why traveling to Europe during the shoulder season is the best

You’ve probably heard of “peak-season”, or similar to describe the busiest time a destination receives tourism and “off-season”, [or similar] to describe lower tourism activity at a destination. The peak-season travel months in Europe are around June - August and off-season in Europe is generally November - March.

But have you heard of the cheeky “shoulder season”?
The time sandwiched between peak and off season, late March - early June and end of August - early November. AKA, the most perfect time to travel. Let me tell you why:

Cheaper: Prices for flights, accommodations and even some activities are a lot lower during the shoulder season compared to peak. You can find better deals and discounts, making it very budget friendly. This is particularly true when it comes to cities like London, Paris, Amsterdam etc. Shoulder season was how I was able to start traveling outside of the country with a teeny tiny budget. My first solo trip was to London for $300 RT from Chicago O’Hare in May. A few months later, my friends and I were able to travel to Munich for Oktoberfest from Indianapolis for $600 RT (which was a steal because I was living in Indiana at the time and did not want to have drive 4 hours to Chicago).

Fast forward to most recently, it’s still the time I prefer to travel in order to experience more things by keeping transportation cost low. Just last October, Chandler and I flew to Edinburgh from Boston, to Cork and Dublin to Boston all for $450. Shout out to Ryanair for that $12 dollar plane ticket from EDI to Cork. The US could never.

Crowds: This one is really big deal for me and why it might be my number 1 reason to travel during this time.
When I see the images during summer of a crowded square or packed beach, I feel tired, hot and cranky. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely still crowds in popular European cities but they are just markedly smaller numbers. Manageable, if you will. You can enjoy popular attractions, museums, and landmarks with [fingers crossed] shorter waits, allowing for a more relaxed and immersive travel experience.

Availability: With fewer tourists, you have a higher chance of finding available accommodations and flights, even at the last minute and, back to point one, at a lesser cost! This flexibility allows for spontaneous travel decisions and exploring more destinations.
My last trip to London in November, my flight was so cheap that I was able to splurge on a room at the Standard Hotel at the last minute. The room itself was also at a price $100 -$200 dollars cheaper than it normally would be priced.

Weather: Since shoulder season typically falls during spring and autumn, it's much more mild and pleasant weather. If you're going to be in crowds, it's a heck of a lot more comfortable to be in one or a line when there's a light breeze or little to no humidity. All my trips to Europe during shoulder season, I never experienced being too hot or too cold. It was always like goldilocks, just right with a light jacket.

Local Experience: You're also more likely to interact with locals and experience the authentic culture of a destination during this time which is one of the best parts of exploring a new place. With fewer tourists, locals have more time and willingness to engage in conversations, share their traditions, and provide personalized recommendations.
As someone who has lived and lives in a city that sees a lot of tourism, I feel this point wholeheartedly. I love seeing people enjoying the activities in the city, stopping to ask me where to find the Good Will Hunting bench and seeing the city how I see it everyday. But by mid summer, I’m exhausted from the presence of so many visitors and I just want to walk my dog without the obstacle course of tourists.

I’ll never forget the night in Grenoble where my friends and I were approached by local strangers that we ended up bar hopping and dancing with them all night. It felt like the ultimate travel experience.

Conclusion: This isn’t one size fits all, really just a general guide. Just like anything, all these pros to traveling during the shoulder season have cons that follow. Such as if you want to go to a destination in Europe that is a little further from the big cities, you might not end up saving any money. Or paying more because it is not the peak travel season anymore and there are not many available means of transportation to get you to your final destination. And with less crowds, less demand - some destination attractions and activities might not be open. As far as weather goes, depending on the location it could be a less than ideal for you to want to visit.

All in all do what you want to do, when you want it and above all else have fun doing it!