Rent a Roof Box for Autumn Holidays – Well Packed for the Golden Season
Autumn holidays are the underrated travel season. Fewer crowds on the beaches, milder climate in the Mediterranean, prime hiking weather in the lower mountain ranges, and a noticeable price advantage on holiday homes and hotels. But luggage often gets bulkier than in summer: rain jackets and warm layers come along, from day packs to full family gear. With a rented roof box, rear box or bike rack, you keep the interior clear – even when you want to bring everything weather-ready.
When are autumn school holidays in your state?
Autumn holidays in Germany vary significantly by federal state. Roughly:
- Hesse: traditionally two weeks in mid-October
- Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria: one to two weeks in early November (Bavaria often two weeks around All Saints')
- Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia: two weeks in early to mid-October
- Lower Saxony, Bremen, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein: one to two weeks in early to mid-October
- Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia: two weeks in October (often later in the month)
As customers from the Rhine-Main area, you usually have Hesse dates – and you benefit from the fact that weather and occupancy in Southern Europe calm down at exactly this time.
Popular autumn destinations among our customers
- Italy (Tuscany, Liguria, South Tyrol): Late summer warmth, grape harvest, fewer tourists. October in Tuscany is one of the best travel windows of the year.
- Southern France (Provence, Côte d'Azur): Comfortable 22–25 °C, emptier beaches, many campgrounds still open.
- Spain and Portugal (Costa Brava, Algarve): Real beach days are still very possible in October.
- North Sea and Baltic Sea: Storm walks, autumn colors over the water, cozy fireside evenings. Shorter drive, usually cheaper accommodation.
- Alps and lower mountain ranges (Black Forest, Harz, Sauerland, Odenwald, Spessart): Golden October for hiking, often the best weather of the year.
- City breaks (Prague, Vienna, Amsterdam): Easily reached by car, pleasant temperatures, cultural season kicks off.
What to pack differently in autumn
Autumn trips often need more clothing than summer ones, not less. For one to two weeks:
- Layering: T-shirt, sweater, fleece, rain jacket, softshell – sudden weather changes are standard
- Two pairs of shoes: a waterproof pair for hiking or rain, a lighter pair for dry days
- Small day pack with rain cover
- Hot water bottle or thermos flask – often underestimated, invaluable on cooler hikes
- Rain pants or rain poncho
- For coastal trips: still pack swimwear – the Mediterranean in October is plenty swimmable
All of this fits comfortably into a 450-liter roof box for a family.
Which box size fits your autumn trip?
- Couple, week-long hiking tour: 300 liters usually enough. Packs, hiking clothes, supplies – all in.
- Family with one child, two weeks in Tuscany or southern France: 450 liters is standard.
- Family with two kids, two weeks camping or vacation rental: 500 liters. Room for all weather layers.
- Combination with bikes (MTB, road bike, e-bike): 300 or 450 liter roof box plus a tow-bar bike rack. Autumn is one of the best cycling seasons.
Autumn add-ons often booked alongside
- Bike racks – MTB tours in the Alps, road biking in Tuscany, e-bike trips along the Rhine
- Rear box – comfortable alternative, especially for EV drivers
- Cooler – for supplies on longer drives, used less in autumn but still useful for camping
When should you book?
In our rental business, autumn holidays are the fourth peak period after summer, Christmas and Whitsun. For Hesse's autumn holidays, most bookings come in between mid-August and early October. Our advice: reserve at least four weeks in advance, ideally six. Those who want to book spontaneously in October often find only the smallest or largest box available – the middle sizes (450, 500 liters) are usually gone.
About us
We rent out of our workshop at Steinstraße 16 in Darmstadt. Since 2013, in person, with a fixed address and 5/5 stars from 78 Google reviews. We handle the handover ourselves – including mounting on your vehicle and a briefing, in English on request.