What can ruin a dream trip to a hot destination you’ve seen all over Instagram? Crowds.
From the Colosseum in Rome to national parks around the US, sought-after travel destinations are packed with tourists through peak seasons, leading to long lines, traffic congestion, and obstructed views.
Brandon Shaw, the cofounder and COO of The Tour Guy, recommends traveling during the shoulder season, or the time between a destination’s peak season and the offseason, when travel is less popular and typically less expensive.
“We’ve seen more and more people leaving earlier and traveling later into the season because the weather is still great in September and October, there will be fewer people, and it’s just a better experience,” Shaw told Business Insider.
Tourism seasons vary depending on the location, but in many US and European destinations, shoulder season tends to land in the fall.
After traveling to roughly 55 countries, Shaw shared with BI some hot spots around the US and Europe that he finds more enjoyable to visit once the summer heat and crowds are gone.
Many European cities may be more satisfying in the fall, including Paris, London, and Rome.
Shaw said major European cities like London and Paris are worth visiting in the shoulder season because they’re not beach destinations. So tourists may have a less crowded experience without missing out on warm-weather activities. The same is true of Rome, he said.
“I’ve been to all of these cities in both seasons. And the main difference is the crowds,” he said.
Shaw most recently went to Paris and London in October of this year.
“It’s a nice time to go. It’s not as crowded and not too cold to make it uncomfortable,” he said. “You can visit the museums like the Louvre with far fewer people.”
Hiking up mountains in and around Tuscany may be more peaceful in October and November.
Shaw said the mountains of Tuscany are a worthwhile destination that’s even more enjoyable in the fall.
“A lot of people either go in the summertime to go hiking or go in the wintertime to go skiing,” he said. “But there’s that period in October and the beginning of November when there’s fewer people because everyone’s back in school.”
Fall temperatures in Tuscany range from about 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
About five hours north of Tuscany, Shaw recommends visiting the Northern Dolomites.
“In autumn, it’s already cooling off, but the weather is not cold yet,” he said, advising travelers to pack a light jacket.
The same is true for Grand Canyon National Park in the US.
When Shaw planned a trip to the Grand Canyon‘s south rim two years ago, everyone told him it would be packed. The more popular rim of the national park sees 4 million visitors annually, according to the Grand Canyon website, and most people visit during the summer.
But Shaw booked his trip to Arizona in late November when temperatures range from 50 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 25 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit at night.
“It wasn’t that expensive to fly out there. We flew into Phoenix and drove up through Sedona,” he told BI. “It was my first time going, so I don’t know as much about what it’s like high season. However, everyone there told me you can’t even walk the trails — it’s that many people.”
During Shawn’s trip, however, the park was quiet.
“We literally walked miles on trails going down toward the river,” he said. “We had nobody around us the whole way.”
Shawn also said the weather was great. He packed a rain jacket and only used it once.
“It rained for just 30 minutes, and after, there was the most amazing rainbow I’ve ever seen,” he said.
Disney World, Universal Studios, and other Florida destinations are typically less crowded once kids return to school.
Whether you’re going to an amusement park or the Florida Keys, Shaw told BI the sunshine state is best visited in shoulder seasons.
Florida is a popular snowbird destination. The peak seasons are winter and spring. For most of the state, tourism slows down in the summer — save for amusement parks like Disney World and Universal Studios, which are packed with kids on break, Shaw said.
Aside from Halloween, when Disney is decked out for the spooky season, amusement parkgoers can expect shorter lines and fewer crowds in the fall.
“If you go to Orlando in the summertime and you go to Orlando in the low season, it’s like night and day with the amount of people that are there,” he said.
New York City and other destinations around the Northeast are vibrant and typically less crowded in the fall.
Flying into a New York City airport in the summer or winter can get pretty pricey, but mid-fall is generally cheaper. The Northeast is also known for its vibrant fall foliage you wouldn’t see any other time of year.
“Shoulder season is a great time to go to the Northeast because you have fewer tourists, as long as you’re OK wearing a light jacket,” Shaw said.
For example, he said destinations like Boston, New York, and the Appalachian Trail aren’t typically crowded in the fall.
Two years ago, Shaw hiked a portion of the Appalachian Trail.
“It was great weather at the beginning of November, and there was nobody around,” he said. “The guides that work there said in the summertime, it’s packed with people walking the trails. But we would walk miles with nobody around us.”
Whether you’re looking to explore the history and culture of a major city or find peace and isolation on a mountaintop, fall may be the cheapest and most fulfilling time to travel.
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