United States›Month by month

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United States, month by month

Where in the United States is at its best each month, and where to skip. Each verdict comes from the place's stated best season and the closures, weather warnings and festivals Tourisma has for it: in the middle of the season is a great month, its first or last month a good one; a weather warning (monsoon seas, smoke) moves a month down, a closure (a park shut, the boats stopped) moves it down to mixed at most, and a shut place is better avoided.

United States in January

Plan January

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Austin, Big Island (Hawaii Island), Boston, Bryce Canyon National Park, Charleston, Denver & Boulder, Grand Canyon (South Rim), Grand Teton & Jackson Hole, Great Smoky Mountains (Gatlinburg), Honolulu & Oahu (Waikiki), Kauai, Los Angeles, Moab: Arches & Canyonlands, Monterey, Carmel & Big Sur, Monument Valley, Mount Rainier National Park, Napa & Sonoma Valleys, Nashville, New Jersey (Edison & Akshardham), New Orleans, New York City, Niagara Falls (US side), Page: Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend, Philadelphia, Rocky Mountain National Park, San Diego, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Sedona, Washington, D.C., Yosemite National Park, Zion National Park.

Better avoided

Can fall this month

  • Mardi Gras, New Orleans
  • CES, Las Vegas
  • Rose Parade, Pasadena
  • Humpback whale season, Maui

United States in February

Plan February

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Austin, Big Island (Hawaii Island), Boston, Bryce Canyon National Park, Charleston, Denver & Boulder, Grand Canyon (South Rim), Grand Teton & Jackson Hole, Great Smoky Mountains (Gatlinburg), Honolulu & Oahu (Waikiki), Kauai, Los Angeles, Moab: Arches & Canyonlands, Monterey, Carmel & Big Sur, Monument Valley, Mount Rainier National Park, Napa & Sonoma Valleys, Nashville, New Jersey (Edison & Akshardham), New York City, Niagara Falls (US side), Page: Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend, Philadelphia, Rocky Mountain National Park, San Diego, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Sedona, Washington, D.C., Yosemite National Park, Zion National Park.

Better avoided

Can fall this month

  • Mardi Gras, New Orleans
  • Humpback whale season, Maui

United States in March

Plan March

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Lake Tahoe, Big Island (Hawaii Island), Boston, Bryce Canyon National Park, Chicago, Denver & Boulder, Grand Teton & Jackson Hole, Great Smoky Mountains (Gatlinburg), Honolulu & Oahu (Waikiki), Kauai, Monterey, Carmel & Big Sur, Mount Rainier National Park, Napa & Sonoma Valleys, Nashville, New Jersey (Edison & Akshardham), New York City, Niagara Falls (US side), Philadelphia, Rocky Mountain National Park, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Yosemite National Park, Zion National Park.

Better avoided

Can fall this month

  • National Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington
  • Mardi Gras, New Orleans
  • SXSW, Austin
  • Humpback whale season, Maui
  • St. Patrick's Day, Savannah

United States in April

Plan April

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Boston, Bryce Canyon National Park, Chicago, Denver & Boulder, Grand Teton & Jackson Hole, Lake Tahoe, Mount Rainier National Park, Niagara Falls (US side), Rocky Mountain National Park, Seattle, Yosemite National Park.

Better avoided

Can fall this month

  • National Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington
  • New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
  • Humpback whale season, Maui
  • Coachella, Indio

United States in May

Plan May

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Yosemite National Park, Anchorage & Kenai Fjords, Denali National Park, Grand Teton & Jackson Hole, Houston & Space Center Houston, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas, Miami & Miami Beach, Mount Rainier National Park, Palm Springs & Joshua Tree, Rocky Mountain National Park, Seattle, Yellowstone National Park.

Better avoided

Can fall this month

  • New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
  • Spoleto Festival USA, Charleston
  • Synchronous fireflies, Great Smoky Mountains

United States in June

Plan June

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Zion National Park, Austin, Charleston, Glacier National Park, Houston & Space Center Houston, Key West & the Florida Keys, Los Angeles, Miami & Miami Beach, Mount Rainier National Park, New Orleans, Orlando (Disney & Universal), San Francisco, Savannah.

Better avoided

Can fall this month

  • Spoleto Festival USA, Charleston
  • Synchronous fireflies, Great Smoky Mountains

United States in July

Plan July

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Austin, Charleston, Great Smoky Mountains (Gatlinburg), Houston & Space Center Houston, Key West & the Florida Keys, Los Angeles, Miami & Miami Beach, Nashville, New Jersey (Edison & Akshardham), New Orleans, New York City, Orlando (Disney & Universal), Philadelphia, San Francisco, Savannah, Washington, D.C..

Better avoided

Can fall this month

  • Independence Day (Fourth of July)

United States in August

Plan August

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Austin, Great Smoky Mountains (Gatlinburg), Nashville, New Jersey (Edison & Akshardham), New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C..

Better avoided

Can fall this month

  • India Day Parade, New York

United States in September

Plan September

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Grand Canyon (South Rim), Lake Tahoe, Los Angeles, Moab: Arches & Canyonlands, Monument Valley, San Francisco, Sedona, Zion National Park, Anchorage & Kenai Fjords, Austin, Denali National Park.

Better avoided

Can fall this month

  • Navratri garba in New Jersey (dates shift yearly)
  • New England autumn colours
  • Aloha Festivals, Oahu

United States in October

Plan October

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Charleston, Houston & Space Center Houston, Kauai, Monterey, Carmel & Big Sur, Napa & Sonoma Valleys, New Orleans, Orlando (Disney & Universal), San Diego, Savannah, Yosemite National Park, Grand Teton & Jackson Hole, Mount Rainier National Park, Seattle, Yellowstone National Park.

Better avoided

Can fall this month

  • Diwali in New York and New Jersey (dates shift yearly)
  • Navratri garba in New Jersey (dates shift yearly)
  • New England autumn colours

United States in November

Plan November

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Big Island (Hawaii Island), Boston, Bryce Canyon National Park, Chicago, Denver & Boulder, Grand Teton & Jackson Hole, Honolulu & Oahu (Waikiki), Kauai, Key West & the Florida Keys, Maui, Moab: Arches & Canyonlands, Mount Rainier National Park, Nashville, Niagara Falls (US side), Page: Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend, Rocky Mountain National Park, Seattle, Zion National Park.

Better avoided

Can fall this month

  • Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
  • Diwali in New York and New Jersey (dates shift yearly)

United States in December

Plan December

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Lake Tahoe, Austin, Big Island (Hawaii Island), Boston, Bryce Canyon National Park, Charleston, Denver & Boulder, Grand Canyon (South Rim), Grand Teton & Jackson Hole, Great Smoky Mountains (Gatlinburg), Honolulu & Oahu (Waikiki), Kauai, Los Angeles, Moab: Arches & Canyonlands, Monterey, Carmel & Big Sur, Monument Valley, Mount Rainier National Park, Napa & Sonoma Valleys, Nashville, New Jersey (Edison & Akshardham), New Orleans, Niagara Falls (US side), Page: Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend, Philadelphia, Rocky Mountain National Park, San Diego, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Sedona, Washington, D.C., Yosemite National Park, Zion National Park.

Better avoided

Can fall this month

  • New Year's Eve ball drop, Times Square
  • Humpback whale season, Maui
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