Shoulder Season – Discover The Best Time to Travel

This page may contain affiliate links. These means that if you purchase or book something through one of these links I will earn a small commission. This will not affect the price that you pay but it will help to support the page.

Shoulder Season – Discover The Best Time to Travel

In my opinion, Shoulder seasons are the best time to visit a new country. If you’re unsure what a shoulder season is, it’s the period just before and just after the peak season, sometimes known as off-season travel. For example, in Europe, I would say that spring and autumn are the best times to visit. Many travellers utilise these times to explore places. Why? That’s what we’re here to talk about. I’m going to tell you why you should travel in shoulder seasons, the pros, the cons, and some of the best places to go throughout the year.

Airline stopover programs, qatar, etihad and emirates

Why Shoulder Season is the Best Time to Travel

The Benefits of Travelling in Shoulder Season

1. Cheaper Flights & Accommodation

2. Fewer Crowds, More Authentic Experiences

3. More Availability and Flexibility

4. Ideal Weather Conditions

5. Local Events & Festivals

shoulder season and off-season travel

Drawbacks of Shoulder Season Travel

The Cons of Travelling in Shoulder Season

1. Less Predictable Weather

2. Reduced Services and Activities

3. Limited Nightlife and Events

4. Other Things to Know

shoulder season and off-season travel

Best Shoulder Season Destinations & When to Visit

January

Caribbean

Southeast Asia

Australia

February

South Africa

South America

Canary Islands

March

Japan

Morocco

Portugal

shoulder season and off-season travel

April

Southern Europe

USA

Jordan and Egypt

May

Indonesia

Canada

Greece

June

Scandinavia

Alaska

Turkey

shoulder season and off-season travel

July

The Alps

Malaysia

Peru

August

Argentina

Australia

The Azores

September

Italy

Japan

USA

The port in Morges, Switzerland

October

Spain

Nepal

New Zealand

November

Thailand

Jordan

Morocco

December

South-East Asia

Mexico

Canary Islands

Airline stopover programs, qatar, etihad and emirates

Tips for Travelling in Shoulder Season

How to Find the Best Shoulder Season Deals

Airhint โ€“ Predicts the best time to book based on historical data.

Conclusion: Why You Should Try Shoulder Season Travel

Keep up to date with my future blogs, weekly newsletter and exclusive offers by joining my email community below.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Step 1 of 2
Name

Other Destinations in Europe


Make sure you’ve got what you need for your trip!

These companies are by far the best to use when you are organising your travels. Tried and tested, they are the most consistently reliable resources that will take care of all of your travel needs. I regularly use these websites for my own travels and have used most of them for some time with many positive experiences.

Accommodation

I use a couple of websites when searching for accommodation, depending on the type of stay I am looking for.

  • Trip Advisor: One of the top travel platforms, offering comprehensive listings, price comparisons, and booking options with millions of verified reviews and ratings for hotels. Another benefit to using TripAdvisor is that it also offers the same service for finding restaurants and attractions.
  • Hostelworld: Hostelworld is another leading platform but specializing in budget accommodations. It features millions of reviews and ratings for hostels, guesthouses, and budget hotels worldwide. Ideal for backpackers, budget travellers, and solo travellers, Hostelworld ensures a cost-effective and enjoyable stay.
  • AirBNB: My go to place for finding apartments. I find the platform so user friendly and the variety to be incredible.. This platform is more suited to people who do not want to stay in hotels, people who may want additional facilities such as a kitchen or laundry.

Flights and transportation:

  • Omio: This website simplifies planning and booking for trains, buses, and flights. It provides detailed schedules, prices, and user reviews, allowing travellers to compare and book the best travel options.
  • Google Flights: This is my go to place when I’m looking for flights. It offers so much flexibility and the interface is incredibly easy to use. 
  • Skyscanner: The only real alternative to google flights. They are slightly different but offer the same overall service.

If you want to know how I guarantee the cheapest flights possible and see my entire process, you can get 50% off my expert guide to cheap flights eBook here.

Activities:

  • Get Your Guide: I use Get Your Guide to book any excursions or activities. It has the worldโ€™s largest collection of things to do with over 30,000 activities in 7500 destinations.
  • WeGoTrip: This is the best place to find and book audio excursions and tours. All of the tours are created by local experts and professional tour guides.

Insurance

  • Visitors Coverage: You should always have travel insurance for any trip you decide to embark on. Visitors coverage is the best place to get yourself covered.