Off-Season Travel Calendar: Where To Travel Without the Crowds—or the Prices

Once the holiday crowds disperse, big global cities experience a drop in visitors that makes January a great time to enjoy cosmopolitan pleasures that might normally be out of reach. Find bargains on airfare and accommodations, snag reservations at the hottest restaurants, and indulge in some retail therapy during the January clearance sales.

In New York City, visit iconic landmarks on a sightseeing tour without the crowds and get steep discounts on Broadway shows. Soak up the history on guided visits to London’s popular landmarks and shop with the locals at Broadway Market. In Paris, enjoy some breathing room at the Louvre and tackle the big sales with a personal shopper.

If you don’t mind the cold, Reykjavik has plenty to offer in the winter, when airfare and accommodation prices dip. Use those long nights to explore the country on a northern lights tour, then warm up in the otherworldly Blue Lagoon. In Amsterdam, your reward for visiting in less-than-ideal weather is having cultural treasures like the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum all to yourself.

If you prefer a milder winter, take advantage of low-season travel in popular European cities that are usually packed with tourists. In Barcelona, enjoy a guided tour of Park Güell and Sagrada Familia without the typical crowds. Or, soak up the local vibes in Lisbon on a food tour.

Miami’s tropical climate and beautiful beaches make it a popular winter destination, while summers bring oppressive humidity and thunderstorms. March is the perfect middle ground—the winter crowds have started to disperse, the weather is still comfortable, and the beaches aren’t yet throbbing with spring break mania.

It’s the perfect time to soak up the sun in Miami Beach, take an Art Deco walking tour in South Beach, and sample Cuban cuisine in Little Havana. Visiting Everglades National Park sans crowds is another March perk; tours from Miami make it easy to fit in as a day trip.

Italy’s spring shoulder season brings decent weather with manageable crowds, lively festivals, and occasional travel deals. Bright, mild days make April an inviting time to stroll through Venice on a walking tour or to take a gondola ride. In Rome, tours of monuments like the Colosseum offer a chance to skip the line (this is handy in any season).

In Florence, art lovers may see slightly shorter lines at the Uffizi Galleries, though it’s still wise to book a skip-the-line tour. Taste the season’s bounty on a food tour in Sorrento, and visit Pompeii from Naples before the summer heat and crowds press in.

Insider tip: Wherever you go, be sure to note when Easter and other local festivals fall and plan your trip accordingly.

Another shoulder season superstar, Hawaii in May combines perfect weather with prices and visitor levels that are significantly below the winter and summer vacation peaks. Get your bearings on Oahu on a hike up Diamond Head Crater for panoramic views, or take a full-day Circle Island tour.

Head to Maui to go snorkeling with sea turtles and cruise the Road to Hana. In Kauai, immerse yourself in the Garden Isle’s natural beauty on a kayaking tour. Marvel at the lava fields of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii and complete your island experience by learning to surf—spring is an excellent time for beginners, with swells shifting lighter.

As the spring shoulder season comes to an end in June, you can still find some affordable travel options in Chicago. Although prices climb with the summer vacation season, the city is still relatively budget-friendly, so it’s a good time to visit before the heat and crowds take hold. Make the most of the springish weather with an architecture cruise on the Chicago River, view world-class exhibits at the Field Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago, and root for the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Summer is the peak travel season throughout Europe, with many popular locations offering sweltering heat to go along with the elbow-to-elbow crowds. Dublin and Edinburgh, on the other hand, reward their flood of summer visitors with beautiful, mild weather.

Hit the Scottish capital before the festival crowds drive accommodation prices up in August and September. Take an Edinburgh walking tour of the Royal Mile and visit Edinburgh Castle, then find a bit of tranquility at the Royal Botanic Garden or Arthur’s Seat. Enjoy Dublin’s fine weather and long days by strolling through St. Stephen’s Green, taking a historic Dublin walking tour, and catching some traditional music sessions on a pub crawl.

Triple-digit temperatures keep crowds away during the summer low season in Dubai and Las Vegas, but these desert destinations compensate with an abundance of air-conditioned delights along with solid bargains.

Try your luck at the casinos on the Las Vegas Strip when you’re not lounging poolside at your hotel. Cooler evenings are the time to take in the Strip’s neon spectacle on an open-top bus tour or to join the city’s legendary party scene on a nightclub crawl.

Dubai’s extreme August heat and humidity may even rule out its beaches and pools, but the city offers an astonishing variety of indoor attractions, including a ski resort, rainforest, and the world’s largest indoor theme park: IMG Worlds of Adventure. Take in views from the Burj Khalifa, then hit the sales at the gigantic Dubai Mall during the annual shopping festival, Dubai Summer Surprises.

After their summer peaks, the crowds and temperatures in Greece drop to more comfortable levels in September. Take advantage of these shoulder season benefits while the ferries are still running between the islands and the beaches still beckon. In Santorini, relax on picture-perfect Kamari Beach, cruise to nearby volcanic islands, and soak in the local hot springs.

In Athens, you’ll have a bit more elbow room for touring ancient marvels like the Parthenon and the Acropolis. Save time with skip-the-line passes so you can spend more time exploring Greece’s incredible cuisine with a food tour or cooking class.

October in San Francisco brings sunny weather that’s often warmer than the summer months. The fact that the summer vacation crowds have dispersed makes this a particularly pleasant time to enjoy the city and the San Francisco Bay. Sample the cuisine of North Beach and Chinatown on a walking tour, or rent an e-bike to explore the city’s notoriously hilly streets independently.

On the other side of the country, Washington DC is another enticing fall destination. The mild weather and colorful foliage create perfect conditions for walking tours of the National Mall, while lighter crowds make it easier to visit the capital’s impressive museums, monuments, and government buildings.

Insider tip: Whatever the season, big conferences and festivals drive up prices and crowds, so avoid those peak times. Traveling on weekdays usually means you’ll get better deals on accommodations.

November marks a sweet spot in the calendar for Mexico’s beach resorts. Hurricane season is winding down and businesses are open, but the winter holiday crowds and peak-season prices won’t kick in for another month. In Cancun, unwind on Dolphin Beach and get a taste of local culture at the central square Parque Las Palapas, then explore more of the Yucatan on a day trip to Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In Los Cabos, soak up the sunshine at Medano Beach, go snorkeling in Cabo San Lucas, and end your day with a sunset cruise. Be sure to seek out Day of the Dead celebrations if traveling in early November—just know you’ll likely encounter crowds.

December kicks off the winter high season in many popular destinations, but the cold keeps the crowds sparse and prices low elsewhere. It’s a great time to visit Tokyo, where glittering lights, cheaper accommodations, and blue skies brighten the mood. Tour the grounds of the Tokyo Imperial Palace, warm up in the National Museum of Tokyo and the Mori Art Museum, and fortify yourself with a tour of Tokyo’s legendary food scene.

For a warmer December destination, New Orleans delivers a killer combination of bargain accommodations and holiday cheer. Tour decorated homes in the French Quarter, eat your way through the city, and hear some live jazz at Preservation Hall.