Off-Season Travel Destinations for Every Month of the Year Part 1: January - June
Looking for less crowds, better flight options, and an overall more budget friendly trip? Off-season travel is worth considering, especially is your travel timeline isn’t limited to summer and holiday breaks. Read on to check out the prime location to visit each month if your travel calendar is open January through June.
January: Barcelona
While Barcelona sees heavy tourist crowds throughout the year, planning your trip in the off season will definitely give you the best chance to beat the heavy crowds and jam packed city streets. Temperatures in January are more mild than the hot summer months as well, although unlike in the midwest in January you will still be comfortable outside with a light jacket.
Barcelona, Spain
February: New York City
If you avoid Valentine’s weekend in The Big Apple, the rest of the month will offer less expensive lodging options and affordable flights. February still brings blustering temperatures to Manhattan, so plan to bundle up while you stroll the city streets (no big deal here…this is a New Yorker’s rite of passage!). If you get lucky, you may even score a snowy walk through central park during the most romantic month of the year.
New York City, New York
March: Amalfi Coast
With many hotels and restaurants closed for the off season, early spring on the Italian seaside can be the perfect chance to escape to the quiet of the sea. Not all towns are closed down, though, and with a little planning (that’s where we come in!) you will find plenty of things to do to fill your days. Maybe the biggest plus is with less traffic the winding roads are much easier to navigate, so renting a car won’t be quite so intimidating if you want to travel the entire coast.
Amalfi Coast, Italy
April: Colorado
If you aren’t into skiing (or busy crowds), traveling to Colorado in April may be for you. Sunshine and warmer weather melt the snow and many ski resorts typically close in April, so it’s the perfect time to find some great deals on lodging. April in Colorado is known as “mud season” but take our word it is not as frightening as it sounds! If you stay near low lying cities like Denver and Fort Collins you will be a- okay.
Colorado
May: Alaska
Drier than the rest of the upcoming summer months, and also slightly cooler, May is a great month to travel to beautiful Alaska. It’s also less crowded than June, July, and August, and less expensive (although the cheapest months to travel to the state are November and December…brr!). May is also a prime month to observe wildlife, so get your binoculars and cameras ready.
Alaska
June: New Zealand
June is the start of ski season in New Zealand, so if you are willing to take a chance that the mountains may not be as snow packed as the remainder of summer, you can enjoy shorter lift lines and get some fantastic beginning of season deals on lodging. It’s also a great time to road trip through the country, as RV and car rentals are among the lowest of the year. So pack your rain jacket and warm boots and take advantage of some great deals in one of the world’s most beautiful places.
New Zealand
Do you have flexibility when you travel, or does juggling work and kids’ schedules make it hard to travel on off-peak times? Check back in next week to see our top off-season picks for July - December.
