The 5 Best Design Destinations to Visit in October

New Yorkers have a lot to look forward to, including the annual Open House New York and Archtober, a month-long celebration of architecture. Cincinnati will become a destination for those attending Blink, the annual festival of light and art similar to Vivid Sydney. Design Week Mexico will take over Mexico City for more than three weeks, reinforcing its status as one of the world’s most exciting design destinations. The Istanbul Biennial will return this year with a new location and a roster of A-list international artists, including José Parlá. In Europe, Dutch Design Week will be the highlight of the month, drawing some 350,000 people to the city of Eindhoven. If you haven’t finalized your travel plans yet, now is the time to do so.

New York City

Following the dog days of summer, New Yorkers can count on the cultural calendar picking up steam this fall. And if you don’t live in New York City, October is a great time to visit. Archtober, the city’s month-long celebration of architecture, will return with its popular architect-led building tours, plus new partnerships with the New York Public Library, the Brooklyn Public Library, and the Queens Public Library. This year, a new series of weekend getaway partners, including the Glass House designed by Philip Johnson, will encourage people to explore architecture in the tristate area. Open House New York will also return on October 18–20, opening the doors to the city’s most important buildings. Planning a visit? We recommend staying in Brooklyn at the recently opened Hoxton Hotel or the Wythe Hotel, which just revamped its rooftop bar. And do yourself a favor and book a table at one (or several!) of these stylish new restaurants.

Mexico City

Design Week Mexico returns from October 3–27 with a robust program of events organized by the team that earned the city the title of World Design Capital last year. Highlights include Inédito, which highlights projects focused on socially and environmentally impactful design, Visión y tradición at the Museo Nacional de Antropología, and an exhibit on Cuba—this year’s country of honor—at the Museo de Arte Moderno. Planning to go? Book a room at Las Alcobas in the posh neighborhood of Polanco and reserve a table at Pujol as far in advance as possible.

Istanbul

The 16th Istanbul Biennial technically kicks off in September, but October is an ideal time to go if you don’t mind missing the opening parties. The weather will be a bit cooler and there will still be plenty of exhibitions and events to attend. This year, the biennial will take place in a new location in a former warehouse being transformed into a museum slated to open next year. If you go, book a room at Soho House Istanbul, housed in a gorgeously restored 19th-century palazzo in the chic Beyoglu neighborhood, and be sure to visit Topkapi Palace and the Blue Mosque.

Eindhoven

Though Eindhoven may not roll off the tongue like Amsterdam, design lovers know that this small Dutch city has one of Europe’s most important design schools. And every fall, it hosts Dutch Design Week, drawing hundreds of thousands of attendees. This year, it will take place from October 19–27 and will focus on designing for the future. Book a room at Kazerne, a member of Design Hotels with just eight luxurious rooms and suites. If you can’t get in there, you could stay in Amsterdam and take the train to Eindhoven, which is about 80 minutes away.

Cincinnati

Over a million people attended the inaugural Blink festival in 2017, and this year’s edition promises to be the biggest and best yet. From October 10–13, this massive festival of light and art will take over Cincinnati and—for the first time ever—extend across the Ohio River to Kentucky. Expect projection mapping, street art murals, interactive light sculptures, and music along the riverfront. The place to stay is the 21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati, which features site-specific works, rotating exhibits, and a hip restaurant.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest