Chuseok Holiday Outing

2026 Chuseok Holiday Outings — How to Make the Most of the Four Days

Chuseok in 2026 falls on Friday, September 25. The official holiday period is three days, from Thursday, September 24 to Saturday, September 26, with Sunday, September 27 naturally attaching, making it a four-day break: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

While the number of days seems ample at first glance, a closer look at the calendar reveals a slight disappointment. This is because not a single substitute holiday is added. Substitute holidays for Seollal and Chuseok occur only when they overlap with a Sunday, but this year's holiday falls on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, not meeting Sunday. This contrasts with Liberation Day (Gwangbokjeol) in the same year, which falls on a Saturday, resulting in a substitute holiday on Monday. While national holidays receive a substitute holiday even if they fall on a Saturday, traditional holidays (Chuseok/Seollal) follow a different rule.

Therefore, this year's Chuseok is less of a "long holiday" and more like an extended weekend with two extra days. It's just long enough to be awkward for a distant trip, but too short to simply stay home. Below is a discussion on how to actually spend those four days.

Each Day Has a Different Purpose

The key is Saturday, September 26. It's the only full day among the four, with ancestral rites (Charye) completed and no pressure to return home yet. If you're planning an outing, centering it around this day and arranging other activities accordingly will reduce the chance of failure.

The afternoon of the 25th is also surprisingly useful. After performing ancestral rites (Charye) in the morning, the afternoon is entirely free, and surprisingly, tourist spots are quieter during this time. This is because most people are at home.

When Do Traffic Jams Occur on Hometown-Bound and Return Roads?

Holiday traffic jams reverse direction depending on the time of day. Traffic heading out of Seoul to provincial areas (southbound/westbound) is worst from Thursday morning to afternoon, while traffic heading into Seoul (northbound/eastbound) takes over from late Sunday afternoon to night. On Saturday, both directions are relatively clear.

Train tickets for traditional holidays have a separate reservation schedule and usually open about a month before the holiday. If you missed the reservation, there's still a chance to target canceled tickets released 2-3 days before departure. Express buses tend to have seats available later than trains, making them a good alternative.

If you're only moving within the Seoul metropolitan area, public transportation is more advantageous than private cars. You can estimate travel costs during the holiday by referring to the K-Pass vs. Climate Companion Card Comparison, which summarizes transfer discounts and periodic pass structures.

Three Course Options for Different Situations

If you've gone to your hometown — Minimizing travel is the answer. Since you've already made a long journey, additional long-distance travel will drain your energy. Choose just one walking path or local attraction within a 30-minute radius of your hometown. If you're in the southern region (Namdo), places like Juknokwon in Damyang or the Boseong Tea Fields, where walking itself is sightseeing, fit this criteria.

If you've stayed in Seoul — Seoul during the holiday becomes a completely different city than usual. With people leaving, downtown roads are clear and parking is available. Places you normally wouldn't dare visit due to parking difficulties become accessible at this time. This is especially true for walking courses near Seoul, like the Suwon Hwaseong Fortress Wall.

If you have only one full day available — Bet it all on Saturday, September 26. Narrow down your options to within a radius that allows for a round trip of under 3 hours and a stay of 4 hours or more at the destination. Late September is still early for autumn foliage, but it's the peak season for eulalia and cosmos flowers. Peak areas by season are covered in Autumn Foliage Spots, and festival schedules immediately following the holiday can be found in the Autumn Festival Calendar.

The Half-Day Remaining After Seongmyo

If ancestral rites (Charye) and graveside visits (Seongmyo) finish in the morning, the afternoon remains. If it feels wasteful to let this half-day pass, the conditions are clear: A place where hanbok or formal attire is not out of place, flat terrain suitable for elderly walking speeds, and somewhere you can enter without reservations.

Places that generally satisfy these three conditions simultaneously are old palaces, arboretums, and lakeside trails. Conversely, it's better to exclude hiking trails or water parks from consideration on this day. The attire and the composition of companions would not be suitable.

Things That Make a Difference When Prepared

• Extra outerwear — Daily temperature swings of over 10 degrees Celsius are common in late September. Even if it's short sleeves during the day, it's different after sunset.
• A pair of comfortable shoes — Keep them in the trunk, separate from shoes for ancestral rites.
• Portable charger — Navigation apps consume battery quickly in traffic jams.
• Small amount of cash — Rural parking lots and street vendors still often don't accept cards.
• Picnic mat or folding chair — Securing a place to sit on crowded days directly extends your stay time.

If you're thinking of getting new gear, there are criteria by type in Outing Gear.

Times to Avoid Crowds

Tourist destinations during traditional holidays have different peak hours than usual. In the morning, there are few people due to ancestral rites (Charye), but crowds rapidly gather after 1 PM. Therefore, 9 AM to 11 AM and after 4 PM are less crowded. Especially in the late afternoon, with sunset around 6 PM in late September, the light is also beautiful.

Restaurants should be considered the opposite. Because the number of places open during the holiday period drops to less than half of usual, demand concentrates on the open establishments. It's safer to call ahead and check if restaurants near your destination are open during the holiday before you depart.

Common Misconceptions

Why is there no substitute holiday for Chuseok this year? Substitute holidays for Seollal and Chuseok are designated only when they overlap with a Sunday. The 2026 Chuseok holiday falls on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, so it does not overlap with Sunday and thus doesn't qualify.

Are old palaces or public facilities open during the holiday? It varies by institution. Some close only on the traditional holiday day, some operate normally throughout the entire holiday, and others close for the entire holiday period. Operating policies change annually, so it's essential to check the official announcements of the respective facilities before visiting.

Is it worth going abroad or to Jeju Island for four days? It's possible, but airline ticket prices in this period typically double compared to normal. Since you'd spend two out of four days traveling, if maximizing your stay time is a priority, domestic short-distance travel is more efficient.

Are there good places to go if you're spending the holiday alone? The city center during the holiday actually creates good conditions for solo travel. People leave, parking is available, and there are no queues. More people are now taking advantage of this time to visit places they usually put off due to long lines.

How Did the Traditional Holiday Period Come to Be as It Is Today?

The Chuseok holiday becoming fixed at three days dates back to 1989. Before that, only Chuseok Day itself was a public holiday. The substitute holiday system was first introduced for Seollal and Chuseok in 2014, and then expanded to national holidays after 2021, creating the current structure.

The condition "only when it overlaps with a Sunday," applied exclusively to traditional holidays, is a trace of this gradual expansion. This is why national holidays get a substitute holiday even if they fall on a Saturday, but traditional holidays do not. In years like 2026, when the holiday starts on a Thursday, this difference means one less day.

If you look at the calendar in advance, you'll see that this arrangement comes around every few years. How you decide to spend those four days ultimately determines your satisfaction with the holiday.