Fall Travel May Be Most Optimal Time to Travel
Summer may be peak vacation time but just around the corner is a season that has tempting advantages for people who can swing it. For travelers who want to visit popular destinations without the massive crowds, and save some money, it’s time to start planning a fall getaway.
Among the benefits of autumn travel: airfares are lower, while hotels and cruise lines are more likely to offer deals, which can add up to substantial savings, leaving more money to spend on other parts of the trip. In addition, with the kids back in school museums and other attractions will be less packed. Finally, in many vacation spots the stifling summer heat has given way to cooler, more pleasant temperatures, making it more comfortable to get around.
London, Rome and Paris are all among the top 10 international vacation destinations for Americans in 2015, according to the annual survey by Travel Leaders Group of its U.S.-based travel agency owners, managers and frontline agents.
If a trip to one of those capitals – or anywhere else in Europe – is on your list, the shoulder season, roughly from mid-September to mid-November, can be a great time to visit.
A stronger U.S. dollar means that you’ll have more money to spend once you get there, but the savings will start even before you arrive. Airfares to Europe can be hundreds of dollars cheaper in September and October than at the peak of summer.
In Rome, the average high temperature drops from the upper 80s in July and August to the low 70s by October, perfect for walking around and exploring the narrow streets, romantic piazzas and historic sites of the Eternal City.
Paris is one of the most beautiful and most visited cities in the world. In the fall, there’ll be fewer tourists to compete with when you’re trying to reach the top of the Eiffel Tower, get a glimpse of the Mona Lisa and sip wine a café.
For culture buffs, London is an exciting place to be in the fall since it heralds the start of a new season of music, dance and drama at the city’s world-class theatres and concert halls.
But Europe isn’t the only place where travelers can find bargains in the fall. Because of their distance from the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii are bucket-list destinations for many Americans and the off-season is a good time to experience them while saving some money.
An Alaskan cruise is the top domestic destination for 2015, according to the Travel Leaders survey. September is shoulder season, when demand is lower and cruise lines are more likely to offer promotions. Plus, September is the time to view Alaska’s spectacular fall foliage.
The Hawaiian island of Maui is number three on the list of top domestic destinations. The best rates are available from September to November, when hotels, airfare and tour packages are lower and the weather is still warm and sunny.
For help planning a fall vacation, contact me or another agent in my office.
Nora
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