with ocean giants, this is also the best time of the year to snorkel and dive alongside the whale sharks and manta rays that arrive in the Maldives for a seasonal plankton feast.

Toronto, Canada

Come mid-October, crisp autumn temperatures and flaming leaves in Toronto’s many parks and ravines put Canada’s biggest city in its best light. Right in the city, the boardwalk through Glen Stewart Ravine is a stunning place to walk under a canopy of changing leaves within an amazing urban forest.

October also ushers in hockey season in these parts, with a celebratory mood all around town anytime the Maple Leafs skate onto the ice.

Montevideo, Uruguay

South America’s smallest country, Uruguay, packs a big cultural punch and is home to some of the continent’s best beaches and vineyards (don’t miss Canelones, outside Montevideo, for wine tasting).

By October, with springtime fully descending upon the charming beachside capital, Montevideo, the city bustles with life — in particular around the Mercado del Puerto (Port Market). The market serves up a party vibe on weekend afternoons alongside vendors dishing up all manner of grilled meats and the heady, fizzy alcoholic drink called Medio y Medio.

Puerto Vallarta

The waters around Puerto Vallarta, on Mexico’s Pacific Coast, are at their clearest (and still plenty warm, too!) in October — the best time of the year to head out snorkeling among resident wild dolphins with Ecotours Vallarta.

To hang 10, take a day trip about an hour north of Puerto Vallarta to the cute little surf town of Sayulita. The waves are still pretty mellow in October, just before the big winter swells start rolling in.

Alexandria, Egypt

Egypt’s third-largest city (after Cairo and Giza), Alexandria is particularly pleasant in October, with daytime highs in the upper 70s and low 80s and an inviting Mediterranean environment free of the massive Cairo crowds of summer.

Once you’ve had your fill of the city’s many Greco-Roman historical sites, break for Cleopatra’s Beach, where the waters that Cleopatra and Marc Antony supposedly bathed in are still warm enough for a swim.

Georgia

The summer heat and crowds are long gone by October in the sublimely beautiful country of Georgia, where autumn leaves ambush the Caucasus Mountains with ambers and reds straight from a Bob Ross painting.

Fall is grape harvest time in these parts, when you might be lucky enough to experience Rtveli — a village feast of food and wine complete with dancing, singing, and lots and lots of khachapuri,the delicious cheese-filled bread that’s Georgia’s national dish.

Vienna, Austria

Austria’s capital city is always a charmer, but there’s no cozier time than October for snuggling under a blanket outside a café on a street lined with blazing fall foliage with a plate of sachertorte before you. Café Diglas, near Stephansplatz, Vienna’s famous square, is one of many tried-and-true places to try this chocolate cake layered with apricot jam.

One of Europe’s top film festivals and the country’s top international film event, the Viennale Film Festival, also takes place every October, setting the city’s streets and cinemas abuzz.

Athens, Greece

It’s still warm enough to swim in Greece in October, but the oppressive heat of summer has finally eased in Athens by now — making it a great time to visit touristy spots like the Acropolis and the cafés of the Pláka (Yiasemi is a favorite) alongside a far more Grecian crowd.

Fancy some beach time? The rocky coves and waters along the Athens Riviera, south of the city, stay inviting into November. Glyfada is a favorite seaside urban spot for mixing swanky cocktail bars with time spent on the pretty stretch of golden sand.

Johannesburg, South Africa

October marks the end of South Africa’s dry season and is a good chance to get in a last-minute trip to Johannesburg, the country’s largest city, before the rains start moving in.

After filling up on Jozi’s world-class nightlife, dining and art, plan a road trip four hours east of the city to Kruger National Park to scout for the big five at the tail end of the park’s peak safari season.