With Memorial Day in the rearview mirror and summer in full swing, you’re likely eager to travel now that the weather is warm and the kids are out of school — you and everybody else.
High demand equals high prices, and if you’re traveling during peak season, expect to pay top dollar. The smarter move is traveling to places where summer is the offseason — or you could save money with low-season travel in fall, winter and spring so you have more to splurge on pricey domestic summer vacations.
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The HomeExchange travel blog says you can save 25% to 50% on airfare with off-peak travel and CNBC reports equally dramatic price drops on low- and shoulder-season accommodations.
Here’s what middle-class families need to know about the right places to go during the right time of year:
Book a Fall Caribbean Vacation
According to Travel + Leisure, the ideal Caribbean weather — breezy, sunny days with low humidity, warm water and minimal rainfall — blesses the islands from January through May. Coincidentally, cold weather in the U.S., Canada and Europe sends demand and prices skyward in the tropics.
August to October is the Caribbean low season and October to mid-November is the shoulder season — which means fall is when the crowds thin out and prices drop.
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Travel + Leisure says the weather is mostly still divine in autumn, but rain is more likely — and it’s hurricane season, so keep an eye on the weather, purchase travel insurance and book hotels with hurricane guarantees.
Any number of variables affect your budget and your savings, but the average vacationer can expect to save “hundreds of dollars” between flights and accommodations by booking a Caribbean vacation in the offseason.
Warm Up Your Winter With a Trip to San Diego
According to the city’s website, “Any time of year is a good time to be in San Diego, but winter here offers its own unique charms. The beaches, attractions and restaurants are uncrowded, the weather is mild and the region has a laid-back, off-season vibe all its own.”
San Diego is warmer in the summer, but you can expect highs in the high-60s in December, January and February — about 10 degrees cooler than in the peak summer months.
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But the prices drop with the temperature.
Winter months are typically the cheapest time to buy tickets to San Diego. Start looking one to four months ahead, unless you plan to travel during a holiday or summer when demand is higher.
Spring Into British Columbia With a Visit to Vancouver
Summer is peak season in the beautiful and bustling Canadian city of Vancouver, located just north of Seattle. Early spring is the low season and late spring is the shoulder season. Either way, you’ll save money on a visit just as the city is thawing out and coming back to life after the deep Canadian winter freeze — and the weather is milder than in Eastern cities like Montreal.
According to Destination Vancouver, “There’s nothing quite like Vancouver in the spring. From our cherry blossom-lined streets to the scent of seawater crashing against the seawall, our temperate climate makes this the best time of year to experience the city’s outdoor spaces.”
The details of your trip will determine the price of your vacation, but in Western Canada, any time that isn’t summer is a budget-friendly time to go.
According to Travel + Leisure, “The low and shoulder seasons — mid-September to May — are typically the most affordable times to visit.”
Looking for Lower Prices and Lighter Crowds This Summer? Consider Cancun
Summer is the peak travel season in nearly all of the U.S. except for tropical states like Hawaii and Florida, and the same goes for Canada.
With the money you saved on off-peak vacations the rest of the year, you might have enough cash to join the crowds and pay big bucks for domestic travel during the busiest months in America — but if you’d rather not, you have options.
While places like Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile, Brazil and Egypt offer low-season travel in the summer, they might be out of reach for middle-class families even at a discount — but America’s neighbor to the south follows the same calendar, and it’s much more accessible.
The low season in Mexico runs from the day after Easter through mid-December when prices drop by 20% to 50%, which means you can afford a vacation of a lifetime in the hottest hotspot on the Yucatan Peninsula. According to Adventure in You, “The rainy season in Cancun runs from May to October, which is the best time to visit Cancun on a budget.”
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 4 Travel Destinations the Middle-Class Can Enjoy Off-Peak to Save Big This Summer