Our Top Off-Season Domestic Destinations to Visit in Winter
If you search any destination, you’ll find recommendations for the “peak times” to visit. These usually are determined by the time of year with the best weather and attractions, but off-season travel has its benefits. You may not have ideal temperatures, but more economical flights and less crowds may outweigh the sunny skies. Read on to see our top off-season spots to sneak away to this winter.
Outer Banks, North Carolina
Several beach towns are scattered up and down the wide coast line of the Outer Banks in North Carolina. If you prefer your beach days to be on a cooler side, try this destination in winter and enjoy sweatshirt walks in the mornings and bonfires at night. The crowded beaches you will find over spring break and into the summer are much quieter during the winter months, so you’ll enjoy solitude (and low wait times for dinner!). Another perk of visiting this spot during off-peak times? You’ll have more opportunities to spot wildlife, including the famous wild ponies that are known to roam the beaches.
Outer Banks, North Carolina
The Berkshires
After the holiday rush is over and before sunny, mild weather comes to Massachusetts, the winter months can be a wonderful time to escape to Berkshires County, where upscale dining and shopping galore make this a fabulous ladies or couples destination. Check into one of the multiple boutique hotels or quaint B&B’s and enjoy a weekend getaway that the likes of New Yorkers and north-easterners have come to love.
Berkshires, Massachusetts
Yellowstone National Park, United States
If you are looking for an adventurous, secluded winter getaway, try Yellowstone National Park, where beauty and wildlife are plentiful. Because snow covered roads are partially closed to street traffic, you’ll have to pack cross country skis or snow shoes to see some of the beautiful sights, but what you spend on snow gear you’ll make up for in lodging, as you can get some of the best deals of the year in January - March.
Yellowstone National Park
Nashville, Tennessee
Make sure your cowboy boots are high enough to warm your legs in winter and check out all the County Music Capital has to offer. Nashville crowds can be unbearable in the summer and fall months, but the city is relatively more quiet and economical to visit in the winter. Plus, most of the iconic spots to see are actually indoors (think bars with live music on Broadway , The Grand Ole Opry, and The Country Music Hall of Fame). Not to mention the food scene can’t be beat any time of year!
Nashville, Tennessee
New York City, New York
While there is without a doubt a magic in the Big Apple over the holidays (see our blog post from last month!), there is a quieter, more intimate NYC after the New Year. Enjoy less expensive, off-peak pricing while still doing all the New York things: taking in the sights, ice-skating at Rockefeller Center, seeing a Broadway show, and strolling bundled up through Central Park. Can’t stomach the idea of a winter trip to NYC without seeing the magnificant Rockefeller Center Tree? Book your trip the week after NYE, before the tree comes down. Accommodations and dining will be superb as they are in December, without the crowds and price tag. Win win!
Traveling doesn’t have to always be pricey, crowded, or overly- complicated. If you do a little research (or let us do it for you!) and find off-peak destinations, your pocketbook and patience will thank you.
