Sukkot Abroad: The Best Destinations for Yom Tov Travel

Sukkot is arguably the best Jewish holiday for travel. Think about it: the whole point of the holiday is to leave the comfort of your home and live temporarily in a sukkah, embracing impermanence and connection to the natural world. Traveling during Sukkot extends that theme — you're already outside your comfort zone, already relying on community and hospitality, already experiencing the world in a way that daily routine doesn't allow. Practically speaking, Sukkot also falls at an excellent time for travel. In the Northern Hemisphere, October means pleasant autumn weather in the Mediterranean, warm days in the Middle East, and spring in the Southern Hemisphere. The eight-day holiday (nine outside Israel) gives enough time for a meaningful trip without being an endurance test. And Chabad houses worldwide build sukkahs and host meals, which means kosher Sukkot infrastructure exists in more places than you might expect. The biggest challenge is the lulav and etrog — these need to be acquired before the holiday and transported carefully. More on that below.

The biggest logistical challenge of Sukkot travel is the arba minim (four species). You need a lulav, etrog, hadassim, and aravot, and they need to be halachically valid. Options for travelers: Buy before you travel and bring them with you. Etrogs travel reasonably well in a padded case (available from Judaica stores). Lulavim are trickier — they're long and fragile. Some travelers buy a travel-sized lulav or carefully pack a full-sized one in a poster tube. Buy at your destination. In cities with large Jewish communities (London, Buenos Aires, Rome, Cape Town), arba minim are available from Judaica shops and synagogues before the holiday. Contact the local community well in advance to confirm availability and pricing. Use Chabad's. Every Chabad house that runs Sukkot programming has a set of arba minim available for visitors to use. This is the simplest option if you're relying on Chabad for meals anyway. Order online for delivery to your destination. Some suppliers will ship internationally with enough lead time. Check customs regulations — some countries restrict plant imports.

Unless you're at a Chabad or a community with a public sukkah, you may need to think about where you'll eat your Sukkot meals. Options: Hotel balconies — some hotels will allow you to set up a small pop-up sukkah on a private balcony. Ask in advance and bring a compact sukkah kit. Airbnb with a garden or patio — if you're renting, a private outdoor space gives you room to build a simple sukkah. Bamboo schach (sukkah covering) can sometimes be sourced locally from garden centers. Community sukkahs — in cities with organized Jewish communities, the synagogue or community center sukkah is your best bet. Book meals in advance as space is limited during Yom Tov. Restaurant sukkahs — some kosher restaurants in major cities build their own sukkah for the holiday. Call ahead to reserve. Chabad — the ultimate fallback. Every Chabad worldwide that offers Sukkot programming has a sukkah and serves meals. Contact them well before the holiday.