Offseason travel can be fun for many reasons — you can save money and avoid the crowds. While you may have to make some sacrifices, there are plenty of reasons to travel in the offseason.
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Prices Plummet in the Offseason
Upgrades
Long-Term Stays Cost Less
Beat the Crowds
Get Excursions for Less
Cruises
Offseason Food & Drink
Prices Plummet in the Offseason
The expense of traveling in the main tourist season is the first, and most obvious, reason to avoid travel this time of year. Airfare, hotels, and many tourist attractions will be more expensive when they know tourists are flocking to their location.
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Offseasons are going to be different for different locations, so do your research in advance to see when to visit. Research airfare and hotels to see what the price will be for different days and itineraries. Using sites like Hopper.com will help you book a trip if you have no destination in mind, but are looking for the least expensive options.
Airfares tend to plummet in the travel offseason, and hotels tend to follow.
Getting More Upgrades
Getting a low-fare flight can be an amazing experience, but upgrading your flights or hotel is also pretty great.
If you are flying to a location in the offseason, chances are the flights are not as full as they are during peak season. Not only will upgrades be less expensive many times, but if you wait until the last minute you can check to see what the airline is offering.
If this is not possible, there is always a chance your flight won’t be full and you can enjoy an empty row all to yourself.
Hotels work the same way — if they are not full, then you may be able to upgrade at low or no cost.
Long-Term Stays Cost Less
If you have the extra vacation time and want to stay in a location for weeks, or even months, that long-term stay can cost you less. Both hotels and Airbnbs may charge less the longer you stay — it’s worth making a phone call or shopping around if you plan to stay longer.
In Europe, hotels rooms from November to March tend to be the lowest of the year.
Beat the Crowds
Popular travel destinations are being overwhelmed with tourists, especially during their peak seasons. Travel to many popular cities is becoming too much for some travelers who just want to experience a new location.
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If you are headed somewhere popular, like Hallstatt, Austria or Mont. Saint Michel in France, the peak season means you will likely be elbow to elbow with your fellow tourists and will not be able to enjoy your journey.
Traveling in the offseason means you can ease at least some of this tension and make your trip more enjoyable and unique.
Get Excursions for Less
Not only can you save money on hotels and airfares in the travel offseason, but activities on your trip can cost less too. Whether it’s a tour, massage, golf, food tasting, or one of many other excursions, look for discounted rates during the offseason.
Cruises
Although cruises in every location have different peak seasons and offseasons, finding that perfect cruise and when their rooms aren’t full will help you save money on your dream cruise.
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Large ocean ships tend to have fewer opportunities for offseason, but if you check your river cruises, you can find some great savings during their offseasons. You can also get great discounts on cruises that are not round-trip. These cruises will pick you up in one port and drop you off in another, which means you will be flying from a different location.
Offseason Food & Drink
Food is another thing you can save money on in the offseason. As the same amount of restaurants begin competing for fewer and fewer people, they tend to drop their prices during these months.
Not all restaurants will do this, but it’s worth doing your research to find out exactly where you can eat to save some money.
