Good Places to Visit in USA in November: 12 Cities Ranked by Weather

Good places to visit in USA in November are mostly south and west: Honolulu (79.9°F (26.6°C)), Key West (77.5°F (25.3°C)), Miami, Phoenix, Los Angeles and San Diego all stay in the 70s Fahrenheit by day, and Las Vegas is a comfortable 66.9°F (19.4°C) with about 1 rainy day in the month. If you want a big northern city instead, New York and Washington DC are still enjoyable, but you will need a coat. These twelve picks come from 20 years of daily data, 2006 to 2025.

November in the US is a month of two countries. A Phoenix afternoon averages 76.5°F (24.7°C), while Minneapolis manages only 42.4°F (5.8°C) at its warmest point of the day. The practical rule is to head south or west, and to treat the north as a city-break destination rather than an outdoor one.

Good places to visit in USA in November: the numbers

All twelve cities, ordered from warmest to coolest by average high. Rain is the monthly total.

Among these good places to visit in USA in November, the standout numbers are these: Las Vegas and Phoenix have the lowest humidity (32% and 36%) and the fewest rainy days (1 and 2). Honolulu is the sunniest, with 10.2 hours a day. Washington DC and New York are the only two cities here that do not reach 60°F on average, but they have a different draw.

Good Places to Visit in USA in November: The Quick Answer

Honolulu has 79.9°F (26.6°C) highs and 73.0°F (22.8°C) lows, which is the most stable weather in the country. Rain is 1.5 in (38 mm) over 7 rainy days. This is the start of the winter swell on the north shores, so Oahu beaches there can be dangerous for swimming, while the south shore remains calm. Prices rise toward the end of the month as the holiday season begins. If you are picking an island, our Hawaii guide compares them.

Key West is the warmest at night, with lows of 74.5°F (23.6°C), and has 7 rainy days and 9.7 hours of sun. The water is still warm enough for easy swimming, and the heat has eased from the summer peak. Miami is similar but wetter, with 10 rainy days and 2.8 in (71 mm). Hurricane season runs until 30 November, and while the risk is lower than in September, it is not zero, so buy flexible bookings or travel insurance for early-month trips.

Orlando is the family pick. Highs are 76.3°F (24.6°C), there are only 6 rainy days, and the daily summer thunderstorms are largely behind it. The nights are cooler, with lows of 59.9°F (15.5°C), so pack a light jacket. Thanksgiving week is the main exception: parks are far busier than the rest of the month. We have more on the next month in our Florida in December article.

The desert and the California coast

This is where the weather is both warm and dry, which is an unusual combination for November.

Phoenix is ideal now. Highs are 76.5°F (24.7°C), rain is just 0.7 in (18 mm), and sunshine runs to 9.5 hours a day. The one thing to plan for is the temperature swing, as nights drop to 50.9°F (10.5°C). It is a very good month for golf, hiking and pool time.

Las Vegas is cooler at 66.9°F (19.4°C) by day and 47.3°F (8.5°C) at night. Outdoor pools are not worth the money, but walking the Strip is pleasant in the afternoon and you will want a jacket after dark. Rain is 0.5 in (13 mm). Our what to wear in Vegas guide helps with the evening layers.

Los Angeles has 74.5°F (23.6°C) highs and only 3 rainy days, with 9.3 sun hours. San Diego is a few degrees cooler at 69.6°F (20.9°C), with 4 rainy days. Neither is a place for swimming without a wetsuit, since the Pacific stays cool, but beach walks, surf lessons and outdoor dining are all comfortable. Further north, San Francisco is cooler at 61.9°F (16.6°C) and starts to see more rain.

Texas and the Gulf: New Orleans and Austin

New Orleans is one of the best-value choices in the country this month. Highs of 69.1°F (20.6°C) mean you can walk through the French Quarter without wilting, there are 8 rainy days with 3.0 in (76 mm) of rain, and the summer humidity has dropped to 74%. Evenings can feel cool, with lows of 56.7°F (13.7°C), and an occasional cold front brings a damp, windy day.

Austin is dry and pleasant. Highs are 70.5°F (21.4°C) with 7 rainy days and 7.6 hours of sun. Live music is easier to enjoy outdoors than in summer. If you are going to Texas more widely, San Antonio (71.8°F (22.1°C)) and Houston (71.4°F (21.9°C)) have similar numbers, though Houston is more humid (74% with 3.8 in (97 mm) of rain).

Northeast city breaks: New York and Washington DC

New York is not a warm-weather destination in November, but it is one of the best cities in the country for a long weekend. Highs average 53.1°F (11.7°C) and lows 39.0°F (3.9°C), with 8 rainy days and 6.8 sun hours. The Thanksgiving Day parade is on the fourth Thursday of the month, and the city starts its holiday decorations before the month ends. Hotels are costly in the holiday week and around the parade. The week before Thanksgiving is quieter.

Washington DC is a bit milder at 55.9°F (13.3°C), with 8 rainy days and 7.3 sun hours, and it is an easy city to walk because the museums are free to enter and the crowds are smaller than in spring. Dress in layers and bring an umbrella.

Between the warm south and the cold northeast sit the in-between cities. Atlanta averages 62.1°F (16.7°C) with 7 rainy days, and Nashville averages 59.2°F (15.1°C) with 9. Both are decent for a music or food weekend, with the added bonus of fewer crowds than in spring. But they are neither warm nor dry, so we would rank them below the twelve above for a trip where weather is the main reason to go.

We have no daily numbers for Chicago, so we will not quote any, but it is colder than both. If you are weighing it up anyway, our Chicago guide covers the seasons in general.

Thanksgiving week and the rest of the month

The fourth Thursday of November is Thanksgiving, and it reshapes the whole month. The days around it are the busiest road and air travel period of the American year, and the Friday after is a major shopping day. That has real consequences for planning.

In the week before, most destinations are quiet, hotel rooms are easier to find, and airports are relatively calm. In Thanksgiving week itself, the family-friendly warm places fill first: Orlando, the Florida coast, Hawaii, San Diego and Phoenix. Cities with big hotel stock and many things to do indoors, such as Las Vegas and New Orleans, absorb the crowds better, though prices there rise as well. The weekend after is the worst moment to be at an airport, as everyone returns at once.

We would choose differently depending on your dates. For the first two weeks, the best good places to visit in USA in November are the ones where the weather is the main attraction: Honolulu, Key West, Phoenix and San Diego. For the long weekend, pick a place that is built to handle crowds, or one that is off the usual family circuit, such as Austin or Washington DC. For the last few days of the month, you start to see Christmas lights and markets opening, which suits New York and New Orleans in particular.

One more thing about the south. Daylight is shorter everywhere in November, but the further south you go, the less you notice. Honolulu has 10.2 hours of sun a day, Key West 9.7 and Phoenix 9.5, against 6.8 in New York and 5.0 in Portland. That is the difference between a full day outdoors and a short one before dinner.

Where we would not go in November

The Pacific Northwest is the obvious one. Portland and Seattle each have 18 rainy days and 7.5 in (190 mm) of rain, with just 5.0 and 4.7 hours of sun a day. Anchorage has an average high of 26.6°F (-3.0°C) and 3.3 hours of sun a day. Minneapolis and Denver have average lows of 28.9°F (-1.7°C) and 26.2°F (-3.2°C), and Salt Lake City is 30.7°F (-0.7°C). Ski resorts often open only partially at this point, so we would wait until December. For Alaska specifically, see our Alaska guide.

Picking the right US city for your goal

• Beach and swimming: Honolulu, Key West or Miami. Skip the California coast if you want warm water.
• Driest days: Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Angeles. All three have fewer than four rainy days.
• Families: Orlando and San Diego, both mild and with plenty to do.
• Thanksgiving week: Phoenix, Las Vegas and the Florida coast are the easy warm-weather options.
• Fewer crowds: Visit anywhere in the first two weeks, before Thanksgiving travel starts.
• City culture: New Orleans, New York, Washington DC and Austin.

Looking at the month before? Our October picks for the US are a useful comparison, and the trip planner can help you put two cities side by side.

What to pack

For Hawaii, Florida and the Keys, pack shorts, swimwear and a thin waterproof layer. For Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Diego, pack for warm days and cool evenings: a sweatshirt or light jacket does the work. New York and Washington need a proper coat, gloves and a hat for evenings. If the forecast for your trip hovers around 70°F, see the 70 degree guide; for 50°F, use the 50 degree guide.

Data note

When you use this list of good places to visit in USA in November, remember that all values are 20-year averages for 2006 to 2025 from the Open-Meteo historical weather data. They describe what is typical for November, not a forecast, so an individual week could be warmer, colder or wetter. Use them to shortlist, then check the forecast before you book flexible items. You can also check official climate information from NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals.