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Visiting popular destinations during shoulder season can often mean smaller crowds.
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The shoulder season, between high and low season, offers less congestion and lower travel costs.
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Fall can be ideal for visiting American and European destinations with better weather and fewer tourists.
What can ruin a dream trip to a popular destination you've seen all over Instagram? Crowds.
Whether it is the Colosseum in Rome Or national parks in the United StatesSought-after travel destinations are packed with tourists during peak seasons, leading to long lines, traffic jams, and obstructed views.
Brandon Shaw, co-founder and COO of The tour guyrecommends traveling during shoulder seasonor the period between a destination's peak season and low season, when travel is less popular and generally less expensive.
“We've seen more and more people leaving earlier and traveling later in the season because the weather is still good in September and October, there will be fewer people and it's just a better experience,” said Shaw to Business Insider.
Tourist seasons vary by location, but in many American and European destinations, the shoulder season tends to fall in the fall.
Having traveled to about 55 countries, Shaw shared with BI some hot spots in the United States and Europe that he finds more enjoyable to visit once the summer heat and crowds have gone.
Many European cities could be better off in the fall, including Paris, London and Rome.
Shaw says major European cities like London And Paris are worth visiting in the shoulder season as they are not beach destinations; visiting tourists then have a less crowded experience without missing out on warm weather activities. The same goes for Rome, he said.
“I’ve been to all of these cities in both seasons,” he said. “And the main difference is the crowds.”
Shaw recently visited Paris and London in October this year.
“It’s a good time to go,” he said. “It's not too crowded and it's not too cold that it's uncomfortable. You can visit the museums like the Louvre with much fewer people. »
Hiking in the Italian mountains can be more peaceful in October and November.
Shaw told BI that Tuscany is “a beautiful region” worth visiting.
If you're also interested in hiking in Italy, he said the mountains surrounding the Aosta Valley make for an interesting destination, even more enjoyable in the fall. Fall temperatures in the valley northwest of Milan range from about 30 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
“A lot of people go either in the summer to go hiking or in the winter to go skiing,” he said. “But there is this period in October and early November where there are fewer people because everyone is back in school.”
Shaw also recommends visiting the Dolomites to benefit from good weather and fewer crowds during this time.
“In autumn it's already cool, but it's not cold yet,” he said, advising travelers to pack a light jacket.
The same goes for the Grand Canyon National Park in the United States.
When Shaw was planning a trip to Grand CanyonTwo years ago, everyone told him it would be packed. The most popular edge of the national park welcomes 4 million visitors each year, according to the Grand Canyon siteand most people visit during the summer.
But Shaw booked his Arizona trip for 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 there. We flew into Phoenix and flew through Sedona,” he told BI. “This was my first time there, so I don't know much about peak season. However, everyone there told me you can't even walk the trails – there were so many people.”
During Shaw's trip, the park was quiet.
“We literally walked for miles on trails down to the river,” he said. “We didn’t have anyone around us the whole way.”
Shaw also said the weather was great. He packed a rain jacket and only used it once.
“It rained for only 30 minutes, and then there was the most amazing rainbow I’ve ever seen,” he said.
Disney World, Universal Studios and other Florida destinations are generally less crowded once kids go back to school.
Whether you go to an amusement park or Florida KeysShaw says the Sunshine State is best visited during the shoulder seasons.
Florida is a popular destination for snowbirds. Peak seasons are winter and spring. In most of the state, tourism slows down in the summer, with the exception of amusement parks like Disney World and Universal Studios, which are full of kids on break, Shaw said.
Aside from Halloween, when Disney gears up for the spooky season, park guests can expect shorter lines and fewer crowds in the fall.
“If you go to Orlando in the summer and if you go in the off-season, it’s like night and day with the amount of people there,” he said.
New York City and other Northeast destinations are vibrant and generally less crowded in the fall.
Flying to a New York airport in summer or winter can be quite expensive, but mid-autumn is usually cheaper. The North-East is also known for its dynamism fall foliage you wouldn't see any other time of year.
“Shoulder season is a great time to go to the Northeast because there are fewer tourists, as long as you can wear a light jacket,” Shaw said.
For example, he said destinations like Boston, New York and the Appalachian Trail are generally not crowded in the fall.
Two years ago, Shaw hiked part of the Appalachian Trail.
“It was sunny in early November and there was no one around,” he said. “The guides who work there say that in the summer the trails are full of people. But we walked for miles with no one around us.”
Whether you're looking to explore the history and culture of a big city or find peace and seclusion on a mountaintop, fall can be the cheapest and most rewarding time to travel.
Read the original article on Business Insider
