Outdoorsy nature lovers comprise one significant stream, as do the literary-minded – above all else fans of Beatrix Potter and William Wordsworth.

For all of its beautiful countryside, England isn’t really a fall colors destination, though one overhears plenty of comparisons to New England in the Lake District in the autumn, and these comparisons are fair.

In the autumn months, the Lake District becomes a wet splendor, dripping with fall color and, well, rain. The region cradles the season in strong golds, reds and yellows. It’s captivating yet somehow understated. Tourist numbers dip in the off-season as well, and rates come down from their July and August highs.

Visiting the Lake District in fall

Here are five tips for making the Lake District work for you in the off-season.

1. Boats not cars

When it comes to the lakes themselves, consider opting out of a car rental and basing yourself at one or another lake. Traveling by car will mean getting wet and dealing with navigation hassles. Four lakes can be navigated on luxuriously slow, lumbering cruises.

Windermere Lake Cruises operates on Lake Windermere (limited winter schedule), Keswick Launch runs on Derwentwater (limited winter schedule), Ullswater Steamers churn the waters of Ullswater (limited winter schedule), and Coniston Launch provides tours of Coniston Water, though only through early November.

2. Bus tours – and buses as transportation

Bus tours can be booked by a company called Mountain Goat Tours, which operates daylong tours. In the off-season (November through Easter) the number of tours on offer shrinks to just two, but these are, arguably, the essential two: the Ten Lakes Spectacular (£39) and the Beatrix Potter & William Wordsworth’s Countryside (£35).

For general bus travel around the region, there is the North West Explorer day pass, which costs £11.50 for adults (£8.50 for children) and allows travel on buses throughout Cumbria and beyond.

3. Mint cakes

Get sugared up. The Lake District is known for the Kendal Mint Cake, a block of sugar cooked with peppermint oil that became a favorite of outdoor enthusiasts. Think of it as an energy booster. Or as candy. Your choice.

A cozy scene at the charming Ambleside Inn. Photo: Booking.com

4. Cheap beds

Bed down in the lap of value at The Ambleside Inn in the Lake District village of Ambleside. The rooms are above a successful restaurant and bar that serves locally brewed beers. Rooms are simple but cheery. Doubles begin around £99 per night.

Search for more hotels in Cumbria and the Lake District.

5. Escape the rain with Peter Rabbit.

If the weather is just too terrible to explore, there’s the World of Beatrix Potter Attraction in Bowness for fans and the generally curious alike. There is a short film, a virtual walk through the surrounding countryside, various displays (or “areas”) devoted to various of Potter’s characters, and a shop and tearoom. Admission is £7.95 for adults and £3.95 for children.

The post 5 tips for visiting England’s Lake District in autumn appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Wrong. While January through March is the cheapest season for hotel rates and flights, things are still downright affordable in the fall. Throw in the added bonus that the weather is almost perfect, and you will be ready to fall in love with New York — in fall!

Related
• Cheapo Guide: Visiting New York on a budget
• 5 Super cheap hotels in Manhattan
• The Best cheap hotels near Broadway theaters

 Visiting New York City in fall

Before the holiday season kicks into high gear, New York can be surprisingly affordable for travelers. Here are 6 reasons to visit New York in the fall.

1. Airfares are lower

As the temperature drops in New York, so do the airfares. For example, while summer fares from San Francisco to New York hover around $500, they drop below $400 in September. Other cities showed similar trends, with airfare dropping anywhere from $20 to $150 between the middle of September and the middle of November. Note, though, that your window is small: Fares will spike again at Thanksgiving and remain high through the holidays.

2. The weather is fine

Because so many of New York’s major attractions are best seen while strolling through the city, pleasant weather can make a huge difference in a trip. Fall is that sweet spot sandwiched between summer’s mugginess and winter’s bitter chill, and its moderate weather makes it a joy to explore, whether you’re leaf-peeping in Central Park or strolling through the gorgeous streets of the West Village.

Related: Which neighborhood is right for your New York City trip?

3. The hotel rates drop

Like airfares, New York hotel rates also take a dip after the summer rush. A recent search found that a double room at the stylish Ameritania Hotel near Time Square costs $404 a night at the end of August, and throughout the fall runs between $300 and $350, dropping as low as $221 in mid-November.

Keep in mind, though, that there will be a shocking spike during Fashion Week (in early September) and again over Thanksgiving weekend, although there are some deals for Turkey Day.

Related: How to save on your hotel in New York City

4. The crowds are smaller

After the summer throngs had returned to school and work and real life, New York suddenly feels a whole lot calmer. True, the streets are still crowded, but somehow it feels like you have a lot more space. Plus, crowds at the most famous attractions will be smaller too.

Related: 6 Under-the-Radar (and free) parks to explore in NYC

5. Explore free sights abound

The number of free sights in New York does not necessarily expand in the fall, but the viability of hitting them all is proportional to the weather: The more comfortable the temps are, the easier it is to be outside. Thus, while in summer and winter you may be more inclined to seek air conditioning or heat indoors (quests that often involve paying for a drink or museum ticket), during the fall you can save on food, entertainment and transportation since it’s easier to wander around attractions and taking in the city’s myriad beautiful parks.

Related: 5 haunted (and free!) haunted New York City spots

6. It’s a festive time of year

Between pumpkins, technicolor leaves and all things apple, fall has a cozy yet vibrant feeling that is hard to beat. And everything from Central Park to the Union Square farmer’s market catches the fever.

Finding cheap hotels in New York City

Ready to visit New York? Browse all of our budget hotel picks to find the perfect place to stay and check out all of our NYC articles for more advice on finding a hotel.

What’s your favorite part of visiting New York in the fall? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 6 Cheapo reasons for visiting New York in the fall appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

“Berlin with a shade more flair” is how our Leipzig friend describes her home town. This magnificent city, overshadowed in Saxony by Dresden and too close (some say) to Berlin to really pull the crowds, is a place to visit in fall. For hundreds of years, merchants and traders from across Europe made their way to the city’s Michaelmas Fair, held in late September and early October.

Related: Leipzig budget travel guide

Catching the Zeitgeist

Kim Rupp-Gregory, co-editor of Leipzig Zeitgeist magazine, sees more than merely trade in the mood of the season: “Fall in Leipzig is revolutionary. As the leaves turn and become restless the people here revive the spirit of autumn 1989, when they took to the streets in peaceful protest against the East German communist regime. The knife-edge bravery of so many paid off with the subsequent fall of the Berlin Wall and ultimately Germany’s reunification.”

Peaceful Revolution

21 years on, visitors to Leipzig can still catch the buzz of a city that has long punched far above its weight. A well-marked trail through town recalls the highpoints of the peaceful revolution that was wrought on Leipzig’s streets. “Things come to a head on 9 October,” explains Kim. “That’s when the city positively glows for its annual commemorative Festival of Lights.” It’s a chance to mingle with the crowds and just experience Leipzig’s distinctive flavors and style.

Throughout the edgy months of political protest in 1989, Leipzig folk were just a tad more daring than Berliners. Perhaps it was easier to be daring away from the capital. That still holds true today. Liveable Leipzig sticks its neck out, and the many facets of city life are beautifully captured in successive issues of Leipzig Zeitgeist, an unpretentious magazine that is a must for English-speaking residents and visitors.

Leipzig by Bike

Kim’s co-editor on Leipzig Zeitgeist is Christina Nielsen-Marsh who is quick to emphasize that Leipzig residents are still quick to take to the streets, though nowadays it is more for fun than for protest.

“The finest way to see Leipzig is by bike,” says Christina. “My favorite route is to pedal down through Clara Zetkin Park and along the Karl Heine Canal into the western district of Plagwitz for a taste of a more alternative Leipzig.

“Kanal 28” is a great place to refuel and take in the industrial architecture of the area. And, when it comes to industrial architecture, the Spinnerei, also in Plagwitz, is something special – this former cotton mill is now home to a collection of artists, artisans and galleries, and has been attracting local, national and international interest in recent years.

“After an afternoon exploring the city by bike, an evening at Noch Besser Leben drinking a Beton (German for ‘concrete’), or three, will hit the spot, as will the live music at their frequent concerts.”

Getting There

Leipzig-Halle Airport is north-west of the city. Regular trains will whisk you from airport to city center in just 15 minutes. The airport is served by twice-daily flights from both Paris (with Air France) and Vienna (with Austrian Airlines). Ryanair will debut at the airport next month, launching five flights per week to London and three to Rome.

Travel times to Leipzig Hauptbahnhof on direct InterCity or the sleek fast ICE trains from other German cities are as follows:

Berlin (Hourly), taking 70 to 80 min.
Dresden (Hourly) taking 65 to 75 min.
Cologne (Every 2 hrs) taking 6 hrs
Munich (Every 2 hrs) taking 5 hrs 30 min.

The post Germany: Exploring Leipzig in the autumn appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.