April 2, 2025 • 20 mins
In this episode of All Things Travel, hosts Ryan and Julie dive deep into the world of shoulder season travel, sharing expert insights on how to plan the perfect vacation during off-peak times.
What is Shoulder Season?
Shoulder season is the travel period just before or after peak tourist season. Typically, this includes:
- Europe: April-May and September-October
- Caribbean: April-June and October-November
- Australia/New Zealand: March-May and September-November
Advantages of Shoulder Season Travel
- Cost Savings: Lower prices on flights, accommodations, and activities
- Fewer Crowds: Less competition for attractions and restaurants
- Mild Weather: Pleasant temperatures for outdoor activities
- Sustainability: Reduces strain on local infrastructure
- Flexibility: More spontaneous travel opportunities
Considerations and Potential Drawbacks
- School schedules can limit shoulder season travel
- Unpredictable weather conditions
- Potential closures of attractions and businesses
- Shorter daylight hours
- Not always guaranteed significant discounts
Top Shoulder Season Destinations
- Europe
- Spring (April-May): Blooming landscapes, tulip season
- Fall (September-October): Harvest festivals, cooler temperatures
- Japan
- May-August: Lush greenery after cherry blossom season
- November-December: Autumn foliage without peak crowds
- American Southwest
- March-April and October-November: Mild weather for national park exploration
- Caribbean
- April-June: Warm weather, avoid hurricane season
- Iceland
- March-May and Mid-September-November: Northern Lights viewing opportunities
Expert Travel Tips
- Research specific shoulder season timing for your destination
- Plan around local events and festivals
- Pack layers and prepare for transitional weather
- Check specific destination considerations (e.g., Easter and spring break)
Listener Takeaway
Shoulder season travel offers a unique opportunity to experience destinations with fewer crowds, potentially lower costs, and more authentic local experiences. By being flexible and strategic, travelers can enjoy memorable vacations during these off-peak periods.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (00:00):
Hello and welcome to all Things
Travel.
Are you tired of dealing withcrowds and bad tourist behaviors
on your vacation?
maybe focusing on shoulderseason travel would be more your
style.
Today we'll discuss theconsiderations and top
destinations for maximizingshoulder season.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (00:18):
Listen in with travel advisors and
destination experts, Ryan andJulie.
He is your travel professorTeaching you everything you need
to know to have a magicalvacation.
And I am a Disney lovingMaryland mom of three and a
specialist in family travel.
we're discussing incredibledestinations, top vacation tips
(00:39):
or sharing personal stories isalways all things travel.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (00:48):
All right.
Julie, what is going on?
How are things in Marilyn today?
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (00:53):
Things in Maryland are good.
We had a really fun weekend.
Today is my Youngest's birthday.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (00:59):
That's right.
I saw that on Facebook.
Happy birthday Mia.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (01:02):
Yeah, so Mia is two.
she is a literal firecracker.
I rarely have any idea whatshe's doing because, uh, she is
always on the loose.
for her birthday, we got her ascooter, like the little three
wheeled
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (01:18):
Yeah.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (01:19):
my older two have them.
They got them around the sameage and she steps on it and
flies down a hill and does not,
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (01:26):
Yeah,
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (01:27):
care, doesn't care.
She falls over, she just gets upand keeps going.
So we had a really fun daycelebrating her.
So we've had a
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (01:34):
that's great.
I'm sure that this summer whenwe were on our, podcast friends
cruise, that Mia will become thestar of our social media
account,
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (01:42):
she's literally insane.
And she's like a rubber bandchild.
I don't know where you comefrom.
we were at the library today andour library has like, you know,
the automatic doors and sheliterally, I'm trying to help my
oldest check out some books shejust left the library and I go
running after her.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (01:57):
Yeah, actually my son used to be like
that.
So he not, not, not, not,
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (02:01):
built a fence.
You told me.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_1936 (02:03):
correct.
that's why we built the fence.
I am working like crazy thisweek because at the end of the
week, I am headed out for areally nice spring break trip.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (02:16):
I can't wait to hear about it.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (02:17):
Yeah.
Jasmine and I are heading downto Cancun for our first trip
together like that, and justgonna have a really good time
I'm excited to talk about itwhen we get back.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (02:28):
Ryan and all the spring breakers in
Cancun
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (02:31):
I think we're gonna be a little
more elevated than the classic,spring break,
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (02:36):
all right, so first, when we keep
saying this term, shoulderseason, you're probably
thinking, what the heck are theytalking
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (02:43):
I'm thinking of those massage huts
on the beach, shoulder season.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (02:48):
That's so funny.
season in the travel industry iswhen you're traveling, just
before or just after the peaktravel season.
there are some benefits andnegatives to shoulder season
travel, and that's what we'llget into just some examples.
in Europe, the really populartime to go is during the summer,
(03:09):
so April and May September andOctober would be considered
their shoulder season in theCaribbean.
April to June, or October toNovember is gonna be your
shoulder season.
If you're going all the way overto Australia or New Zealand,
March to May, or September toNovember.
(03:32):
a lot of those are telling usthere are peak travels in the
summer.
So pretty much avoiding thatsummer travel with my clients,
the one that comes up most isYear Up.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (03:41):
Yeah.
And definitely if you cantravel.
Not on a normal school schedule,if you want to think about it
that way.
That's really helpful in thistype of situation.
Julie, when we talk about someof the advantages of shoulder
season and some of theconsiderations, I'm not gonna
call them cons, I'm gonna callthem considerations.
So you know, I'm a little morepositive than you.
(04:03):
Uh,
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (04:03):
you can't say consideration without kahan.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (04:06):
Some of this will be a little
contradictory, I'll say it here,but then I'll also say it there
so it is what makes the mostsense for your travel group.
the number one advantage ofshoulder seasons is there can be
some real cost savings.
So flights, accommodations,activities.
Tend to have cheaper pricescompared to peak seasons.
(04:26):
And because of that, there'ssome discounts to attract
people.
popular tourist destinations canbe less crowded during the
shoulder season.
there could be shorter lines atthe attractions, more
availability in those hard toget reservations at restaurants
and maybe in a more overallrelaxed experience.
You're not fighting for space totake that picture, or see that
(04:50):
site You might.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (04:51):
hear the most about with Europe is we
wanna go in May or Septemberbecause of the crowds.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_19 (04:57):
Absolutely seeing Santorini at that time is
completely different than seeingit at the peak of tourist
season.
Number three, mild weather.
Obviously this depends on whereyou're going, in the world.
But for a lot of the places thatwe're talking about, shoulder
season tends to offer pleasantweather conditions such as
(05:18):
spring or fall temperatures.
And so being a little moretolerable with, outdoor
activities or sightseeing.
Number four, sustainability.
And we know that sustainabilityis continuing, to be a hot topic
in tourism and the idea of overttourism.
Well, sustainability allows youto think about going during less
(05:39):
busy times, so it reduces thestrain on the infrastructure of
the place you're visiting.
And then the last flexibilitywith fewer tourists, there's
often no need to book everydetail for in advance.
which could give you, some morespontaneity when it comes to
deciding what you want to do.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (05:59):
let's talk about some considerations
when you're thinking aboutplanning a trip that is not at
that peak time and duringshoulder season.
So in my world, and for thenext, you know.
years in front of me, my kidswill be in school.
We'll be a little bit dictatedby the school calendar.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (06:19):
Yeah.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (06:19):
that doesn't really allow for you to
travel in the shoulder season,right?
you're off school.
For us in Maryland, we're off inthe summer, which is mid-June
through August.
We've got that typical springbreak around Easter time.
I know.
Some local schools also have afall break.
We have the Christmas break andthere's a reason why those times
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (06:43):
Yeah.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (06:43):
very busy times to travel.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (06:46):
Yeah.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (06:46):
because all the kids are off school.
Parents don't want them missingschool.
my kids' ages right now, I haveno problem missing school.
But I'm sure that will change,you know, as
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (06:56):
It.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (06:56):
high school like you had to deal with
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (06:58):
Yeah, it gets harder.
so really the consideration hereis you can't take advantage of
shoulder season, it's notavailable to you as a parent.
And I will say, certainly as thekids were younger, we made
decisions to travel as a family,but yes, there did come a point
where it just was not feasible.
Um, with school, with activitiesand, and all that stuff.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (07:21):
I was talking to a mom at school last
week and we were talking about atrip they took to Disney.
They went, um, like a week ortwo before Christmas last year.
was talking to her at ourelementary school, but they,
this was a multi-generationaltrip for them.
And the reason they picked theweek they did was because that's
when like some cousin who was incollege was on college break, so
(07:42):
every other kid in the familymissed school except for this
college age kid because he can'tmiss class like some of the
other kids do.
So they were so limited on whenthey could go because of that
and because that the crowds wereso high.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (07:57):
Y You know, it's interesting you say
that as a college professor atthree different institutions
during my career, you, yousaying college students not
missing class to travel.
That, uh, that, that was notnecessarily my experience.
Uh, unfortunately.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (08:11):
around exams
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (08:12):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (08:13):
think.
All right, so a few otherconsiderations to think about.
The weather will be a littleunpredictable, which is partly
what makes this time of yearmore affordable and have less
crowds.
you're gonna be in thattransitional weather period.
There might be more rain, youmight have a chance of cooler
temperatures or even anunexpected heat wave.
(08:35):
Maybe you're traveling inSeptember thinking it's gonna be
cool, and then next thing youknow, it's super hot during your
trip.
or maybe you think like, okay, Iam gonna try to go to the
Caribbean and we're gonna doNovember because it's less
crowded, it's less expensive.
and you get there and it's.
68 to 70 degrees all weekend.
Not really great beach weather.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (08:56):
And not very comfortable.
Yeah.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (08:58):
Yeah.
Not comfortable.
And also then you're inhurricane season two, so a lot
of things that you have to thinkabout when you're planning at
this time of year, Another oneis things might be closed.
your destination knows they'reexpecting fewer crowds, so
they're gonna have theirbusinesses open a little bit
less, or maybe not even open atall.
(09:20):
That will really limit anyactivities that you have
available to you.
So that's something to really beaware of before you go.
If there's something that is amust.
To do for you.
Make sure that you are travelingin the timeframe that that is
happening.
this comes up for my clients alot with Alaska.
Would you agree with that,
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (09:39):
Yeah, ab absolutely.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (09:41):
but you have to cruise at a certain time
of year to see those whales,
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (09:47):
Well, and not only that, As
attractions may close otherbusinesses associated with
tourism may close, that may bewhen the shop owners of the
restaurants, they have morelimited hours or they're closed,
uh, different days of the week.
So that may be lovely because itjust may be a much more relaxed
(10:07):
pace for you, but like you said,you wanna make sure that stuff
that are the must dos can, canstill happen during shoulder
season.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (10:14):
Right, right.
Like when we were in Hawaii, wewere there in October, and I
know some people can go toHawaii and do whale watching,
but.
Not in October.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (10:24):
Yeah.
Right.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (10:25):
think about the time of year and, and
what is going on locally forthat destination.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (10:29):
Yep.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (10:30):
One other consideration with all these is
also there's gonna be someshorter days.
So shoulder season coincideswith the shorter daylight hours
and that's gonna also reduce theamount of time that's available
to you for outdoor activities.
if you're going over to aCaribbean destination and it
starts getting darker a littleearlier, you may not have those
really long beach days that youwanted.
(10:52):
or those, really fun evenings,those sunset pictures, things
like that you're gonna have tothink about.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (10:56):
Yeah, good point.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (10:58):
one last consideration is that your
expenses may not always actuallybe lower.
While it is generally cheaper,some popular destinations might
not offer significant discountsduring shoulder season,
especially if they are a placethat remain popular year round.
Disney, we anticipate that theyrelease discounts during.
(11:18):
What in the past were historicallower crowd seasons, but those
discounts are never guaranteed.
We don't know
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (11:25):
Right.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (11:26):
to your specific reservation.
if budget is something that'skind of pushing you towards
shoulder season, go with what wealways say and book early Ali.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (11:34):
And shoulder season can be a better
time to travel for a variety ofreasons, but.
Cost may not be the number onedriver for that.
Well, Julie, we have some tipsfor planning shoulder season
travel and we also have some,um, ideas for great shoulder
season destinations.
But first, as always, I wannatalk about where in the world is
(11:57):
all things travel.
And as I looked at new locationsthis week, a new one for us that
came up was IndependenceMissouri.
Independence.
Missouri is not only.
The hometown of PresidentTruman.
But one of the things that Ifound really interesting was it
was the gateway to the OregonTrail, and also it has a big
(12:21):
significance in the Mormonchurch with their, expansion
westward I'm thinking of goingto the Frontier Trails Museum
with our listener and learningall about the Oregon Trail and
how Independence Missouri playedinto that.
Doesn't that sound fun?
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (12:39):
Yeah, that sounds very different than
a lot of the destinations we've
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (12:42):
Yeah, absolutely.
Well, hey, independence, we areso glad that you are listening
to All Things Travel.
Please reach out to Julie ormyself.
You can do that on our website,all things travel podcast.com
because I've got a little thankyou gift that I would love to
send to the beginning of theOregon Trail for being featured
on the show today.
(13:03):
let's talk about some tips forshoulder season.
So if you think this may fit youand where you want to go, here
are some tips.
The first one is Research yourtiming because shoulder seasons
vary from place to place.
So just because you think it'sshoulder season someplace
doesn't mean it necessarily isalso a fun thing to do for
(13:24):
shoulder season is plan aroundlocal events.
So a lot of times there arefestivals or cultural events
that occurred during shoulderseason either to increase
tourism or because.
That allows the locals time toenjoy those festivals.
So it may be a fun connectionwith your trip.
(13:45):
And then third, prepare fortransitional weather.
So thinking about layers, rain,all that kind of stuff.
This would be a good time to beable to transition from warmer
days to cooler evenings and, andsome, suboptimal weather as far
as sun and warmth.
All right, Julie, so what is afirst destination that we should
(14:08):
think of when it comes toshoulder season?
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (14:11):
Okay, this one we've mentioned a
couple times and
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (14:14):
Yep.
Yes,
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (14:16):
everyone knows Europe is really crowded
in the
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (14:20):
I.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (14:20):
so this is a really popular destination
for shoulder season.
And there's also differentthings that are showcased in
those shoulder seasons too.
So think about going in spring,which would be April to May, and
that offers blooming landscapes,fewer tourists.
When you think about going overto.
the tulips,
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (14:40):
Yep, I, well, I was.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (14:42):
shoulder season.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (14:42):
Yeah, absolutely.
I was, I was just gonna bringthat up, that last March I was
actually doing my tulip timecruise and we were right at the
beginning.
So, um, there was a reason whywe were there at that time, but
man, if we would've been thereeven two weeks later, that
would've been like prime timetulips.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (15:02):
You would also wanna think about going to
Europe in the fall, so Septemberor October, It's going to be a
little bit cooler.
Weather and some harvestfestivals going on that you
could enjoy.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (15:12):
Love it.
Well, the second location isJapan, and this time of shoulder
season may surprise you.
It's actually May to August, sosummertime.
And the reason why you may beinterested in this time is
there's a lot of lush greenery.
After the cherry blossom season.
So a lot of people go for thecherry blossoms, wait that out,
and then you're gonna experiencelower crowds or November to
(15:36):
December.
So holiday time here in theUnited States showcasing autumn
foliage without peak seasoncrowds.
So again, kind of acounterintuitive right times
that we would think would behigh travel time, not so much in
Japan.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (15:51):
And hey, that lines up really well with
our school schedules.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (15:55):
There you go.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (15:55):
so next up is the American Southwest.
A good time to go there when youwanna go during shoulder season
will be March and April, orOctober and November.
This will give you a lot more,mild weather for exploring the
national parks, especially ifyou're gonna go to the Grand
Canyon.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (16:15):
All right, let's talk about the
Caribbean.
We're talking April to June, soreally that, later spring, early
summer.
You avoid hurricane season.
But you definitely have thatwarm weather to experience
during that time.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (16:31):
And one caveat is just check Easter and
spring break.
So if you can hit it
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (16:36):
Yes.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (16:37):
Easter through the beginning of June,
you're golden.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (16:40):
Yep.
I agree.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (16:42):
All right, and last destination we
wanna highlight for shoulderseason is Iceland.
You would wanna think aboutgoing between March and May, or
mid-September through November,and this will actually provide
opportunities to see theNorthern Lights without the
summer rush.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (16:59):
as we wrap up, Julie, what are you
thinking with shoulder season?
I know you said right now thatdoesn't fit, but if you were
going to decide on a trip foryour family or you and Steven,
which shoulder season are yougonna take advantage of?
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (17:14):
Probably the Caribbean one because I
think it's one that you can takeadvantage of shoulder season and
you don't need to have a verylong trip.
so that would make it a loteasier to do with kids in
school.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (17:26):
I'm thinking fall in Europe would
just be lovely.
the last I was, the last coupletimes I've been to Europe, it
has just been insanely hot.
I'm thinking Greece in thesummertime.
I'm thinking Italy in thesummertime and just going in
more mild fall temperatureswould be great.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (17:44):
October Fest.
There you go.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (17:47):
There you go.
Roast.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (17:49):
You wanna plan a trip to an amazing
destination but don't know howto get started.
your travel advisors, we workwith you to create a customized
itinerary for your vacation andtake the stress of planning away
so you can focus on the fun andcreating memories.
You can reach out to us at allThings travel podcast.com and
click contact us.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:10):
We look forward to talking to you
next week on All Things Travel.
When we discuss some trulyamazing world voyage vacations,
I've got a little thank yougift that I would love to send
to the beginning of the OregonTrail for being featured on the
(18:32):
show today.
Alright, so let's say that.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:36):
I can think about with that is
dysentery.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:38):
Yeah.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:38):
Like, did you guys have to
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:40):
Oh, a hundred percent.
Yeah, absolutely.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:42):
know that was like before your, you know,
after your time or,
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:45):
Well, I don't know.
When did you play
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:47):
I don't know when
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:47):
I played it in,
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:49):
school.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:49):
gonna say, I played it in seventh
grade.
So you played it in third grade?
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:52):
Okay.
I was in like first gradeprobably.
They were all so dying ofdysentery
Hello and welcome to all Things
Travel.
Are you tired of dealing withcrowds and bad tourist behaviors
on your vacation?
maybe focusing on shoulderseason travel would be more your
style.
Today we'll discuss theconsiderations and top
destinations for maximizingshoulder season.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (00:18):
Listen in with travel advisors and
destination experts, Ryan andJulie.
He is your travel professorTeaching you everything you need
to know to have a magicalvacation.
And I am a Disney lovingMaryland mom of three and a
specialist in family travel.
we're discussing incredibledestinations, top vacation tips
(00:39):
or sharing personal stories isalways all things travel.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (00:48):
All right.
Julie, what is going on?
How are things in Marilyn today?
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (00:53):
Things in Maryland are good.
We had a really fun weekend.
Today is my Youngest's birthday.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (00:59):
That's right.
I saw that on Facebook.
Happy birthday Mia.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (01:02):
Yeah, so Mia is two.
she is a literal firecracker.
I rarely have any idea whatshe's doing because, uh, she is
always on the loose.
for her birthday, we got her ascooter, like the little three
wheeled
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (01:18):
Yeah.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (01:19):
my older two have them.
They got them around the sameage and she steps on it and
flies down a hill and does not,
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (01:26):
Yeah,
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (01:27):
care, doesn't care.
She falls over, she just gets upand keeps going.
So we had a really fun daycelebrating her.
So we've had a
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (01:34):
that's great.
I'm sure that this summer whenwe were on our, podcast friends
cruise, that Mia will become thestar of our social media
account,
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (01:42):
she's literally insane.
And she's like a rubber bandchild.
I don't know where you comefrom.
we were at the library today andour library has like, you know,
the automatic doors and sheliterally, I'm trying to help my
oldest check out some books shejust left the library and I go
running after her.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (01:57):
Yeah, actually my son used to be like
that.
So he not, not, not, not,
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (02:01):
built a fence.
You told me.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_1936 (02:03):
correct.
that's why we built the fence.
I am working like crazy thisweek because at the end of the
week, I am headed out for areally nice spring break trip.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (02:16):
I can't wait to hear about it.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (02:17):
Yeah.
Jasmine and I are heading downto Cancun for our first trip
together like that, and justgonna have a really good time
I'm excited to talk about itwhen we get back.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (02:28):
Ryan and all the spring breakers in
Cancun
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (02:31):
I think we're gonna be a little
more elevated than the classic,spring break,
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (02:36):
all right, so first, when we keep
saying this term, shoulderseason, you're probably
thinking, what the heck are theytalking
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (02:43):
I'm thinking of those massage huts
on the beach, shoulder season.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (02:48):
That's so funny.
season in the travel industry iswhen you're traveling, just
before or just after the peaktravel season.
there are some benefits andnegatives to shoulder season
travel, and that's what we'llget into just some examples.
in Europe, the really populartime to go is during the summer,
(03:09):
so April and May September andOctober would be considered
their shoulder season in theCaribbean.
April to June, or October toNovember is gonna be your
shoulder season.
If you're going all the way overto Australia or New Zealand,
March to May, or September toNovember.
(03:32):
a lot of those are telling usthere are peak travels in the
summer.
So pretty much avoiding thatsummer travel with my clients,
the one that comes up most isYear Up.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (03:41):
Yeah.
And definitely if you cantravel.
Not on a normal school schedule,if you want to think about it
that way.
That's really helpful in thistype of situation.
Julie, when we talk about someof the advantages of shoulder
season and some of theconsiderations, I'm not gonna
call them cons, I'm gonna callthem considerations.
So you know, I'm a little morepositive than you.
(04:03):
Uh,
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (04:03):
you can't say consideration without kahan.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (04:06):
Some of this will be a little
contradictory, I'll say it here,but then I'll also say it there
so it is what makes the mostsense for your travel group.
the number one advantage ofshoulder seasons is there can be
some real cost savings.
So flights, accommodations,activities.
Tend to have cheaper pricescompared to peak seasons.
(04:26):
And because of that, there'ssome discounts to attract
people.
popular tourist destinations canbe less crowded during the
shoulder season.
there could be shorter lines atthe attractions, more
availability in those hard toget reservations at restaurants
and maybe in a more overallrelaxed experience.
You're not fighting for space totake that picture, or see that
(04:50):
site You might.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (04:51):
hear the most about with Europe is we
wanna go in May or Septemberbecause of the crowds.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_19 (04:57):
Absolutely seeing Santorini at that time is
completely different than seeingit at the peak of tourist
season.
Number three, mild weather.
Obviously this depends on whereyou're going, in the world.
But for a lot of the places thatwe're talking about, shoulder
season tends to offer pleasantweather conditions such as
(05:18):
spring or fall temperatures.
And so being a little moretolerable with, outdoor
activities or sightseeing.
Number four, sustainability.
And we know that sustainabilityis continuing, to be a hot topic
in tourism and the idea of overttourism.
Well, sustainability allows youto think about going during less
(05:39):
busy times, so it reduces thestrain on the infrastructure of
the place you're visiting.
And then the last flexibilitywith fewer tourists, there's
often no need to book everydetail for in advance.
which could give you, some morespontaneity when it comes to
deciding what you want to do.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (05:59):
let's talk about some considerations
when you're thinking aboutplanning a trip that is not at
that peak time and duringshoulder season.
So in my world, and for thenext, you know.
years in front of me, my kidswill be in school.
We'll be a little bit dictatedby the school calendar.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (06:19):
Yeah.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (06:19):
that doesn't really allow for you to
travel in the shoulder season,right?
you're off school.
For us in Maryland, we're off inthe summer, which is mid-June
through August.
We've got that typical springbreak around Easter time.
I know.
Some local schools also have afall break.
We have the Christmas break andthere's a reason why those times
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (06:43):
Yeah.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (06:43):
very busy times to travel.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (06:46):
Yeah.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (06:46):
because all the kids are off school.
Parents don't want them missingschool.
my kids' ages right now, I haveno problem missing school.
But I'm sure that will change,you know, as
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (06:56):
It.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (06:56):
high school like you had to deal with
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (06:58):
Yeah, it gets harder.
so really the consideration hereis you can't take advantage of
shoulder season, it's notavailable to you as a parent.
And I will say, certainly as thekids were younger, we made
decisions to travel as a family,but yes, there did come a point
where it just was not feasible.
Um, with school, with activitiesand, and all that stuff.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (07:21):
I was talking to a mom at school last
week and we were talking about atrip they took to Disney.
They went, um, like a week ortwo before Christmas last year.
was talking to her at ourelementary school, but they,
this was a multi-generationaltrip for them.
And the reason they picked theweek they did was because that's
when like some cousin who was incollege was on college break, so
(07:42):
every other kid in the familymissed school except for this
college age kid because he can'tmiss class like some of the
other kids do.
So they were so limited on whenthey could go because of that
and because that the crowds wereso high.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (07:57):
Y You know, it's interesting you say
that as a college professor atthree different institutions
during my career, you, yousaying college students not
missing class to travel.
That, uh, that, that was notnecessarily my experience.
Uh, unfortunately.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (08:11):
around exams
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (08:12):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (08:13):
think.
All right, so a few otherconsiderations to think about.
The weather will be a littleunpredictable, which is partly
what makes this time of yearmore affordable and have less
crowds.
you're gonna be in thattransitional weather period.
There might be more rain, youmight have a chance of cooler
temperatures or even anunexpected heat wave.
(08:35):
Maybe you're traveling inSeptember thinking it's gonna be
cool, and then next thing youknow, it's super hot during your
trip.
or maybe you think like, okay, Iam gonna try to go to the
Caribbean and we're gonna doNovember because it's less
crowded, it's less expensive.
and you get there and it's.
68 to 70 degrees all weekend.
Not really great beach weather.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (08:56):
And not very comfortable.
Yeah.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (08:58):
Yeah.
Not comfortable.
And also then you're inhurricane season two, so a lot
of things that you have to thinkabout when you're planning at
this time of year, Another oneis things might be closed.
your destination knows they'reexpecting fewer crowds, so
they're gonna have theirbusinesses open a little bit
less, or maybe not even open atall.
(09:20):
That will really limit anyactivities that you have
available to you.
So that's something to really beaware of before you go.
If there's something that is amust.
To do for you.
Make sure that you are travelingin the timeframe that that is
happening.
this comes up for my clients alot with Alaska.
Would you agree with that,
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (09:39):
Yeah, ab absolutely.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (09:41):
but you have to cruise at a certain time
of year to see those whales,
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (09:47):
Well, and not only that, As
attractions may close otherbusinesses associated with
tourism may close, that may bewhen the shop owners of the
restaurants, they have morelimited hours or they're closed,
uh, different days of the week.
So that may be lovely because itjust may be a much more relaxed
(10:07):
pace for you, but like you said,you wanna make sure that stuff
that are the must dos can, canstill happen during shoulder
season.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (10:14):
Right, right.
Like when we were in Hawaii, wewere there in October, and I
know some people can go toHawaii and do whale watching,
but.
Not in October.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (10:24):
Yeah.
Right.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (10:25):
think about the time of year and, and
what is going on locally forthat destination.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (10:29):
Yep.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (10:30):
One other consideration with all these is
also there's gonna be someshorter days.
So shoulder season coincideswith the shorter daylight hours
and that's gonna also reduce theamount of time that's available
to you for outdoor activities.
if you're going over to aCaribbean destination and it
starts getting darker a littleearlier, you may not have those
really long beach days that youwanted.
(10:52):
or those, really fun evenings,those sunset pictures, things
like that you're gonna have tothink about.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (10:56):
Yeah, good point.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (10:58):
one last consideration is that your
expenses may not always actuallybe lower.
While it is generally cheaper,some popular destinations might
not offer significant discountsduring shoulder season,
especially if they are a placethat remain popular year round.
Disney, we anticipate that theyrelease discounts during.
(11:18):
What in the past were historicallower crowd seasons, but those
discounts are never guaranteed.
We don't know
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (11:25):
Right.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (11:26):
to your specific reservation.
if budget is something that'skind of pushing you towards
shoulder season, go with what wealways say and book early Ali.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (11:34):
And shoulder season can be a better
time to travel for a variety ofreasons, but.
Cost may not be the number onedriver for that.
Well, Julie, we have some tipsfor planning shoulder season
travel and we also have some,um, ideas for great shoulder
season destinations.
But first, as always, I wannatalk about where in the world is
(11:57):
all things travel.
And as I looked at new locationsthis week, a new one for us that
came up was IndependenceMissouri.
Independence.
Missouri is not only.
The hometown of PresidentTruman.
But one of the things that Ifound really interesting was it
was the gateway to the OregonTrail, and also it has a big
(12:21):
significance in the Mormonchurch with their, expansion
westward I'm thinking of goingto the Frontier Trails Museum
with our listener and learningall about the Oregon Trail and
how Independence Missouri playedinto that.
Doesn't that sound fun?
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (12:39):
Yeah, that sounds very different than
a lot of the destinations we've
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (12:42):
Yeah, absolutely.
Well, hey, independence, we areso glad that you are listening
to All Things Travel.
Please reach out to Julie ormyself.
You can do that on our website,all things travel podcast.com
because I've got a little thankyou gift that I would love to
send to the beginning of theOregon Trail for being featured
on the show today.
(13:03):
let's talk about some tips forshoulder season.
So if you think this may fit youand where you want to go, here
are some tips.
The first one is Research yourtiming because shoulder seasons
vary from place to place.
So just because you think it'sshoulder season someplace
doesn't mean it necessarily isalso a fun thing to do for
(13:24):
shoulder season is plan aroundlocal events.
So a lot of times there arefestivals or cultural events
that occurred during shoulderseason either to increase
tourism or because.
That allows the locals time toenjoy those festivals.
So it may be a fun connectionwith your trip.
(13:45):
And then third, prepare fortransitional weather.
So thinking about layers, rain,all that kind of stuff.
This would be a good time to beable to transition from warmer
days to cooler evenings and, andsome, suboptimal weather as far
as sun and warmth.
All right, Julie, so what is afirst destination that we should
(14:08):
think of when it comes toshoulder season?
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (14:11):
Okay, this one we've mentioned a
couple times and
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (14:14):
Yep.
Yes,
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (14:16):
everyone knows Europe is really crowded
in the
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (14:20):
I.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (14:20):
so this is a really popular destination
for shoulder season.
And there's also differentthings that are showcased in
those shoulder seasons too.
So think about going in spring,which would be April to May, and
that offers blooming landscapes,fewer tourists.
When you think about going overto.
the tulips,
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (14:40):
Yep, I, well, I was.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (14:42):
shoulder season.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (14:42):
Yeah, absolutely.
I was, I was just gonna bringthat up, that last March I was
actually doing my tulip timecruise and we were right at the
beginning.
So, um, there was a reason whywe were there at that time, but
man, if we would've been thereeven two weeks later, that
would've been like prime timetulips.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (15:02):
You would also wanna think about going to
Europe in the fall, so Septemberor October, It's going to be a
little bit cooler.
Weather and some harvestfestivals going on that you
could enjoy.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (15:12):
Love it.
Well, the second location isJapan, and this time of shoulder
season may surprise you.
It's actually May to August, sosummertime.
And the reason why you may beinterested in this time is
there's a lot of lush greenery.
After the cherry blossom season.
So a lot of people go for thecherry blossoms, wait that out,
and then you're gonna experiencelower crowds or November to
(15:36):
December.
So holiday time here in theUnited States showcasing autumn
foliage without peak seasoncrowds.
So again, kind of acounterintuitive right times
that we would think would behigh travel time, not so much in
Japan.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (15:51):
And hey, that lines up really well with
our school schedules.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (15:55):
There you go.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (15:55):
so next up is the American Southwest.
A good time to go there when youwanna go during shoulder season
will be March and April, orOctober and November.
This will give you a lot more,mild weather for exploring the
national parks, especially ifyou're gonna go to the Grand
Canyon.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (16:15):
All right, let's talk about the
Caribbean.
We're talking April to June, soreally that, later spring, early
summer.
You avoid hurricane season.
But you definitely have thatwarm weather to experience
during that time.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (16:31):
And one caveat is just check Easter and
spring break.
So if you can hit it
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (16:36):
Yes.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (16:37):
Easter through the beginning of June,
you're golden.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (16:40):
Yep.
I agree.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (16:42):
All right, and last destination we
wanna highlight for shoulderseason is Iceland.
You would wanna think aboutgoing between March and May, or
mid-September through November,and this will actually provide
opportunities to see theNorthern Lights without the
summer rush.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (16:59):
as we wrap up, Julie, what are you
thinking with shoulder season?
I know you said right now thatdoesn't fit, but if you were
going to decide on a trip foryour family or you and Steven,
which shoulder season are yougonna take advantage of?
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (17:14):
Probably the Caribbean one because I
think it's one that you can takeadvantage of shoulder season and
you don't need to have a verylong trip.
so that would make it a loteasier to do with kids in
school.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (17:26):
I'm thinking fall in Europe would
just be lovely.
the last I was, the last coupletimes I've been to Europe, it
has just been insanely hot.
I'm thinking Greece in thesummertime.
I'm thinking Italy in thesummertime and just going in
more mild fall temperatureswould be great.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (17:44):
October Fest.
There you go.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (17:47):
There you go.
Roast.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (17:49):
You wanna plan a trip to an amazing
destination but don't know howto get started.
your travel advisors, we workwith you to create a customized
itinerary for your vacation andtake the stress of planning away
so you can focus on the fun andcreating memories.
You can reach out to us at allThings travel podcast.com and
click contact us.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:10):
We look forward to talking to you
next week on All Things Travel.
When we discuss some trulyamazing world voyage vacations,
I've got a little thank yougift that I would love to send
to the beginning of the OregonTrail for being featured on the
(18:32):
show today.
Alright, so let's say that.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:36):
I can think about with that is
dysentery.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:38):
Yeah.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:38):
Like, did you guys have to
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:40):
Oh, a hundred percent.
Yeah, absolutely.
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:42):
know that was like before your, you know,
after your time or,
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:45):
Well, I don't know.
When did you play
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:47):
I don't know when
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:47):
I played it in,
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:49):
school.
ryan_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:49):
gonna say, I played it in seventh
grade.
So you played it in third grade?
j_1_03-24-2025_193609 (18:52):
Okay.
I was in like first gradeprobably.
They were all so dying ofdysentery
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