People who travel frequently know how to get the best of everything without paying premium prices. Their experience works in their favor, and especially off season traveling is one of the most popular ways to travel without robbing a bank.
One of the many tricks experienced travelers know about are the advantages of off-season travel.
What is off-season traveling? It’s traveling during times of the year when travel destinations are not packed with tourists and foreigners.
This gives off-season travelers more flexibility in joining tours within their budget, getting nicer accommodations, and having better access to tourist activities.
Compare this with peak tourism months where you pay higher accommodation prices, battle your way through insane crowds, take red-eye after a red-eye flight. Notice the difference off-season traveling makes.
As with everything, there’s a catch. For example, traveling with family entails a lot of planning.
There are schools to attend, offices to go to, and groceries to buy, among other things. These factors can be limiting if you’re looking to travel off-season.
However, if you have the flexibility to travel whenever you want, read on.
This article will focus on the 5 advantages with off-season traveling. You’ll be quick to change your travel dates after you learn just how beneficial traveling off-season can be.
5 Advantages with Off-Season Traveling
1. You Save Money
Flight prices fluctuate. They are highest during peak tourism months. When you travel off-season, you get good tickets at relatively lower prices.
You can do your research, weigh your options, and choose the best flights without putting a dent in your bank account.
You also save on accommodations. Hotels increase their room prices when there is an increase in demand. They usually earn their keep during peak tourism months.
When it’s off-season, they bring down the prices significantly. During lean months, the competition between hotels and resorts can truly work in your favor.
Could this mean that a 5-star hotel stay is within your horizon? You should look into it. After all, this rule applies to expensive hotels too.
Entrance tickets to sites and national parks are often reduced during the low season.
2. Less Crowd
Since you have to compete with large crowds of tourists, traveling during peak season can mean missing out on a lot of attractions.
When you’re traveling during the off-season, you don’t have to deal with crowds. You can get to tourist attractions faster and with much shorter lines.
You can also get tickets and seats on trains and other modes of public transport more easily.
The beaches are significantly less crowded. If you’re someone who likes to sunbathe or just frolic around, life can’t get any better.
You may not even have to book a reservation at most places. The flexibility that comes with off-season traveling is unmatched. Most of the time, you can make a last-minute decision and roll with it.
In short, off-season traveling allows you to truly experience a destination without the tourist crowd.
There is greater intimacy and oneness with your surroundings that you cannot find from peak-season traveling.
3. Good Weather
Let’s face it. The weather of a place can determine just how well our trip goes. Millions of tourists travel during the peak season so they can travel during perfect weather.
Your best bet? Travel during the winter and fall season when everyone else is staying at home. Just because you choose to travel during fall or winter doesn’t mean that you’ll have bad weather.
The truth is, with more and more drastic climate and environmental changes, you can’t really predict the weather based on the typical yearly seasons.
If you keep a close eye on the daily weather forecast, you’ll land at your destination when the weather is just right.
Travel whenever you want. Unless there are severe weather forecasts, you shouldn’t let the weather be the sole basis of your travel plans.
4. Access to More Activities and Attractions
When you travel, you want to experience as much of the country as possible. Traveling during the off-season gives you access to a wide range of fun activities that you would normally miss out on during the peak season.
A bonus is that these activities are likely going to be available at budget-friendly rates. You may be able to get the best of everything at a much lower price range.
Because the locals aren’t swamped with tourists during the off-season, you can talk to them and see the country through their eyes. You can even explore other destinations and hidden gems by visiting places recommended by locals.
Interestingly, some attractions, monuments, and places are accessible only during the off-season. This can open up a whole range of experiences, something seasonal travelers unknowingly miss out on.
Just have a look at the difference between high season and off season traveling to the Yellow Mountains in China.
5. Make Unique Memories
You must be familiar with the quote: “A picture speaks a thousand words.” When you travel during the off-season, there isn’t a crowd, and you can focus on the intricate design, architecture, and history of a place or monument.
You can take beautiful pictures to record your journey.
We get a rough idea about how a place looks with the many pictures available on the internet.
The good thing about off-season traveling is you get to explore those places at your leisure without the general confusion of a touristy crowd.
With the right light and weather, a monument can transform from a work of art to a full-fledged masterpiece.
On the other hand, how many times have you tried taking a picture of a landmark only to have tourists photobombing your picture every two seconds? I rest my case.
A Final Word About Off-Season Traveling
While these are the top 5 advantages with off-season traveling, we know that there are many more.
Before you start planning, do your research. A big part of your planning depends on which country you choose to visit.
Some places have a lot of tourists during the winter while some places are quieter during the summer months. You might be surprised how some places work amazingly well with off-season traveling.
If you have a flexible schedule and a modest travel fund, consider off-season traveling.
You get better deals, cheaper flights and hotel accommodations, and have tourist attractions all to yourself. To top it all off, you’ll have great shots to show off your amazing trip.
Indeed, off-season traveling is a game-changer. Why don’t you give it a try?
