Let’s say you’re the kind of person who doesn’t like to run with the crowd. You’re the sort of traveler who prefers to hit any place others might call “out of the way” instead of destinations listed as “popular.” But despite your contrarian ways, your only opportunity for a vacation is smack dab in the middle of the summer when everyone and their brother is also taking a trip somewhere.
Now, your choices are to skip the trip altogether or to make the best of it and plan to travel anyway. So if you’re in the second camp (and you should be), then here are some tips to help you avoid the worst of the summer crowds – and to help you save money on your summer trip while you’re at it.
>> Don’t miss how to find cheap summer airfare, and in case you want to be where everyone else is you might want to learn more about finding summer travel deals to popular places.
It’s all well and good to have someone suggest you take a trip to a previously-unknown-to-you destination for your summer break, because even if such a trip would cost less there’s a certain contingent that just has their heart set on a specific spot for their summer vacation. For those people, nothing – not even the lure of big savings – will tear them away from their dream.
Travel experts can talk until they’re blue in the face about how people should avoid summer travel and stick to the shoulder seasons, the fact remains that the time when most people are still going to travel is the summer. This could be driven by school schedules that only allow for extended vacations in the summer, or work schedules slowing down in the summer, or your own personal desire to only get out and about when it’s warm. Whatever the reason, summer is still the busiest travel season.
Almost everyone is tightening their belts these days as family budgets for just about everything seem to be smaller. However, luckily you aren’t the only one who has felt the effects of the shaky economy. The travel industry has also been hard hit, making for some great deals that allow you to still take that vacation this year without having to worry about busting your budget. In fact, there are lots of offers for free nights and rewards when you book travel, including a July sale at Expedia that gives you $50 back when you book your vacation.