Off season travel makes me happy
“A vacation spot out of season always has a very special magic.”
Ottawa, Canada in November
Strongly tied to a school calendar for almost 3 decades, off season travel was not an option for my family. I had kids in school (until a few years ago) and my husband worked in the school system so travel opportunities were limited to high season holiday breaks.
I recognize that taking kids out of school works for some families and I got a little envious following blogs like The Global Wizards and Go Live Young both who travel extensively with their kids. Our family did a few trips that required us to “skip school” but they were brief and infrequent.
Empty nest plus retirement = an open calendar!
But now I can barely contain myself at the idea of being able to travel OFF SEASON.
Generally:
Peak season is the time of the year when most people take holidays. The weather is ideal and the days are long e.g. summer holidays in the northern hemisphere.
Off or low season is the least popular season to travel to a location. The weather is often colder, wetter and the days are shorter.
Shoulder season is the in-between time when tourism is just starting up or wrapping up for the season. Depending on the location, the weather may be less predictable.
What is the appeal for shoulder or off season travel?
Fewer tourists and crowds.
As an introvert I can get over stimulated and overwhelmed in chaotic, busy situations. I can handle crowds in small doses but need a little elbow room! With fewer people around, I find myself able to maintain a relaxed pace and mindset which helps me stay in the moment and enjoy travel experiences more.
A couple of years ago (pre-pandemic) I read a study that looked at crowds and how people move and navigate through chaos. The research focused on social forces and how humans avoid collisions. I’m not the only one that isn’t crazy about crowds, and since COVID the world is more aware of healthy space. The findings of this study might help improve public space flow or build infrastructure that helps us move better. What it won’t help is reducing a mob of people moving through the cobblestone streets of a medieval city or clumped around popular spots.
Amsterdam in July
Fewer tourists also means shorter lines. Technology has helped tremendously with the ability to pre-book times and tickets that allow you to skip the line at major attractions. This is a definite benefit for the special places you want to experience but you don’t want to wait hours to get in. Pre-booking is recommended at places like the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, and the Catacombs in Paris, the Uffizi in Florence, the Colosseum and Sistine Chapel in Rome and the Sagrada Familia, Park Guell and the Alhambra in Spain. I just booked my evening ticket to the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona using Viator!
But even with pre-booked, timed tickets, some sights can still feel very crowded in peak season. For example, I felt like I was on a conveyor belt through Anne Frank’s House in Amsterdam as the steady stream of visitors inched through each room with no opportunity to go at my own pace. Don’t get me wrong, Anne Frank’s House is still a very worthy experience even in July but I hope there is a bit of a reprieve from the crowds in the off season!
Shoulder and off season travel times also mean fewer (or no) cruise ships. Traveling in Scotland (again in July) we were gobsmacked at how a beautiful location like Loch Ness and the ruins of Urquhart Castle can be overcome instantly as hundreds of cruise ship passengers are dumped at the site. Suddenly the narrow pathways are clogged with people and there is no hope of taking a person-less photo! Lucky for us, we were masters of our own schedule and chilled with a drink during the cruise ship’s tightly timed excursion. We happily explored after the mass exodus.
Loch Ness in July during a cruise ship dump
2. Cheaper prices for off season travel means money saved = more travel!
Cheap, frugal, economical - however you want to label me, I like to stretch our hard earned dollars. Maybe I don’t value or get the same satisfaction out of luxury experiences as other people, but I am very conscious that the more money I save now, the more I can put towards another travel experience. To each her own!
Whatever your preferred level of luxury, off season travel often mean discounted flights, reduced accommodation costs, and even lowered tour and restaurant prices. Additionally, those who travel using travel rewards and points experience a greater flexibility as you aren’t competing for seats.
As an example, this lovely looking hotel in Girona, Spain (Girona Catedral) caught my eye. If booking for early September 2022 (still peak season) the cost is $149 CND per night. I have Genius status on booking.com 😜 so my price would be $125. But enter in dates early in November and the same room drops to $98/night or $82 as a “Genius”! Try it yourself!
3. Moderate weather - a CON for some but a big PRO for me!
Admittedly I am not a sun worshiper. Not even close. I love a nice sunny day but I melt (and get lazy and cranky) in the heat. My perfect “summer” temperature is between 21 and 25 degrees celsius. I also don’t need perfect weather to have a good time. I’m good at exploring places in any kind of weather. Shoulder season weather might not be perfect…but then again it might! And if slightly cooler temperatures are your happy place (like mine) consider the off season to skip the heat.
Obviously there are some travel activities - winter and water sports (like snorkeling) that require certain weather, but walking, eating, and drinking don’t! In Norway they have a saying, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.”
4. Off season travel is like seeing a place with “its shoes kicked off.”
I love this description from author Roz Morris interviewed by Jo Frances Penn in (my favourite) The Books and Travel Podcast:
Jo: What do you think about visiting places out of season?
Roz: Oh, I love them out of season. I would love to visit all these places with no crowds, and, of course, if they’re out of season, the crowds are taken care of for you. There just aren’t any. But there’s also an added appeal that the weather is often a bit difficult. You might find yourself tramping around in the pouring rain, looking at places. And somehow that makes it all real. It’s like you’ve seen it kick its shoes off. I somehow feel a more genuine connection with the place if I’ve experienced it like that.
And you can’t predict how amazing authenticity can be until you happen to be in the right place at the right time. When travelling in Greece many years ago before starting university, it was mid November in Santorini and tourism was definitely slowing down. We noticed singing and dancing in the street. With not many other people around, we found ourselves swept up and included in the festivities and boarded a boat full of locals (not tourists) headed out to the volcano drinking and singing! Serendipity at its finest!
“It’s like you’ve seen it kick its shoes off. I somehow feel a more genuine connection with the place if I’ve experienced it like that.”
― Roz Morris
Think about your own hometown
What is the peak season where you live? What do YOU, as a local, love doing during this popular time - perhaps avoiding the busy hotspots!?
What about in the off season or shoulder season? As a local you know what the special places or activities are that you enjoy without the crowds.
Cathedral Grove in January
I live on Vancouver Island. One example is that in peak tourist season a section of the highway leading to our community is dangerously packed with tourists in cars, trucks and campervans visiting Cathedral Grove - a spectacular old growth forest. Don’t tell anyone, but the BEST time to visit Cathedral Grove is when no one is around. It doesn’t matter about the sun or rain or even snow, for that matter. Quietly meandering through the forest of giant trees is very special and having the place to yourself never happens in the summer (unless you arrive at the crack of dawn!).
What are the drawbacks for off season travel?
It might affect your packing as you need to be prepared for variable weather.
Some things may close down (restaurants, museums or tours) due to lack of demand.
It might be harder to get around via public transportation.
This last point reminds me of another Greek (mis-) adventure. My boyfriend (now husband) and I were on Crete and took a bus to the archaeological site of Agia Triada. It is perched on the top of an inland crest in the hills above the seaside town of Galini where we were staying. This was in the pre-cell phone era and we only had our handy green Michelin guidebook. After touring the site we sat at the bus stop waiting the return bus.…and waited and waited and waited. The rain started… or should I say the heavens opened and we were stranded there for hours. To pass the time we probably sang every song known to humankind - until someone kindly stopped and offered us a lift telling us that there wasn’t another bus expected until the following day. It became a crazy and amazing memory for us!
Note to rain-soaked self: off season bus schedules may be reduced!
LiveRecklessly.com has some more great off season travel tips. They write:
Weather can sometimes wreak havoc on plans, so make sure you get travel insurance to cover you in case of a winter snowstorm or monsoonal flood.
Shoulder season and off season is usually when hotels and historic buildings complete renovations. If you’re an avid photographer wanting to capture perfect images of the historic town square or monument, be aware you may get a glorious view of scaffolding instead. Research beforehand to avoid disappointment.
Some attractions may close in quieter months, so if there is a ballet performance, public garden or national park you can’t miss, take that into consideration.
Where to go off season?
Not every destination is suited to off season travel and many activities only happen certain times of the year. Think about what you want to do and see before booking a place out of peak season.
Since weather is a significant variable, here’s a great website to see location specific temperatures at different times of the year.
The options of WHERE TO GO NEXT, however, are many! The Globe and Mail just released an article about must-visit off-season travel destinations for 2022. They mention Lisbon, Athens, Barcelona and Rome in Europe; for Canada, they suggest Toronto, Victoria, Whitehorse and Charlottetown. Hmmmmmm, I might just take them up on a couple of these!
Share in the comments below :
What is the best thing about where you live in the off-season?
Where would you like to visit in the off-season?
