Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest
Off season vacationing is the best way there is to have the trip of your family's dreams and not break the bank. Its also the best way to avoid crowds. This can make off peak travel a win-win situation.
Most travel meccas have lots of hotel space but are only heavily booked for certain portions of the year. During other time periods, these same hotels offer drastically reduced rates to generate business. This is a huge incentive to delay your vacation so you can take advantage of these deals.
The same off peak travel discounts that hotels offer are often echoed by amusement parks and museums as well. This is a great way to avoid added expense as well as the tremendous lines you encounter during the summer. The only draw back is that the parks often have reduced hours and services as well as reduced rate during those times and that is something you want to consider when you are making your plans.
My family and I traveled to a major Southern California theme park in late October and the benefits were amazing. The hotel in which we stayed usually costs over $179.00 during peak season. We got a suite literally across from the park for $59.00 plus we got 3 days admission for the price of two. Add that to the fact that we didnt have to pay for parking and our savings topped close to $500.00.
The best time to visit the beach, enjoy decent weather and still save is late April or early May. The period between spring break and summer travel is a down time for beach area hotels. Discounts can be abundant at this time. Another bonus is that the weather is generally favorable, not too hot or cold and the beach will not be over crowded either.
Remember that summer destinations arent the only vacations spots that suffer from off season decline. Many ski resorts have a great deal to offer the summer traveler such as tennis, golf, swimming and many other activities. In spite of this, they quite often still have to offer discounted rates during the summer. Once again however that services may be somewhat reduced since these type of resorts will be working with reduced staff at this time of year.
There are other destinations that would also be great to consider. Las Vegas is being thought of more and more as a family destination. Many casino-resorts feature family friendly entertainments such as magic shows, exciting rides and arcades. Las Vegas usually experiences slower periods during the hot summer months and the week between Christmas and New Years. Most Las Vegas hotels have fabulous websites that detail special rates and offers for all time frames and it would be to your benefit to check them out.
On the other hand many other cities really aren't subject to off-seasons. New York City for example doesn't suffer from the peaks and valleys of traditional seasonal travel. Still, you may be able to get a great deal if you watch hotel and other travel websites.
On top of seasonal discounts, a little leg work can also result in big savings. When looking into booking your hotel rooms remember that the rack or standard rate should be a last resort. There are almost always ways to get a cheaper room and you should accept a rack rate until all of your resources have been exhausted. Do you belong to a travel club through your credit card? Use it. Those companies make a ton of money because on average, few members actually use their privileges. Do you belong to an auto club? This can almost always net you savings on hotel rooms and attractions. The same goes for being an employee of the government and certain corporations. Check this out and you could be pleasantly surprised at how much you can save. Also, many trucks stops and travel centers along the way provide travelers magazines that are filled with pages and pages of coupons for hotels, food and attractions.
The internet is also an amazing way of discovering savings. Type your desired destination along with the words discount and depending upon the location you can find literally hundreds of sites and links that can help you get the most for your money.
Now that weve discussed how you can save, go and do it! Have fun and make those memories with your family!
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