Every major tourist destination in the world has their peak season when there is great weather; but, you find yourself paying more in airfare, hotels, and putting up with annoying crowds just to take advantage of that great weather. Why not tweak your travel schedule a bit and take advantage of the good weather, lower fares, and smaller crowds? Traveling in the off-season or the shoulder season is a great way to save on your vacation and still see popular destinations.
Popular tourist destinations typically all have an off-peak season, where tourists are not flocking in masses and prices are a bit more reasonable. So, it might mean it’s snowing out rather than sunshine and 70F. Kidding . . . well, sorta. And then there is the "shoulder" season, which is basically a short span of time, bordering the peak season. Prices are still lower, not everything might be up and running at full capacity, and there will definitely be more people than in off-season, but much less than during the peak season.
I am not really deterred by the seasons when it comes to traveling if it means I have the opportunity to see more places, since prices are reasonable. I recently did a lot of travel through Europe in the brutal winter last year. Being from California, snow is something you drive 2 hours to the mountains to play in on the side of the road. Negative temperatures, parkas, snow boats, thermals, what the heck? Looking back on the experience though, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. To drive over the Carpathian Mountains between Slovakia and Poland, as the snow blanketed the slopes, was breathtaking. Facing the horrific conditions of Auschwitz was sobering enough, but trekking through the grounds in several feet of snow, realizing how these prisoners "lived"…well, there are no words for that. Experiencing various Christmas Markets, drinking lots and lots of Gluhwein (mulled wine), having roasted chestnuts for the first time while we strolled the streets of Paris, and being in Amsterdam for New Year’s Eve as the canals froze over are all amazing memories. Had I visited during peak season, obviously I would’ve been warmer, but I’m not sure I would’ve had anything better to report.
Many people are concerned with traveling to the Caribbean during hurricane season. That is certainly a valid concern, making the need for travel insurance likely worth it, but do not necessarily let hurricane season deter you from considering travel in the Caribbean during the off-season. Hurricanes hit Florida more often than some places in the Caribbean, but you still see people vacationing and moving there all the time.
Belize is a great example for considering travel in the off or shoulder season. The last few weeks of hurricane season are usually relatively mild, which is when I go every year. The closest incident I’ve had in 5 years was a tropical storm that passed over and it meant heavier rain than normal for an hour or so, and then we were all back to the pool. I get the benefits of low room rates, a smaller number of tourists invading the quiet beach, and most restaurants and activities are almost back to 100% operations. In less busy times, you also have the power of price negotiation for excursions and tours on your side as well. Yes, traveling during this time there will be days when it rains more than you’d like on a vacation; but, I’m not necessarily willing to pay twice the cost to gamble on a little less rain. I’d much rather use that money to travel somewhere else that year.
In Europe, since most countries have very generous vacation or holiday allowances, the beautiful beaches and historic regions of the Mediterranean are often packed when the summer months arrive. I got to experience the difference between shoulder season and peak season on a cruise several years ago. The cruise started in the shoulder season, which was reflected in the price, making it the most attractive option. It started out with a few days of rain while sailing through the Adriatic, but cleared by the time we started in the Greek Isles. The water was not that warm yet, so places like Rhodes and Corfu were relatively empty when we arrived. However, by the time we got to in Athens, peak season just started and it was absolutely awful. Athens is obviously a popular destination anyway, but add numerous cruise ships, locals on holiday, and what seemed like 100 tour groups of summer school field trips, and I was ready to run screaming from the Acropolis. I like to enjoy historical sites, try to get pictures of the sites - not 200 heads in front of me, and to really take in my surroundings. This was one of my worst sightseeing tours ever. By the time I had been stepped on and poked in the face by umbrellas no less than a dozen times, I was ready to head back to the ship. That experience alone would keep me from traveling in peak seasons, no consideration on price even needed.
Traveling in the off or shoulder season is not for everyone. You have to be willing to make concessions and understand that things may happen which are beyond anyone’s control. Concessions like weather are a big one for some people, especially if you already live in a cold climate and want to use your vacation to get away from shoveling snow, not be reminded of it when you look out the hotel window. But given the state of the economy and the fact that people are looking for any way possible to still take a vacation, I’d rather be able to travel a little versus not at all. When people ask me if I have seen the Eiffel Tower, I want to be able to say "yes" and mean the one in Paris, not the one on Las Vegas Boulevard that I drove past on the way to work every day!
