The Pros and Cons of Traveling During The Off Season
One of the first things most people think about when planning a trip is when to travel. For most destinations, there are peak tourist times and off season times. Generally, the ebb and flow of tourists to a destination coincides with weather. I recently traveled to Paris during February, and found the differences between Paris in the winter and Paris in the summer to be vast! While I loved having no lines and fewer tourists around, I missed seeing the city green, hanging out in blooming gardens, and didn’t appreciate being rained on. Before you plan your next vacation, decide if traveling off season is best for you using my list of pros and cons to off season traveling!
Pro: No Lines
The line at the Eiffel Tower only took me 20 minutes, as opposed to the 3-4 hour wait there was this summer!
Fewer tourists = shorter lines. On my trip to Paris during the summer, I had to wait hours for tickets to museums, and even had to skip climbing the Eiffel tower because I didn’t have the time to wait in a 4 hour line. This winter, I waited 20 minutes to get my ticket, and didn’t wait to get in any museums. I also enjoyed the museums I visited much more during my winter visit because I didn’t feel claustrophobic due to crowds.
Con: Restricted Hours/ Closures
Many times during the off season restaurants, museums, and attractions have restricted hours, and in some cases close completely. Pay attention to where you are traveling and check in advance to make sure your must-do items will be open and available when you go.
Pro: Save Money
Flights, hotels, train tickets, and other travel expenses are often much cheaper during the off season to entice people to visit. Take advantage of these off season prices and plan an awesome trip for a fraction of the cost!
Con: Fewer daylight hours
I took this shot just as the sun was setting. At 3:45.
This past winter, I traveled to Budapest for 4 days for a total of 100 Euro between airfare and the price of my Airbnb. While saving money was great, I didn’t factor in that traveling during December meant the sun set each day around 3:45, and wound up having to wake up much earlier than I anticipated to take advantage of the limited daylight hours.
Pro: Better Photos
Winter: Just me!
Summer: tons of tourists!
As you can tell, the pictures I took in Versailles were MUCH better during my winter trip than during the summer. Instead of fighting to get a space or trying really hard to avoid getting people in my photos, I managed to have the Hall of Mirrors to myself for over 5 minutes (basically unheard of) and got photos throughout the palace with virtually no one in them. In this case, less is more!
Con: Weather
Don’t let it rain on your parade! Even if the weather is less than ideal, being prepared with rain boots, gloves, or an extra layer can make even a cold or rainy day a great day to travel!
Traveling during the off season means that the weather is often cold or unpredictable. Gardens that usually have flowers appear bare, once green treelined streets look brown, and enjoying a cappuccino outside seems impossible. For those who hate the cold, traveling in the off season might not be the best choice for you!
What destinations do you think are better during the off season?
