How to Travel Off-Season for Great Deals
Every destination has the perfect time of the year, but if you go in the off-season when the weather isn’t that good, you can get great deals and still have some fun. Here’s how.
In most places you visit, the off season will occur for one or more of the following reasons:
- After the peak season on the way, such as summer and winter vacations. The holidays are also not the best time to travel if you need discounts.
- If your destination has extreme weather conditions such as heavy rainy seasons or severe winters.
Before you start planning anything, double-check if the place you want to go is even off-season.
Know the potential benefits and costs
If you choose to travel in the off-season, you will find that most of the associated costs are cheaper, including large purchases like plane tickets or event packages. You will probably find great accommodation deals too. You can even find lower rates for services like Airbnb and other alternative hotels where hosts set rates. Of course, other costs will not be lower – food, for example. However, you can still use other tactics to cut these costs.
You also likely have fewer other travelers to deal with, which means you can get better service from guides, event planners and other service providers. When I was a kid, my family took a trip to Hawaii in January and were one of two groups at the resort. Plus, I was an only child, which meant I had to decide what the Kids Club did every day. Traveling in the off-season also avoids certain types of travelers. Families, for example, usually travel in sync with the school calendar. Of course, this means that if you have kids, off-season vacations mean they will be missing lessons and may have to do additional projects to make up for that. If you are employed, upon returning you may face the same issue with your workload.
Make sure you can get there
If your destination is somewhere with harsher off-season weather, you should make sure you can get there at all. For example, Southeast Asia usually has a heavy rainy season when the rainy season can prevent you from getting there safely. Even if you can’t get there during the height of the low season, see if you can handle any bad weather to try to save some money.
You should also make sure that your preferred mode of transportation is available and that conditions are favorable. For example, if you are traveling to the countryside by bus during the rainy or snowy season, the roads may not be ideal.
Decide where you want to stay
When you are traveling during low season, some hotels or hostels may be closed. The best way to find out which ones will be open is to contact them directly or visit their website. While you’re in contact with them, Smarter Travel’s Molly Feltner invites you to also check if there are any plans for construction. Many locations can use the low season as a time to renovate their properties. If the accommodations you are interested in end up closing, ask them for a similar option nearby – they will most likely know one or two places to stay.
You should also consider alternatives such as Airbnb , vacation rentals by the owner , HomeAway, or Couchsurfing . You may be able to find better deals or more options as people who rent out their vacation homes are unlikely to be there in the off-season.
Find out what activities and activities will be available
You will find that some events will be closed or have limited time during the off-season, either because the weather doesn’t allow it or because the vendors won’t be around. Keep this in mind when looking for events and activities for your trip. Again, the best way to test this is to contact the seller directly or visit their website if they have one.
If you’re struggling to find outdoor activities and activities, look for something that is open at all times, outside of well-known locations, such as open-air monuments or parks . Some of the sights are even breathtaking from the outside. You can even admire the architecture and locals by planning walks around your location.
Explore most of these areas before booking anything. If you find that one of them is missing, you will probably want to reconsider the chosen direction. After all, you may have a place to stay, but if you have nothing to do, you won’t have as good a time as spending a little more and arriving at a more popular time.
Use your savings to spend on something else on your trip
You can save a lot of money by traveling during the off-season, so use some of that savings to pamper yourself during your trip. You don’t have to spend money on something every day, but if you go out to a good dinner or fork out for an activity you really want to do, it can make the trip more enjoyable and memorable without feeling costly.
When it comes to ideal off-season travel destinations, you have a variety of options, just explore and be prepared to make the most of whatever situation you come across.