Lancaster area - 3 days to visit

Whats the point of the Cotswolds when you have the Yorkshire Dales on your doorstep and close by are the North York Moors, Northumberland, the Forest of Bowland and North Wales

Leave the Cotswolds for another time.

Any suggestions of where to stay or specific things to visit in those area would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for the suggestion.

You might just catch the last of the seasons "morecombe bay walks"

+1 for the Dales or Bowland, if you're staying in/near Lancaster; both are attractive places and worth a visit. The north yorkshire moors and the Kielder/northumberland parks are also nice but with only a few days, I'd suggest you stay west of the Pennines or you'll spend half each day in the car. There's also silverdale/Arnside - another area that is virtually unknown to tourists but the area is an AONB and very pretty.
However, the heart of the lake district is less than an hours drive north and that pretty much trumps everything else. Whenever I'm up heading to points north it's my must-go-through part of the country, provided the traffic isn't bad. The schools go back early sept (5th down here in Bucks, the week before in some places) so it'll be a lot less crowded, but pretty well everything will still be open. Have a trip on one of the lake steamers, take a guided hike, visit the aquarium, go canoeing - lots to do. September is usually the transition from late summer to autumn so weather can come on a bit sudden but this will apply wherever you go. Also in the rain, the mountains of the lake district gather clouds around their tops and take on an otherworldly look, like grand old giants with locks of silver-grey streaming behind them, dipping their toes in the lakes at their feet. The district T.I runs a site 'GoLakes.co.uk' where you can get info, book onto tours and attractions, get maps and route suggestions and so on.

The Cotswolds is a whole days drive south (and another back) and there are so many nicer places to visit that are much closer to Lancaster.

The Northumberland coast trumps the Lake District a hundred times over in my book! Great long, sandy beaches sometimes backed by a castle. Holy Island is stunning (it's on a causeway, so check the tide times before you travel!) and there are some great National Trust properties in the area, such as Cragside , Dunstanburgh Castle and Seaton Delaval House. Have a look at Hadrian's Wall en route.

Arnside is great, but there isn't as much to keep you occupied, unless you are into bird watching, which this area is very good for.

Lancaster Castle is worth a visit. Up until just a few years ago, it was still a part of Her Majesty's prison system. It was also the site of the famous Pendle Witch Trials. These trials are as famous in the UK as the Salem Witch Trials are in the U.S. The Judge's Lodgings Museum is also worth a stop.

Depending on your interests, you may find the Ruskin Library (located on the Lancaster University campus a couple of miles outside of town) interesting. John Ruskin was one of the leading art critics of the Victorian age who was also a poet, water colorist, etc.

I would also recommend exploring Williamson Park which includes the Ashton Memorial folly (a prominent landmark that you can see from town) and a butterfly house.

For one of your dinners, I would recommend the Sultan Indian restaurant. Assuming it has maintained its standards, the food was very good, the service was great, and the atmosphere was great. The restaurant is housed in an old church.

I would agree with those who suggest a drive into the Yorkshire Dales. Another possibility is Blackpool; I think the famous Blackpool Illuminations take place in September.

Hope this helps.