Why you Need to Road Trip Austria in October!
Curios why you need to road trip Austria in October? First, why even choose Austria? It has gorgeous gorgeous alp views like Switzerland, but without the price-tag; plus great beer! Second, October is the best month to visit Austria because the weather is amazing, the foliage is vibrant and the price and crowds are better!
Below I’ll delve deep into the perfect creation that is Austria in October. I’m here to convince you that renting a car and taking a road trip through Austria is the best option for seeing it!
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The Weather In Austria in OCtober
Yes, in truth, the best weather in Austria is May, June and September. So, technically, October can get cool and it isn’t the BEST weather out of the year. BUT, honestly, we visited in October and had the PERFECT weather on our trip.
Although mornings may be a bit cool, the afternoons can be crisp and beautiful! Do know, though, that the weather can be a bit squirrelly and unpredictable in October.
In October the temps are normally in the lower 60’s/upper 50’s F and the lows are normally in the 40’s/upper 30’s F.
These morning temps typically warm up quickly, especially with sunshine and it makes for the best city-exploring or hiking weather.
Fall Foliage in Austria in October
If you are a fall foliage fanatic (like myself 😏), October is the perfect time to visit Austria! Peak leaf season in Austria is mid to late October (depends on the rain like any other place). So, although weather may be a bit warmer in September, leaves have not yet started to change then. Therefore, October reins supreme!
Know that foliage obviously varies from valleys to mountain tops and the exact peak week varies yearly; we visited around the third week of October and it looked like this ⬇️😍
Prices of Accommodations in October
Austria has a pretty distinct summer lake/hike/outdoor season and a distinct ski season (really Austria has it all, and I could brag on it for days).
Therefore, Austria really has a distinct shoulder season as well and, thus, the prices of accommodations are significantly cheaper during this time!
The Crowds in Austria in October
Again, with a distinct shoulder season comes significantly less crowds in October. We rode up to the gorgeous peak of Kitzsteinhorn (read more here on that 😍) without a minute of waiting and were able to find seating at restaurants without a reservation or wait time. It was so nice!
However, I will note that in Zell am See, which has a beautiful lake (for summer) and is right next to a ski slopes (for winter) many of the stores and restaurants were actually closed during this time. This wasn’t the case in Salzburg or larger towns, though.
Why “road trip” Austria?
You CAN navigate Austria without the use of a car. There are buses or trains that go to most major towns, and once you are in most of Austria’s cities you can navigate them on foot.
- HOWEVER, the views between each city are stunning! The drive between Innsbruck and Zell am See is just breathtaking and you’ll want to stop and take a few pitstops on the side of the road for pictures or coffee in the smaller towns! 🙂 ↓
Also, I would make a list of the places you need to visit in Austria, but it seems infinite; Austria has no shortage of beautiful cities and towns! It is the perfect place to get outdoor activities with a mix of city all in one trip. Please, be sure to fit Hallstatt into your road trip; we missed it and I still want to cry about it!
Road Trip Austria Recap
Austria is pretty high on our list of favorite countries we’ve visited. We were only in the country for about 3 days and we fell in love. I’d go back in a heartbeat!
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