How Booking A 'Shoulder Season' Vacation Can Save You Money

Vacation: It's what we dream of and save for all year. The only problem? So does everyone else. Spending precious PTO at the same time as the rest of the country can make you feel like you need a vacation from your vacation. Peak vacation season is known for good weather and open attractions, but travelers also have to deal with crowds, high prices, and stiff competition for popular destination reservations. But some savvy travelers save money (and sanity) by skipping peak season to travel instead during "shoulder season": the window of time between a destination's peak season and off-season.

Think of the name as coming from hanging out on the shoulder of peak season's main road. Or, as shoulders sloping away from the "head" of peak season on a bell curve. There's plenty of room for interpretation when it comes to how this in-between travel time got its name. There's also plenty of travel savings (and fun) to be had in the shoulder season. For example, the weeks before and after school lets out for the summer could be considered shoulder season for prime summertime vacation destinations. While most people are still either working or studying, hotels and attractions are open for business and soft-launching their summer season, sometimes with special deals and events that cater to both locals and early-season travelers. (On that note, here are 13 of the best U.S. vacation destinations to travel on a budget.)

Shoulder season is a year-round phenomenon that varies by destination. For U.S.-based travelers, shoulder season typically means anywhere between April and October. Also, the length of any global or domestic destination's shoulder season varies as weather conditions shift and grow more extreme. Note that it's different from a location's off-season, mostly because the area's weather is still pleasant enough that vacation activities per that destination can still be enjoyed. (Remember, forgetting that time is a valuable resource is a major money mistake when traveling.)

For example, Hawaii is a popular destination year-round. However, the state's warm beaches enjoy high-density travel (and pricing) during the winter months in the U.S. Choosing to visit the islands in spring or fall could mean the weather is still good enough for hiking and swimming, just with less crowds and better pricing on food, lodging, and entertainment. The same logic holds true for colder destinations.

If you want to score cheaper ski lift tickets, schedule snowier travel between March and June, or sneak away for some snowboarding in the fall. To find shoulder season for your intended destination, first determine when the location is in highest demand. Then look at the weeks leading up to that peak and the weeks following for discounted rates.

Further, watch for price spikes in leaf-peeping season, and consider getaways that don't require the high cost of air travel. A short drive or train ride to a shoulder destination with weekday happy hour specials on food and drink — not to mention locally celebrated festivals, can give you a vacation to remember, not regret. The week is the weekend's shoulder season, after all.

In the past, shoulder season was a more defined travel time, with clearer-cut discounts. These days, shoulder-season savings are a moving, narrow target. Still, with research and flexibility, these savings can be attained. If your vacation requires flights, set up alerts for low and dropping airfares for your route.

Further, if you can overlap a cheap flight with a location in shoulder season, savings may abound. Airlines are always trying to hike prices, so it pays to stay flexible with dates, and consider traveling during the week. According to a study by travel booking app Hopper, Wednesday is the cheapest day to fly domestic, while Tuesday is the cheapest day to return. As for the cheapest day to book a flight, the Hopper data science team says it's Thursday, while the priciest day to travel is on Sunday (via Travel + Leisure).

If traveling during the week sounds impossible to manage with school-aged children, think again. Given that some districts allow for independent study, it's possible your kids won't miss too much. This being said, Trips With Tykes blogger Leslie Harvey cautions parents who are looking to travel with their kids to first, realistically assess how their child is doing academically (can they afford to miss school?); also, learn about their school district's truancy policy; and ensure their plans won't interfere with tests and/or extracurriculars.