Why You Should Consider Off-Season Travel

Depending on where you want to travel in the world, the experience can change drastically from peak season to off-season. Personally, I prefer to have more involved, memorable and unique travel experiences which means I’m much more likely to visit a place during its off-season than when it’s the most popular time to visit. Of course this depends entirely on the flexibility of your vacation schedule, but I’ve found with a little careful maneuvering you can find some very fulfilling trips. By adapting my travel style in this way, I’ve learned a lot of important lessons over the years. Here are my main reasons why you should consider traveling in the off-season.

1. It’s cheaper

Fairly obvious to most, I still find this warrants repeating. If you choose to travel to a destination during its off or shoulder season, you can save a fortune. I’m not talking about a few dollars here and there, but potentially hundreds or thousands of dollars. Flights change drastically according to demand and most hotels around the world have different price sets for peak and non-peak months. For example, this past February I traveled to Turkey from DC. I was able to buy a special flight for a deal, saving me $600 and then I paid very little for beautiful hotel rooms all over the country. In addition, you’re most likely to get upgraded during the low season. I find I usually get much better treatment as well.

2. It’s less crowded

Again fairly obvious but important to note, especially if you are on a tight schedule. Many places that are popular tourist destinations can have massive lines you have to wait in during the peak season. I don’t know about you, but if I’ve traveled all the way to Paris, the last thing in the world I want to do is wait in line for a museum for 2 hours and then have it be so crowded that you can’t even see what you wanted to see. If you plan a trip during the low season, you virtually get to avoid all of that mess.

3. Different activities and festivals

Another perk of traveling the off-season is getting to witness different festival and activities you might not get to otherwise. It also gives you more opportunities to engage and interact with locals and make new friends. This is infinitely more challenging when you are traveling at the same time as many other people. I love getting to know a different side of a place when I’m on the road, and choosing to travel at uncommon times of the year has allowed me to witness many things I would not have gotten to otherwise.

Note: Available plans and coverages may have changed since this blog was published.