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(NEXSTAR) – Though summer is coming to a close, there’s still ample opportunity to embrace what’s known as the “shoulder season,” a vacation strategy loaded with benefits, according to travel experts.
If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it describes the time just before and after a destination’s peak period, likened to “shoulders,” as noted by AAA. Generally, prices are somewhat lower and crowds are thinner, while the weather remains agreeable.
For example, U.S. national parks experience shoulder seasons during spring and fall, when children are in school, leading to reduced demand, resulting in “fewer crowds, cooler weather, and limited services,” the Park Service highlights.
“Shoulder season varies by destination, but generally, for many popular spots, it falls between April and early June, and again in September and October,” Sonia Bhagwan, owner of Dreaming of Sun-Dream Vacations, explained on TikTok. “Destinations where shoulder season savings can be found include Western Europe, the Caribbean, parts of Mexico, Southeast Asia, and all U.S. coastal cities.”
When it comes to late-August and September travel, experts with booking site Expedia recommend the following five shoulder season destinations:
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Sedona, Arizona
- Vancouver, British Columbia
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada
A Skyscanner poll for its 2025 Smarter Summer Report determined that a third of Americans planned to travel off-peak this year to save money and avoid crowds, with that figure reaching 42% among those aged 18 to 24.
Some of the cheapest destinations for travel in late August and September were, according to the report:
Domestic
- Buffalo, New York
- Portland, Oregon
- Orlando, Florida
- Chicago, Illinois
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Miami, Florida
- Denver, Colorado
- San Francisco, California
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
International
- Tokyo, Japan
- London, England
- Rome, Italy
- Buffalo, New York
- Tirana, Albania
Besides more affordable flights, shoulder season also offers reduced rates for theme parks. According to a Nerdwallet analysis stretching through October 2026, September had the lowest average admission prices for Disney parks.
Peak seasons vary by destination, so it’s always good to do a little research before booking.
As for when to book, Bhagwan advises against procrastinating.
“Just because you’re going to be saving money because you’re traveling during the shoulder season does not mean that you should be planning these trips at the last minute,” Bhagwan said, adding that booking four to six months in advance is ideal.
