Hi Fellow Budget Traveler!
I love traveling on a budget, and this means traveling during the shoulder season (the season when weather is not optimal). For example, Lake Tahoe’s shoulder season is spring and fall. Summer is filled with families vacationing and winter brings skiers.
Make sure the flights are also less expensive than usual or at least affordable during the shoulder season. Compare flight prices on websites such as Hopper.com, Skyscanner, or Airfarewatchdog.com.
If you choose a travel booking site to make a reservation, you must also go through them to make changes. Gathering information on these sites is helpful when deciding what time of year to book a vacation. I usually book on the airline’s website, after I do my research.
Traveling when it is cold, does not bother me, but I do not choose to travel when it is very hot. Do your homework on the weather during your proposed vacation season and decide how this weather would impact your fun.
For example:
Visiting New York City in the winter gives good availability of timeshares/hotel rooms and discount Broadway tickets because of fewer tourists.
Scotland during the winter when the weather is cold, also provides more availability of timeshares, or less expensive hotel rooms. My feeling is, the land will still be beautiful.
We may decide to return to an area at a different time of year after a shoulder season visit. Our eyes are wide open that the weather may be limit some activities. There will be no disappointment because we bring the clothes to match the conditions and look at it as an adventure!
