In many ways, travel in 2021 was more challenging than it was in 2020. While demand for travel returned, sufficient hospitality staffing often did not, leading to long waits at airports, hotel check-in desks and restaurants.
This year might bring similar challenges for travelers, but here’s a good way to skirt most of them: Travel during “shoulder season.”
The definition of shoulder season typically means the period of time between a region’s peak season and offseason. This can last months or just weeks.
Here are five reasons why shoulder season is the best time to travel, especially during the pandemic.
1. EXPECT TO PAY LOWER PRICES THAN FOR PEAK SEASON TRAVEL
Airfares averaged 23 percent cheaper when booked for shoulder season versus peak season travel. That’s according to a NerdWallet analysis conducted in December of more than 100 airfares taken from the most popular routes in the U.S. across eight major airlines.
2. YOU WON’T COMPETE AS MUCH FOR COVETED RESERVATIONS
Those higher flight prices typically stem from supply and demand — which means demand is higher during peak season.
Increased interest leads to more competition across the board, whether for a hotel room at the price point you want or the chance to nab tickets to that concert. And that’s only scratching the surface.
Book during shoulder season and you’ll vie with fewer folks for your top experiences.
3. YOU WON’T SEE AS MANY OFFSEASON CLOSURES
While demand is high during peak season, sometimes demand drops so low during offseason that the places you want to visit aren’t even open. Boat tour operators might board up for the winter, and charming ski town cafes could close for the summer.
Around the world, hotels often take the offseason to do renovations, so the pool might become off-limits. Airlines typically cut back routes, so you’ll have less flexibility on what day or time you can fly.
But the shoulder season is less likely to entail such challenges. Travel before summer crowds arrive and you might be pleasantly surprised with a newly renovated hotel room. Head to the mountains just after the winter holidays to take advantage of still-snowy slopes without as many skiers on them.
4. WEATHER IS GENERALLY PRETTY GOOD
The shoulder season likely won’t bring the sweltering heat or storms that come with a region’s offseason. And in some cases, the weather during shoulder season is actually better than peak season.
Summer at Florida’s theme parks is often humid and muggy — and that’s before you add in the crowds of out-of-school kids. During shoulder season, you might forgo sunny summer days on the beach, but you’ll typically get temperate weather.
5. YOU COULD MORE LIKELY EXPERIENCE UNIQUE, LOCAL EVENTS
Tourist hot spots typically want year-round crowds, so they often host events, concerts and other festivities that don’t occur at times when crowds would be large anyway.
Theme park food festivals are among the most common shoulder season delights. Southern California’s Knott’s Berry Farm typically hosts its annual boysenberry festival from March to April. Hawaii comes alive in the fall with festivals spanning multiple islands, including the annual Waikik i Ho’olaule’a, which is a giant block party on Oahu, and the Kauai Mokihana Festival, a weeklong celebration of Hawaiian culture.
