If you’re looking to get out of town for a while and just relax, you might be looking to dodge the crowds. If so, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s talk about the best times to go on vacation depending on where you’re looking to visit. You’ll save money, avoid traffic, and dodge the crowds all at once!
Go in the Off Season
This probably goes without saying, but you should always try to take your vacation in the off-season. That means different things for different destinations, but it’s a huge element of having a good vacation. There’s no reason to contend with crowds. Just wait them out and visit when it’s quiet.
Avoid Holidays
If you can at all help it, just stay home on holidays. Trying to travel before big events like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas can be downright nightmarish. That goes for both air travel and road trips, too! Make plans in advance or just stay home to avoid the worst of the crowds.
Airports
Getting to your flight is already enough of a hassle when things aren’t crowded. Trying to get through the airport during the busy season for a given destination or around a major holiday is a surefire way to get caught in the massive crowds. Forget finding parking, getting to your gate on time, or having a plane that isn’t oversold.
Road Trips
Avoiding the busiest times is also huge for people traveling by car. Interstate highways can get horribly congested during the busy season and around holidays, making your vacation trip more stressful than relaxing. Who wants to take time off work just to get stuck in miles-long traffic jams? That’s not exactly a restorative vacation experience.
Cheaper Hotels
Another big bonus for traveling in the off-season is that you often get much better rates on hotels. After all, proprietors are eager to make money on their hotels year-round, so they’ll offer discounted rates for people willing to stay there during a period that most rooms are otherwise empty.
Beach Off-Season
Heading to the beach in the off-season usually means going in late summer after kids are back in school. This means that you avoid the throngs of families looking for budget-friendly vacations with their kids in tow. Laying in the sun by the water is more fun without screaming kids kicking sand in your face, after all.
Mountain Off-Season
Heading up to the mountains in the warmer months is a good way to avoid the worst of the crowds. This goes double for areas that are frequented by skiers. Typically, the ski season is from early to mid-winter to around late spring, so visiting the mountains in the summertime can give you a very different experience.
Tropical Off-Season
Interestingly enough, the off-season for visiting tropical regions is in the summertime. That might seem paradoxical, but it’s got everything to do with the climate of the region. It’s warm there year-round, so people looking to escape the chill of winter hit the Caribbean or Hawaii on vacation to enjoy sun-drenched beaches while there’s snow on the ground back home.
Read More: The 10 Hotel Red Flags Most Likely to Ruin Your Vacation
Do Your Research
If you’re not visiting one of the aforementioned destinations, don’t panic. Just do a bit of local research into the area and see when people like to visit. If you can push your vacation a few weeks before or after the busiest part of the year, you’re likely to save a lot of money and have a much more enjoyable trip.
Read More: 10 Tips to Help You Save Money While Traveling
Preparation is Better than Spending
It pays to be in the know. If you do a bit of research and shuffle your plans around a bit, you can end up having a vacation that is much more relaxing. Which one is better: overpaying on a hotel and battling huge crowds to get there, or having a relaxing journey to inexpensive lodging in an area that has far fewer tourists hanging around? There’s an easy answer.
Read More: 10 Cheap Summer Vacation Destinations for Families on a Budget