Forget Shoulder Season, Try Off Season
As more and more savvy travelers discover the benefits of shoulder season travel it's time to start looking at traveling to destinations during the off season.
I recently read this article in the Financial Times about Sardinia during the “off season” and it got me thinking about shoulder season, off season, and the rewards of both.
When I first started traveling extensively guides would always mention visiting during “shoulder season”- the season that sits just on the edges of peak tourist season and off season; Europe in September, Patagonia in April. Years later, and many a travel blog later, its time to throw that advice out the window.
Europe has seen a surge in shoulder season travel. Airlines are extending their transatlantic schedules well into November whereas just a few years ago a direct flight between popular hot-spots was hard to come by at the end of September. With shoulder season no longer a secret, the massive tourist crowds have started to arrive.
For the most part, we avoided Europe in the summer (with the exception of some destination such as Norway)- too many tourists and too hot. September used to be my favorite month to go, then it crept to October, now, it seems to be November or January.
How do we, as travelers, avoid the mass tourism machine, and still get the experience we want?
Here is my new approach:
More research! It’s worthwhile to investigate the weather for when you’re willing to travel. For some locations, you’ll just have to suck it up and travel during peak season (as we did in Patagonia, we weren’t willing to chance the weather on our first trip). Others, such as Costa Rica have a rainy and dry season but we discovered during the rainy season we could enjoy a more vibrant rain forest and turtle egg laying season on the East Coast. Kenya in January is quiet and potentially rainy, but nothing that ruins a vacation. Maybe you won’t witness the great migration but the animals are still there and game reserves and national parks far quieter. On a recent trip to Croatia we looked at hotels in Dubrovnik and found one that would normally be out of our price range and noticed that prices were much cheaper at the end of October. We soon realized the hotel would close for the winter the week after; it turns out it was the ideal time to visit Dubrovnik. You might not think of going to Rome in January but it rarely snows, all the marble and stone is picturesque in the rain, and the city is filled with locals and more bountiful, authentic culinary experiences. January foodie trip in Rome anyone?
There is no short answer to beating the crowds and when the optimal time of year is to travel to a particular destination. If you want to go somewhere in the peak season, do it, but maybe that destination you were interested in has another side to it in the off-season you just haven’t discovered yet!
Off Season Ideas
January in Rome for the four Roman pastas (Cacio e Pepe, Carbonara, alla Gricia, Amatriciana) and thoughtful walks around the Forum.
February in East Africa for a cheaper Safari and the feeling of having game reserves to yourself.
March in Portugal for mild weather and discounted hotels.
April in Patagonia for fall colors and wide open trails.
May in New Zealand for big travel deals, possibility of snow and weather variety in a highly varied landscape.
June in Australia for bearable temperatures in the Outback and to watch Aussies pull out their winter gear (in 60F temperatures).
July in Costa Rica for lush, verdant rain forests and turtle egg laying beach adventures.
August on the East Coast of Thailand for the best chances of avoiding rain and still snag a great deal on a resort.
September in Iceland for the best of summer and winter travel, minus the crowds of the previous months.
October in Croatia for mild, clear days and limited cruise ship traffic.
November in Greece to experience things as the locals without breaking the bank.
December in Japan for snow capped mountains and easier dinner reservations.
Let me know what your favorite off-season travel destinations are!
Seville towards the end of October was such a wonderful surprise:)
great tips thanks