Get Quartz in your inbox

Free daily briefing on global business news.

5 underrated destinations worth visiting in the off-season

Discover five underrated travel destinations where visiting in the off-season means fewer crowds, beautiful scenery and better deals

Chad Madden / Unsplash

Summer may be the traditional season for vacations, but it is not always the smartest time to visit some of the country’s most beautiful destinations. Once peak-season crowds disappear, travelers can find a different version of popular vacation spots, with quieter streets, cooler temperatures, changing leaves and, often, significantly better prices.

That is the appeal of traveling during the shoulder or off-season. According to Reader’s Digest, shifting a trip by even a month or two can open up destinations at a fraction of their high-season cost. The savings can be especially noticeable at hotels, while fewer visitors can make outdoor attractions, restaurants and local sights more enjoyable.

The trick is choosing destinations where the off-season is still an experience in itself. Some places trade summer crowds for brilliant fall foliage. Others offer comfortable weather for hiking, biking and sightseeing after the busiest months have passed. And in a few warm-weather destinations, the off-season can mean enjoying beaches and tropical scenery without the holiday-season rush.

Reader’s Digest highlighted destinations where travelers can take advantage of these quieter periods, but five stand out for the sheer range of things to do once the crowds thin out. From hiking among Sedona’s red-rock formations to wandering the coastal paths of Maine, these destinations show that a cheaper trip does not have to mean a lesser one.

If your travel calendar is flexible, the off-season may actually be the better time to go.

Edmundo Mendez Jr / Unsplash

Sedona is the kind of destination where the landscape does most of the work, and visiting outside the busiest periods can make that scenery even easier to enjoy. Reader’s Digest describes the Arizona destination as a crowd-free Southwestern getaway, with glowing mountains, vast desert landscapes and plenty of opportunities to explore outdoors.

Hiking is an obvious draw. Sedona’s dramatic red-rock formations create a backdrop for trails and viewpoints, while Bell Rock offers another opportunity to explore the area’s distinctive landscape. The destination is also known for its rock formations and vortexes, giving visitors another reason to spend time outside rather than simply passing........

© Quartz