My husband and I like to vacation during the off-season. How can I determine when a region has the fewest tourists?
The quick way: Call any airline that flies to your selected destination. When the agent quotes astronomical fares, you’ll know that’s not the season for you.
Ok. Seriously, now.
Once upon a time, school vacations determined the peak travel periods and you could expect to run into far fewer tourists during the “off-season.” These days, however, a downtime hardly exists for popular destinations. I’ve seen hoards huddled on St. Mark’s Square in wintry Venice and have struggled to land a hotel room in Paris mid-January. Hawaii once attracted travelers escaping mainland winter, but now you’ll find mobs hiking and snorkeling in the islands year-round.
In general though, once you determine the off-season, you’re bound to face lower hotel and air rates, if not smaller crowds. Ask the agent for dates of the various seasons — high, shoulder (mid) and low — then plan your trip accordingly. As a rule, high season in our hemisphere usually begins in late spring and ends in early fall (often with other peaks during the holidays); in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are reversed.
Specific destinations — ski resorts, for example — often have their own peak periods. You can find quick information online, by searching on google or by going to the domain name of a country or city — www.aruba.com or aspen.com, for example.
Bon voyage, and may you be blessed with an affordable, quiet vacation.