There’s a vast world to explore, so you can always find a great place to go on vacation. The key is to know where to head during different times of the year so that you can get the best travel bargains. These times are called shoulder seasons.
You run a little higher risk of the weather not being quite as pretty as during peak travel seasons, but you will save a lot of money. Of course, that means you can go on your next adventure sooner.
If you are going on a travel adventure, consider avoiding times when everyone else will be traveling. This includes North American winter holidays and during July. Since children are out of school during this period, families are looking to get away from their regular routines. Hospitality businesses know this, and they will raise prices. Of course, if this is the only time you can go, save up a little more money and go anyway because you cannot put a price tag on the memories you will be making.
If you are bound for international destinations, there are some dates you may want to try to avoid. If Southeast Asia is on your itinerary, try avoiding Spring Festival. If your plans include a Muslim-based country, like most of the Middle East, attempt to avoid traveling during Ramadan as you may find many businesses closed. Keep in mind that while North Americans are engaged in winter holiday plans, those in the Southern Hemisphere are in the middle of enjoying their summer vacations.
Even with those restrictions in mind, there are still many beautiful places to explore.
January is the perfect time to explore North Africa destinations. Consider:
February is the perfect time of year to visit Nordic and Baltic countries. You are likely to escape the crowds heading to the Swiss Alps from Germany because of school vacations, and there are plenty of wonderful winter activities to do in this section of the world. Consider:
If you have always dreamed of seeing the top sights in South Africa, then March is the perfect shoulder season to go there. Consider:
April is a beautiful time for Middle East travel. The media tends to make you think that this whole region is a dangerous place to travel, but there are many perfectly safe places to explore that you will adore. Consider:
May is the perfect month for a Central European vacation. Think about basing your travel in Switzerland and exploring it and the five adjacent countries. Consider:
The start of summer can be a hard time to find real travel bargains, but you can find some in Central America. Consider:
Like June, it can be challenging to find real travel bargains in July. There are definitely July travel bargains to be enjoyed in Southeast Asia. Consider:
Especially as many people’s attention turns back to school, you can find some real travel bargains in the United States. Consider:
September is a great time to explore Northern Eurasia. There are many outstanding places to travel to in this area that is anchored by Russia. Consider:
October is a gorgeous time to explore Mediterranean countries. This is especially true of the Southern European coastline, where many travel destinations are cheaper than they are doing any other time of year. Consider:
With summer crowds gone and hurricane season over, November is the perfect time for Eastern Caribbean travel. Consider:
Forgo the expensive Winter Holiday presents that the children will only play with for a few minutes by gifting them with a trip to explore the India subcontinent in December. Consider:
You can learn a lot when you travel the world. Doing it during shoulder seasons allows you to save money to have even more great adventures. Start planning your shoulder-season trip today.