Why Shoulder Season Is the Best Time to Travel — and Save Money

For some, the idea of spending a ton of money on airfare and hotels just to be hot and sweaty in a new locale, all while vying with hordes of tourists to capture the perfect photo or secure those in-demand dinner reservations, is just too much. 

Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be that way. Enter the shoulder season, a sweet spot that happens twice a year, when travelers encounter better weather and fewer crowds, and can generally enjoy a less stressful trip than they would during the height of the summer travel rush. It’s also a great time to experience local life in the places you’re visiting since there are bound to be fewer tourists around.

While more people are able to travel during the summer high season, once the kids go back to school (and their parents go back to work), things tend to really open up and prices across the board go down. It’s a great time to hit the road for those who have that flexibility: Here’s why we say shoulder season is the best season.

The Weather is Usually Better

Because it happens in the transitional period between a destination’s high and low seasons — typically from March to late May, with the exception of spring break and Easter, then again from September to November — milder climate and weather patterns are more likely. In most places in the northern hemisphere, shoulder season is less hot, humid, or rainy in the summer and not as unbearably cold in the winter. You also won’t have to worry about blizzards or other winter weather causing delays. One thing to consider is the Atlantic hurricane season, which happens from June through November and overlaps with the fall shoulder season. Stay on top of the weather report before you go, or maybe just save trips to those areas for spring to be safe. 

You’ll Encounter Fewer Crowds

Anytime the kids go back to school — after Labor Day in September and after spring break in March — those who are able to travel during the shoulder season will have fewer crowds to contend with when it comes to booking hotel rooms, scoring upgrades, or nabbing a reservation at that chic new restaurant. Lines at popular attractions, theme parks, and museums will be shorter, too, while smaller crowds at airports mean your trip will be less stressful. In shoulder season, you’ll also be able to spread out and really relish in the peace and quiet of a place in a way you simply can’t do during busier times of the year.