Do you want to travel with off-season savings with high-season benefits? There’s this massive travel secret that I’m about to let you in on: The Shoulder Season! Avid travelers know all about it, but everyone can benefit from this particular travel hack. Here’s everthing you need to know about traveling in the elusive “shoulder season.”
What is the “Shoulder Season?”
The Shoulder Season is the “in between” time. It’s the end of the low season or off season, right before the more expensive high season begins. It’s also usually while kids are in school, making the timing unfortunate for many families. It’s also usually around, but not on, major holidays. Making it a little more difficult to work around time off work, since you’re probably saving days off to go home for the holidays.
The inconvenience, however, is part of the beauty: If most people can’t go at any given time, there will be lower crowds at your destination.
More here: 10 Essential Blog Posts All Travelers Need to Read
Why is Shoulder Season Better than High Season?
There are two big reasons why the shoulder season is way better than the more popular “high season” of travel.
Lower Prices
The high season is the most expensive time to travel anywhere. And honestly, it shocks me when I hear people say how expensive travel is… and then I find out they picked the high season! Don’t make the same mistake. The shoulder season is the perfect solution to not save that hard-earned money and travel more often!
Keep reading: Everything You Need to Know About Staying in an Overwater Bungalow
Lower Crowds
People with office jobs have to work sometime, right? That’s usually when schools are in session. Summer is the traditional time to travel because it’s convenient for most people. That’s why summers are generally much more crowded than other times of year, including the shoulder season.
Keep reading: 7 Travel Rules You Don’t Know Until Someone Tells You
Why is Shoulder Season Better than Low Season?
There are two big reasons why the shoulder season is way better than the “low season” of travel.
Better Weather
The low season is just that for a reason: Generally, the weather stinks! The low season is often the rainy season, the cold season without the charm of a regular blanket of snow, or just too hot to be reasonable. The shoulder season, however, is close enough to the high season to have the good weather, or at least be coming out of or not quite into the bad weather.
More here: How to Love Your Rainy Day Travels
Businesses are Open
One big negative about travel in the low season is that some businesses close entirely, some for months at a time. But those same businesses usually start to reopen in the 4-6 weeks before the high season starts, or the weeks after the high season ends. As long as you don’t get into the heart of the low season, you can still see and do all the things on your list!
Read on: 9 Habits of Successful Travelers
What are the Downsides of Travel in the Shoulder Season?
Shoulder season is the best of both worlds–high season weather with low season crowds! However, it’s not always perfect. Sometimes you’ll get a few days of low season weather. Or you’re close enough to the high season that you actually do run into some crowds at the most popular spots (and get people in your photos–ugh!). So, the best solution is to right-size your expectations. Know what you’re getting yourself into, and hope for the best!
Read next: The Best Reasons to Be an Early Bird on Travel
When is the Shoulder Season?
Timing varies by destination, but in general there are three criteria:
School is in Session
With kids in school, parents who have to take care of them, and teachers and staff who have to run the schools, that’s an awful lot of people who can’t travel during the school year. So, if you can swing it, traveling while school is in session (and avoiding school holidays) you can get the best of your destination with lower prices and fewer people around. Just make sure you avoid Fall Break and Spring Break weeks!
More here: What to Know Before You Visit the Florida Keys
Before or After Major Holidays
Lots of people travel for Christmas and the New Year. Not as many people travel in the weeks before and after those holidays. Even Hawaii, which famously has no true “off season,” experiences a dip in tourism in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
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Spring and Fall
Not only are schools in session in spring and fall, the weather in many popular tourism destinations can be volatile. The American South can have temperatures that vary from well below freezing, all the way into the 80s during spring and fall, and with that comes tornadoes. The worst of the Caribbean’s hurricane season is usually in or around September, but the weather can also be perfect! It all depends on the gamble you’re willing to take!
More here: The Best Destinations for Spring
and The Best Destinations for Fall
Want more? Get all my best travel planning resources and tips on my dedicated Travel Planning Page!
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