Best Time to Visit United States

One country, many climates

The US is huge, so there's no single best month. Phoenix and Las Vegas are brutal in July, when they hit 41°C and 42°C. Seattle is at its best then. If you're doing a big road trip, pick the region that matters most and plan around it.

Where do you want to be? For the desert cities (Phoenix, Las Vegas) and for Miami, go in winter and early spring. Phoenix is best from November to March. Miami is best from January to March, before the rainy, sticky summer. Miami's wettest month is June.

Spring and autumn win for cities

September is the safe pick for a multi-city trip. It's the best month for New York, Chicago, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Nashville. Autumn colour in New England makes Boston especially good in the fall. Denver and Nashville are also lovely in October.

Seattle and San Francisco work the other way. Seattle is best from June to September, and November is its wettest month by far. San Francisco is best from May to October, and its warmest month is September. Don't expect beach weather there, though. Southern California is different. Los Angeles and San Diego are pleasant for most of the year.

Holidays and crowds

Summer is high season for families, since schools are out from roughly June to August. National parks and Orlando-style attractions get packed. The Fourth of July weekend is busy everywhere, and fireworks shows draw big crowds in New York, Boston, and D.C. Hotels fill up fast.

Thanksgiving, on the fourth Thursday of November, is the busiest travel week of the year. Airports and highways are jammed. Late December is also expensive and crowded, especially in New York and Miami. Memorial Day (late May) and Labor Day (early September) are long weekends that raise prices at beaches and parks.

For fewer crowds, try late April, May, or October. New Orleans is best in November, when the heat eases. Mardi Gras in February or March is a big party, but it's loud and packed. Do you want quiet? Skip it.