Budget travel in the fall
For many people, autumn is the time of year when the nights get
colder, the days get shorter, the leaves change color and the
year heads rapidly toward the cold winter months. The fall of
the year is the time when the kids are heading back to school
and anxious travelers are no longer dreaming of beach resort
towns.
For the smart budget traveler, however, the autumn season offers
some tremendous opportunities for lower prices, smaller crowds
and an overall better vacation value. The very items cited above
make fall a great time for budget minded travelers to head to
some of the best known resorts and enjoy lower prices on
airfares, rental cars, food and hotel rooms.
Every vacation destination has its own high and low season, but
the autumn of the year has the advantage of being the off season
for both summer and winter destinations. For instance, while
winter is the high season for ski resort towns and other winter
destinations, the mountain locations of these resorts often mean
that skiing and other activities are available in late autumn,
while prices for lodging, meals and rental cars are still much
lower.
Likewise, resorts and travel destinations that enjoy great
popularity in the summer months are still quite pleasurable, and
often more so, in the fall of the year. For instance, autumn
offers such benefits as cooler temperatures and fewer crowds in
addition to lower prices. The same restaurant at which
reservations were impossible to come by in the busy summer
months may suddenly be available in the fall, and that pricey
summer hotel room may be quite affordable once summer has ended.
When looking for the best possible deal on fall travel, it is
important to thoroughly research your particular destination.
While fall is the off season for most locations, this is not
true for every destination. Be sure that there really are better
values in the autumn season before booking your trip.
It is also important to check the weather, including average
temperatures and average rainfall levels, for your fall travel
destination. After all, lower autumn prices will do you no good
if rain or uncomfortable temperatures ruin your long anticipated
vacation.
If the average temperature and precipitation levels are to your
liking, it is time to start searching for the perfect fall
travel deals. The obvious first place to start for many people
is the internet. There are a number of very good web sites and
newsgroups devoted to the best in budget travel, and they are a
great place to start.
It is also important to start planning early for your fall
vacation. While the heat of summer is still around, be sure to
start shopping for the best fall deals. Airlines often start
promoting their lower fall airfares while summer is still in
full swing, and it is important to act fast to get the lowest
fares. The same goes for rental cars and hotel rooms, and those
fall specials are often snapped up very quickly by other budget
minded travelers.